Soliciting draft evaluations from the BlackandGold
 

Just seeing what you guys thought of it, the good ,the bad, and the Falcons.

Re: Soliciting draft evaluations from the BlackandGold
 

Im intrigued about the draft.
Looks solid rather than splashy and when rebuilding thats the better option.

I do wonder if Anthony would have been there at R2 and Kikaha*in R3. I dont mind reaching a bit if its the player you want though.

Grayson was the only question mark for me though i understand the pick.

Would have been intetesting if the Browns and Colts not selected Shelton and Dorsett as i have a feeling that was the two we wanted.

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The good : I think we got a bunch of good, solid, safe football players. We addressed all our areas of need with quality football players. Nothing really to complain about.

The bad: The presumed lack of a high ceilings imo. None really standout as a homerun superstar type. With that said, you don't need a team full of superstars to win either. We have two players drafted that's been compared to Andre Whitworth and Kyle Williams... two underrated stars in this league.

The Falcons: I thought they did a really good for the most part. Dan Quinn is the new head coach there so they're going to want to play good defense and run the football. Three guys they drafted on defense provided value and should be able to contribute immediately. Tevin Coleman was an explosive player in college and was highly thought of in the draft. The one big fail they did have was not addressing OL early enough. Their line was atrocious last year and they haven't done much to address it. And if Dan Quinn is going to bring a Seattle Seahawk type football down to Atlanta, you know it all starts up front on both sides of the ball.

Atlanta can't offer anything anyone else can to La'el Collins but if I were them, and if he's cleared of any wrong doing, I would just give him a phone call and send him over a contract... I'd fly someone down to Baton Rouge and start recruiting him like a 5 star athlete coming out of high school.

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Needed to protect Drew better. Needed to improve defense. And we did what we could to get what we could elsewhere. We likely need another draft to improve as much as we all wanted to, but it may be sufficient enough for this year, provided of course picks come through.

FailClowns still suck!

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I agree. I like the fact that we're going into next offseason with a better cap situation to hopefully land a couple of big FA signings in areas that are needed following this year. But I am pretty satisfied with our draft picks and I do believe we'll win our division this year. The future of our team is shaping up nicely.

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Andrus Peat - understand the value butttttt Parker was tempting

Stephone Anthony - Rumors were all true. the saints love this kid

Hau'oli Kikaha - Talent is there but injury history really worries me

Garrett Grayson - This SP man all the way what can you really say

P.J. Williams - RD3? this one had me out of my seat dancing. Round 2 i would have been not so happy. but RD3? sold.

Davis Tull - Mr. Curiosity in my book

Tyeler Davison - Fire plug on the inside ok i can see it

Damian Swann - this replaced Andrus Peat has my number 1 head scratcher of the draft. i like the kid in the next round or two and have talked about him but to trade up and get him in the 5th was a shocker. Charles Gains is on the board still and lasted till after we were to pick in 6th to the Browns. so the Charles Gains vs Damian Swann watch is on for me. worse use of a pick, well PICKS, in the draft by the saints in 2015? this one could be that pick without a doubt, ok Swann is the better tackler i will give him that

Marcus Murphy - he wins my most interesting pick. this one came out of no where for me. A friend that is a huge Mizzo fan say he has that something special thing about his game that made fans stand when ever he touched the ball. A big play just waiting to happen despite the fact when you looked at him you would never think he was anything special. he has that special 6th sense when he plays to make things happen.

- after gutting the pass game i am still shocked that saints did not add 1 WR in the draft. Shocked. teams will now jam the line till we can prove that our 3rd 4th and 5th WR are anything to worry about. Our track history over the past few years depth wise has not been that good. I just think it made the emphasis on the running game that much difficult. My wild card is Morgan. I am hoping they dumped him to heal and planned to have him back all along in 2016

- the saints do not have a true #2 CB on the roster to start on opening day IMO. so i am hoping for a huge surprise in camp. Nickle dime looks good.

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I say the grade is INCOMPLETE.

They have a lot of info and interviews with these guys that we do not have access to. They have a vision for these players that we do not know what it is yet. THese guys also haven't played a down in the NFL and I don't see how you can grade them an A now and then come game day none of them are on the roster...

