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They are the lifeblood of NFL franchises.

The draft is where teams build championships, not free agency. Teams use free agency to address a specific need. Often times, signing a free agent is a gamble, a very expensive proposition with long-term financial implications.
When you draft a player, you get him in cheaper fashion and with a chance to control that player for at least four years.

When the Sean Payton regime began as he joined Mickey Loomis in 2006, the New Orleans Saints hit it big, drafting brilliantly in their first effort. After picking Reggie Bush second overall, Payton and Loomis hit it big with Roman Harper, Jahri Evans, Zach Strief and Marques Colston. Another pick, Rob Ninkovich, was plagued by injuries but went on to great success with New England. Mike Hass and Josh Lay did not make the cut.

A decade later, Evans, Strief and Colston are still starters and mainstays for Payton and Loomis. Bush and Harper are still playing in the league, along with Ninkovich.

The 2007 draft was not nearly as productive but did yield starters Robert Meachem and Jermon Bushrod while Usama Young was a contributor to the Super Bowl season. While solid, Meachem certainly did not live up to being a first-round pick. Andy Alleman did not stick, Antonio Pittman was beaten out by undrafted Pierre Thomas, David Jones did not make it and Marvin Mitchell was short-term.

Defensive tackle Sedrick Ellis was taken high in the 2008 first round while Super Bowl hero Tracy Porter came in the second round. The Saints hit it big with eventual Pro Bowl guard Carl Nicks in the fifth round. While a solid contributor, Ellis did not live up to first round expectations. DeMario Pressley, Taylor Mehlhaff and Adrian Arrington fell short of expectations.

New Orleans had just four picks in 2009 but got safety and leader Malcolm Jenkins in the first round and made a brilliant selection in punter/kickoff specialist Thomas Morstead in round five. Chip Vaughn and Stanley Arnoux were misses.

The 2010 draft would have been a total bust, were it not for the selection of Jimmy Graham in the third round. Graham became one of the two best receiving tight ends in the NFL, a tremendous player for the Saints. That helped overshadow the mistake of picking Patrick Robinson in the first round and tackle Charles Brown in the second round. The other picks, including Al Woods, Matt Tennant and Sean Canfield, did nothing.

The 2011 efforts yielded Cameron Jordan, a good pick, in the first round while the team traded up to get Mark Ingram, a solid player but a player whom the Saints made a steep investment in. None of the other four picks (Martez Wilson, Johnny Patrick, Greg Romeus, Nate Bussey) panned out.

In, 2012, the Saints found starter Akiem Hicks in the third round while Nick Toon arrived in the fourth round. Corey White earned some starts but was simply not good enough while Andrew Tiller and Marcel Jones fell short. Hicks must step up in 2015 to realize his potential and it is time for Toon to prove if he can play.

Kenny Vaccaro, the 2013 first-round pick, is a starter but is coming off of a disappointing season. Terron Armstead looks like a steal in the third round while John Jenkins must stay healthy to become a significant contributor. Kenny Stills is already gone and Rufus Johnson did not make the cut.

The 2014 draft looks shaky at best. Brandin Cooks may hit it big. The Saints certainly need him to do so. Stanley Jean-Baptiste must make significant progress to avoid being a bust while Khairi Fortt, Vinnie Sunseri, Ronald Powell and Tavon Rooks hardly inspired even the most optimistic observers.

Coming off the 2015 draft, there is reason for optimism. Though experts, by and large, gave the Saints an average grade, the selections have a chance to make a significant impact.

Saints need 2015 draft to come through big - SportsNOLA

there is still more to read to ..... solid article

Rugby Saint II

This draft is the one that is going to be the most productive. I'm excited about all of these guys.

QBREES9

I'm excited about this draft as well. I just hope more then one or two pan out.

44Champs

From 2006-2010, we were one of the "fastest" teams in the NFL. Our mediocre draft history is the reason that we've gotten older and slower. Hopefully these young guns step up and turn that around.

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QBREES9

Thats a lot of pressure to put on these kids.

blackangold

Takes a lot of pressure to make a diamond.

jeanpierre

Ken Trahan is Captain Obvious...

jeanpierre

Pressure?

Pressure to me is a 19 year old recent graduate from Advanced School getting off a transport plane for his new assignment in Afghanistan...

This generation had better learn to deal with pressure and embrace the suck because the world is definitely becoming more complicated by the hour...