WhoDat!656

"Surprisingly the Saints have never picked 15th overall before, so this is new territory for them." (I didn't know this!!)
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Below is a look at players who have gone 15th overall in recent years, dating back to 1990. I gave each pick a grade to get a sense for what the aggregate would be. Check it out:

2012: Seahawks picked DE Bruce Irvin of West Virginia. As a role player he had 8 sacks and is a player on the rise. B

2011: Dolphins picked C Mike Pouncey of Florida. 16 game starter for two straight years. Improved greatly in year two. B+

2010: Giants picked DE Jason Pierre-Paul of South Florida. Two Time Pro Bowler, including a season with 16.5 sacks. Elite pass rusher. A-

2009: Texans picked LB Brian Cushing of USC. Made the Pro Bowl his rookie season and has been a solid NFL linebacker. Had a bad injury last season and was suspended for taking a banned substance. B+

2008: Chiefs picked T Branden Albert of Virginia. Started 71 of 72 games and has been a very balanced and solid tackle. B

2007: Steelers picked LB Lawrence Timmons of Florida State. After a slow start he's becoming a very reliable quality starter and a capable playmaker. B+

2006: Rams picked CB Tye Hill of Clemson. 5 career interceptions, out of the league by 2010. D

2005: Chiefs picked LB Derrick Johnson of Texas. Durable eight year starter, two time Pro Bowler. A-

2004: Bucs picked WR Michael Clayton of LSU. After a monster rookie season with 80 catches for 1193 yards, he battled injuries throughout the rest of his career and never bounced back. Lasted in the league till 2011 as a role player. C

2003: Eagles picked DE Jerome McDougle of Miami, Fl. Lasted in the league till 2008 as a backup only. 3 career sacks. D-

2002: Titans picked DT Albert Hayneworth of Tennessee. Two time Pro Bowler was the best tackle in the league for a short time, but his game fell apart once he got a massive contract from the Redskins in free agency. In 2008 had 8.5 sacks as a 350lb tackle! Out of the league by 2011, but the Titans got the best years out of him, so it was a good pick. A-

2001: Redskins picked WR Rod Gardner of Clemson. He did have one 1000 yard season but was largely a role player till he retired in 2006. C-

2000: Broncons picked CB Deltha O'Neal of California. Retired in 2008 with 34 career interceptions and a two time Pro Bowler. A solid player but a bit of a journeyman. B

1999: Bucs picked DT Anothony "Booger" McFarland of LSU. Starter for two Super Bowl champion teams. Never a superstar but always a solid player till 2006 when injuries finished his career. B

1998: Seahawks picked LB Anthony Simmons of Clemson. A good seven year starter that battled injuries. Played with the Saints briefly. C+

1997: Dolphins picked WR Yatil Green of Miami, FL. 18 career receptions. Out of the league by 2001. F

1996: Broncons picked LB John Mobley of Kutztown. A good 8 year starter, once an All Pro, and a Super Bowl champion. Don't ask me where Kutztown is, though. B

1995: Colts picked DE Ellis Johnson of Florida. 51 career sacks and a 10 year career. Never amazing but always solid. B-

1994: Rams picked T Wayne Gandy of Auburn. Most of you will recognize this name as he was the Saints' left tackle for a good three years, was solid, then went to the Falcons and as terrible. Got to love that. He never made the Pro Bowl in his 15 year career but was always considered pretty good. B

1993: Packers picked LB Wayne Simmons of Clemson. Played eight seasons and had lots of injuries but was decent when healthy. C+

1992: Jets picked TE Johnny Mitchell of Nebraska. Was viewed as a very explosive receiving tight end but never really panned out. I remember the hype surrounding Mitchell but he never really lived up to it. He only lasted till 1996 and then tried a ridiculous comeback with the Saints in 2001 that lasted about a day. D+

1991: Steelers picked LB Huey Richardson of Florida. Lasted two seasons and never started a game. F

1990: Oilers picked LB Lamar Lathon of Houston. 9 year career with a personal best 13.5 sacks in 96. That was the one time he made the Pro Bowl. B

Some interesting stats to take away from all this:

Since 1990, the 15th pick has yielded 16 defensive players and 7 offensive players. It seems like the talent leans defense at this point in the draft.

Since 1990, the position most picked at 15 is linebacker (8 of 23 selections) followed by defensive end (4).

The average GPA of these picks since 1990 is 2.28. Not great. I view C as "average" though, so on average this pick turns up a player that slightly better than average.

Since 1990, the player with the most Pro Bowls picked 15th is just 2, though Jason Pierre-Paul will likely change that soon. Still, that proves the 15th pick may yield good players but no superstars.

The best 15th pick players since 1990 are JPP, Derrick Johnson and Albert Haynesworth. All extremely good players in their prime, but they all have a bit of a checkered career too.

6 of the 23 players picked 15th since 1990 i'd label as a "complete bust". That means 26% of the picks were busts, 13% I considered average, and 61% I considered "pretty good to very good". Those are decent odds.

Does this make you feel better, worse or indifferent about the Saints picking 15th overall?

"A Veteran is someone who, at one point in his life, wrote a blank check made payable to "The United States of America" for an amount of "up to and including my life."

TheOak

What does the 73rd pick look like since so many want to trade down?

SmashMouth

Trade down so that we can recoup our number two.

D_it_up

If we stand pat, I really hope we stay out of the Yatil Green and Huey Richardson territory.

Luda34

A lot of good player on that list but I have to agree trade back but of all those good player on that list one stands out and that is Lamar Lathon man I use to like him when he was with the Cougars and then came to the Oilers.

Rugby Saint II

After reading this article I really want to trade back. If for no other reason than bad mojo..........

SmashMouth

True Dat.... if you flip it around, we have a deplorable forgettable record for trading up, and historically I don't believe it has ever really been a good move for any team, save maybe one exception or two. Should we begin to always trade down and acquire extra picks? Does it not make even more sense now in these salary cap times?

44Champs

This might be a dumb question, but what are the chances of us trading the pick for a veteran OT and some later round picks

st thomas

So much for picking a solid starter then with all this neg. Tocrapo going. Do yall remember whos picking for us? I think they have a decent track record. Somebodys coming here to have a good carreer . It might be mingo or even mateo who knows.

vpheughan

The Saints drafted One "Mr. Irrelevant" (who actually predated the award by nearly a decade) went on to a productive professional career in another sport. Jimmy Walker was the final pick in 1967 despite never having played college football. His main sport, however, was basketball, in which he was a consensus All-American and the nation's leading scorer as a senior at Providence. Walker was the first overall pick in the 1967 NBA Draft, and opted for a career in the NBA.