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With Armstead injured and Strief old, I get the OT pick. He will be a future starter for sure. But, with the 13 pick, the Saints could have got a starter NOW at a NEED position. Parker, Johnson, and Dupree come to mind.

Anthony was their guy and he fills a need.

Hau'oli has the talent but the injuries are not good.

Grayson was a waste. Could have had Coates. True playmaker with size at a need position.

Williams looks to be a steal. Great value. Florida St players with baggage concerns me though.

Tull was a steal as well. True football player.

Davidson and Swann should make the team. TE James would have been nice with either pick.

Murphy could be the returner the Saints have long needed. Good pick. But, McBride at WR would have been a steal.

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Our first round selection of Andrus Peat with pick 13 will be the kind of pick that grows on you when he's still our left tackle - ten years from now with all the accolades and honors in tow...

Maybe it's just not having quality linebackers for so long that clouded my viewpoint, but getting the best inside linebacker in the draft from Clemson in Stephone Anthony with pick 31 will be more than justified...

If Washington OLB Hau'oli Kikaha was a slight reach, it will be among the slightest as there were greater reaches by most teams in the second. But the need to draft a proven passrusher was at critical mass for the front office...

The theme for this draft will be Stealing and taking QB Garrett Grayson of Colorado State will be a delayed gratification pick when Drew Brees comes to the end of his contract the following season...

Speaking of stealing, we got a NCAA National Championship MVP in the third round who did as much with three interceptions in that game; getting CB P.J. Williams, who should start immediately at the nickel, so he can start stealing some pick sixes was a wow moment...

There were some nice values to be had in the fourth round and was disappointed the Saints stood pat there; we had expendable depth on the roster (i.e. safety) at this point and we did nothing...

Now when the fifth rolled around, it was flat-out looting when Tennessee-Chattanooga OLB Davis Tull was still there; every bit as a physical talent as the best OLB in the draft fell because of injury during draft eval process...

Value big screens and even valuable defenders were still there when we took Buck-Strong NT Tyeler Davison from Fresno State who will make the NT rotation tremendous for our 3-4 front...

Jeff Ireland must have taken a pi$$ break and Sean Mickey regressed and moved up to pick another CB Damian Swann, who has limited range and will be a dime defender at best, with Tight End Need/Value there as well as Mich State's ILB Taiwan Jones, just didn't see the need to move up giving up both the 2015 and 2016 6th round picks...

Round seven and the final steal, pick in RB Marcus Murphy should keep what was already a good RB corps even better and honest as the competition there should fire that group up for the regular season...

While it wasn't a perfect draft and we really need three (3) years to truly evaluate it, this has been one of the best managed, quality drafts under Coach Payton's tenure and a solid showing for Saints first year Scouting Director Jeff Ireland...

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2015 Draft Pick Criteria...

Physical
Tough
Non-stop motor
Leader on and off field
Character
High football IQ
Productive

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Our Depth at WR has never been good, yet Brees still throws for close to 5k every season. Most casual Saints fans can't name more than 2 WR from the 09 team. Jones and Coleman will surprise a few folks this year.

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:bng:

:bng:

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This may be like a "Wild Thing" pitch, "Jussssst a bit outside!"

Greatest draft in the SP era orrrrrr BUST!!!

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All the picks fit that criteria but Williams, I'm fine with that

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+1000000

Brees has turned 5th, 7th, UDFA WRs into productive WRs in the NFL. Im not worried about this WR corp at all this season

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It was kinda humorous that all the intangibles read almost exactly the same way.

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Howdy fellas... I really, really like what the Saints did in this draft. Unlike the past few years where I walked away with several "why the hell did we draft that guy?" comments, I feel like we really improved our roster this weekend.

I really like the Andrus Peat pick, and I think I'll like it even more when we find out what's going to happen between Armstead and Strief and Peat. The guy has a great frame, huge arms, and is probably the best pass pro prospect in the draft.

My favorite pick in the draft, and I totally understand why it's considered a reach, is Stephone Anthony. He might have been there in the second round when we picked, but I love that the Saints got him. He's a high energy, high character, explosive player (4.56 and great broad jump) at linebacker, a position that badly needs an upgrade. He's the unquestioned leader of the best defense in college... I feel like he's going to be a guy that is going to push our defense to get better.

The Kikaha pick surprised me a bit because of his injury history and his poor showing at the combine, but the guy can play football. He's got a high motor and a good first step. He'll push Gallette to get better.

The Grayson pick wasn't a surprise since we've so many rumors about how much Payton liked the guy. If he can develop into a good QB at the pro level then the value is tremendous. I really enjoyed watching him at the Gruden QB Camp. My biggest concern is his collarbone... he's broken it three times, the last one by lifting a couch???

My second favorite pick of the draft is PJ Williams. The guy has the talent to be an early second rounder, borderline first. There are clearly character concerns here, and hopefully the organization will hold him accountable. But on the field, the guy is a really good player. Unlike our last FSU cornerback, Williams is stout in run defense. He's also very instinctual in pass coverage and has good ball skills. What I like most about him is that he shows up in the biggest games... he was a superstar in the NCG in 2013. I see him as an immediate contributor.

The Tull and Davison picks continue with the theme of high motor, overachievers who should help our front 7. I like both picks and am curious to see if both can play right away, especially Tull whose measurables at the combine are pretty impressive.

Swann seems to me like he may be best at the Safety position... I'm not quite sure why we felt the need to trade up and get him, but after the way we drafted the first five rounds, I've got to trust the decision-makers on this one.

I really like the Murphy pick in the seventh round. I watched a lot of Missouri football this past season and the kid is special with the ball in his hands. I think he will be good for us in the return game and hopefully can contribute on third downs.

Overall, I really like what the Saints did in this draft. I think our defense is much better than it was before the draft, and depending on how things shake out on the OL, we've addressed our biggest weakness on the offensive side of the ball as well. I'm honestly not too concerned with our WR/TE depth... I think Brees can throw most people open.

Re: Soliciting draft evaluations from the BlackandGold
 

where did you find those?

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Yep, solid post TD.

But one thing I'm seeing a lot of is people posting about Kikaha's injury history. He's played injury free for the last 2 years and he's played lights out. I'm not sure that qualifies as an injury history.

And I keep hearing that Anthony was a reach. I disagree. We had the 2nd to last pick in the 1st, and he was slated as a 2nd rounder.

I honestly think he would have been picked before we picked in the 2nd. I don't think he was a reach in any way shape or form. The best MLB in the draft at 31 is not a reach.

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We needed D we got D. Peat pick was fine for the O. Tull and Davidson- solid, which I like. Swann might be that ST ace like Roby use to be is all I can think of.Murphy sounds like Sproles, great field vision when the ball is in his hands. Williams-solid. Kikaha= holding judgement on, Anthony= didn't like the pick but will hold judgement on. RR usually puts togather a pretty good group of lb.'s wherever he has been and with as many as we have now he should be able to sort though and make a good unit, at least I'm hoping so.I still say Ellerbe will be a beast on the inside.

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Good points Danno.

About Kikaha, the fact that he's had two ACL tears is cause for concern, but agree that it's a good sign he's played injury free that last two seasons. Clearly the Saints medical staff feels comfortable with the structure of his knees.

Totally agree about Anthony. DE and CB tend to get the most attention on defenses these days, but I don't know if there's a more important position on the defensive side of the ball than a good MLB. He will bring athleticism to that position that we haven't had in a long time. Pumped about him.

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We see rugby players come back from the ACL surgery and still keep playing into their 50's.

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Andrus Peat - initially I didn't like it, as I thought it was a reach for someone who won't be playing guard and possibly not starting at all this year... But I'm liking it more and more as time passes. In past years we have incorporated that swing tackle position into the offense with effectiveness. Last year with Bryce Harris? Not so much. Having Peat as no worse than that swing tackle for the next year or two sounds great to me. And there is always the chance he beats out one of the other tackles for a starting gig. If he's the best man for the job, I want him there. Not to mention the fact that both Strief and Armstead missed time with injuries last year, and we all know how it worked out for Harris.

Stephone Anthony - my favorite pick of our draft. Finally, the athletic monster LB we've been begging for. I agree with others here that he almost certainly wouldn't have been there in round 2. Grade be damned, this was a glaring need and the best possible player is in your lap. 31 overall is like a glorified second round pick anyway. He's gonna be a stud in the middle for years to come. Great pick.

Kikaha - no, I'm not gonna waste my time looking up his full name again..one day I'll remember it. This pick confused me at first. I saw the slow 40 time and the injuries and I was freaked out. But after learning that he's gone without another injury for two years I feel better about it. As for the 40 time, I'm way less concerned about it now. 40 times really are way overrated and so easily schewed by a number of factors. Watching his film I see game speed and obviously massive production. My preference was Eli Harold, but this is another pick that I like more as time goes on.

Garrett Grayson - this is the one I just can't get over hating. I get that Payton likes the kid, and I can kinda see why.. but with a number of needs on defense and even a couple more on offense, I feel like this pick could have been put to much better use. You still have a future HOF'er under contract for the next 2 years, and I am among those who thinks he'll sign an extension for at least another year and maybe even two. I don't believe he's fallen off a cliff, and with a rebuilt offensive line to keep him off his backside I think he'll continue to produce just fine. This kid probably ends up walking in free agency before he ever gets the chance to succeed Brees. I've backed off my prediction that he won't even make the team, but I still think it ends up being a wasted pick.

PJ Williams - my second favorite pick. Borderline first round talent. Good size, good speed. Plays nasty and steps up when the pressure is on. I think he wins the nickel corner spot this year and he'll be starting in 2 years at the most. Awesome value getting him in the latter half of the third. Another great pick.

Davis Tull - another good value pick. Don't think he'll make much noise this year outside of special teams, and he'll probably never be a superstar. But we need to get younger on D and we need depth, so this pick checks both boxes. I think he develops into a solid rotational player and I'm happy to get him this late.

Tyeler Davison - more good value. Quality rotational player who I think could probably play end when we're in a 34 look and inside if we go with a 4 man line. I don't think he's a great fit at NT in a 34, but our defense is so multiple I don't think think it'll be hard to find a role for him.

Damian Swann - this one still has me scratching my head some. I don't hate the pick but I question the need to trade back into the 5th to get him. The front office must really love this kid is all I can think. Hopefully they're right about him. I will say that I love the fact that we have loaded up on talent in the secondary. Last year's version was atrocious and I'm glad the coaching staff agrees. Big time competition for every spot in the secondary this year, can only mean good things for us.

Marcus Murphy - to be honest I don't know much about him. I thought it was a bad pick at first, but after reading a little more and seeing what some folks here have to say I'm guessing he has a good shot at being our return specialist. He may or may not make the team, but for a seventh round pick it isn't a big loss if he doesn't. Best case scenario he ends up being a good returner and it's another great value pick.

Overall I'm pretty happy with our draft this year. Not a lotta sexy picks but very solid and addressed some needs. As of today I give it a B.

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for the record here is my draft from the draft party

13 WR DeVante Parker
33 DT Malcom Brown
44 OT Jake Fisher
75 OLB Eli Harold
78 CB P.J. Williams
148 OG Jarvis Harrison
154 CB Charles Gaines
157 WR Darren Waller
232 OLB Edmond Robinson

as you can see i went a different direction almost completely.

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@ frydaddy... I just about agree 100% with your take on it. Only difference is that I like the Grayson pick. I'm one of the few who thinks Brees plays out the last two years of his contract and signs elsewhere. I don't think he retires a Saint.

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If Brees is still playing at a high level in two years,then I don't see the need to get rid of him. Sign him to one year deals until his production drops or he retires. I really want him to retire a Saint,but not if it hinders our team from winning.

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I know what you mean, but in two years Brees will be 38 and and it'll be time to move on. He probably wouldn't even sign one year deals with us when other teams will give him one last big payday. We have to accept the fact that Brees will not be here forever. Indy could do it with Peyton and Green Bay could with Favre... We can as well. Grayson will be ready after two years of development.

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Well, the Indy situation was different with Payton coming off of neck surgery with alot of unknowns and Luck was a can't miss, once in a decade prospect. You make a good point with Favre, but obviously Rogers was ready. What happens if Grayson doesnt develop like we think and Brees is still performing at a high level? Then what? I honestly dont have a problem moving on from Brees if Grayson is ready and Brees' production has dropped. Not saying you don't have a good point, its just my opinion.