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New Orleans Saints Scouts Attend Three Games at Virginia Tech

New Orleans Saints scouts have visited three games each for three different schools: Ole Miss, USC, and...Virginia Tech?

The New Orleans Saints scouts have been hard at work in the predraft process, visiting schools to find tomorrow’s top draft prospects. Thanks to Chase Goodbread’s Scouting the Scouts series, we know that the Saints have attended multiple games for five schools: they have seen USC, Ole Miss, and Virginia Tech three times each, and have seen Alabama and Washington each play live twice. I’ll be giving you some brief reports on which prospects the Saints may be prioritizing.

Virginia Tech Hokies (three visits). Of the three schools that the Saints have sent scouts to watch play live, this may be the most confusing. USC is a traditional powerhouse, and Ole Miss has been a fresh pipeline of NFL talent. But Virginia Tech’s 2017 NFL draft prospects aren’t considered to be a bunch of future first rounders. So who is drawing the Saints’ attention in Blacksburg, VA?

Like the Saints, the Hokies run most of their offense out of three-receiver sets. The biggest draft-relevant name to know is Bucky Hodges, a 21-year old redshirt junior. Towering above the competition at 6-foot-7 and 245-pounds, Hodges is a former tight end who now runs with the wide receivers. Blah blah blah

On defense, defensive tackle Woody Baron is intriguing. He’s an undersized nose tackle... Blah blah blah

Other prospects at Virginia Tech include defensive end Ken Ekanem, a redshirt senior. Ekanem has good size at 6-foot-3 and 260-pounds, but he hasn’t matched the production from his breakout sophomore year. Half of Ekanem’s career 31.5 tackles for loss and 20.5 sacks were produced back in 2014. He’s lanky ... Blah blah blah

Virginia Tech also has a defensive back who impresses in Brandon Facyson, a great option at boundary corner. He has 31 pass deflections to his name but hasn’t intercepted a pass since he had five in his freshman season. Facyson can also crash downfield in run support thanks to his rare size at the position (6-foot-2, 197-pounds). This can be seen in his three tackles for loss and two forced fumbles on the season.

http://www.canalstreetchronicles.com...-virginia-tech

Round2
Bucky Hodges TE/WR Virgina Tech 6061 245 4.78 #7 rJr
freakish athlete sure. Makes some unreal snags at times for such a big guy. A one year wonder? or just starting to scratch the surface.

Round 2- I would go with an all around 3 down TE instead.
Jake Butt TE Michigan 6051 250 4.74 #88 Sr
Longer history of success and but still needs work fine tuning his game. not a freak. Think Tyler Eifert right now.

or rather go truly freakish?
O.J. Howard TE Alabama 6055 251 4.57 #88 Sr
witch is a direction I am leaning towards in round 1. Freaks like this do not come down the pike often

Round 2/3
Brandon Facyson CB Virginia Tech 6011 191 4.52 #31 Jr
I like the kids aggressive nature. He is solid in run support and good clean tackler. But the medicals need to come back clean. The lack Int production is a concern considering he is coming out of the ACC. Not like ACC is a QB dyno during his time there but he does get his hands in there early and often. This makes me question instincts and/or reaction skills. If this is the case it says a lot about a possible very high football IQ. Is there enough upside for a 2nd? just maybe. Better 3rd round prospect IMO? up-and-down tenure

Round 5/6
Ken Ekanem WDE/OLB Virgina Tech 6025 255 4.82 #4 rSr
Hmmm late round prospect with some upside. Not on my list. Too small for a strong side DE amd too slow for weak side DE. Not impressed with his play against the run nor his motor/desire. not the kind to chase a play down from the opposite side of the field. 6th rounder? How much upside is there?With that said he is a smart heady high-character player.

UDFA
Woody Baron DT Virgina Tech 6011 2784.97 #60 rSr
sleeper? A major project. desire is there but....is desire enough?b He is quick and having a decent season.

Not mentioned
Round 5-7
Chuck Clark FS Virginia Tech 5115 204 4.57 #19 Sr
flashy? noooo but decent in coverage and very effective against the run. Late round pick for depth that has the make up to be an impact player on special teams day 1. Non flashy solid players get no respect

jeanpierre

Bucky Hodges is projected in the middle of the first round...

This is a Saints Front Office Smoke Screen...

I'd believe they're looking at USC G Zach Banner around the second/third round though...

Right now, I'd bet DT Malik McDowell, Michigan St, 6-5, 282 pounds is the man...

If you go offense...

The only guy who could block McDowell...

OT Ryan Ramczyk, Wisconsin, 6-6, 315 lbs...

Unless Mitch Trubisky somehow falls, then that draft room would get real interesting...

jeanpierre

If we fall to the 10-15 range, again...

I really, really like OG Dan Feeney, Indiana, 6-4, 305 lbs...

Prospects on my radar...

QB Mitch Trubisky, North Carolina, 6-2, 220 lbs
DT Malik McDowell, Michigan St, 6-5, 282 lbs
OG Dan Feeney, Indiana, 6-4, 305 lbs
OT Ryan Ramczyk, Wisconsin, 6-6, 315 lbs

hagan714

my major questions are simple
One year wonders in a draft might bad for their positions?
QB Mitch Trubisky, North Carolina, 6-2, 220 lbs
OT Ryan Ramczyk, Wisconsin, 6-6, 315 lbs

what a disappointing season. he ran hot and cold all season and the lack of talent at DT in round only helps coverup the fact?
DT Malik McDowell, Michigan St, 6-5, 282 lbs

My radar has
Trade down lmao. no surprise there

*Mike Williams WR Clemson 6032 220 4.58 #7 rJr
Christian McCaffrey RB/WR/KR Stanford 5115 205 4.48 Jr.
O.J. Howard TE Alabama 6055 251 4.57 #88 Sr
*Derek Barnett SDE Tennessee 6025 265 4.65 #9 Jr
Zach Cunningham MLB/OLB Vanderbilt 6032 230 4.74 #41 rJr
*Sidney Jones CB Washington 5116 181 4.49 #26 Jr
Marlon Humphrey CB/FS Alabama 6005 196 4.49 #26 rSo
Quincy Wilson CB/FS Florida 6012 211 4.54 #6 Jr

i am leaning heavily towards
Christian McCaffrey RB/WR/KR Stanford 5115 205 4.48 Jr.

No coach can get more out of him than SP. He would be on the field all the time. He would allow SP to dust of all those plays Bush and Sproles ran. SP experiment of using Cook to run them has failed.

Think of how many players would be effected with pick and the multiple roster spots it would open up.

Travaris Cadet, Daniel Lasco, Marcus Murphy, Tommylee Lewis for starters.

The pick would have a cascading effect on RB, WR and Special teams.

Allows you to add more players to upgrade other areas of need. we are cap friendly for once

"We may have lost the game, but you'll be hurting tomorrow." Doug Atkins

hagan714

one player from VT of interest. He is kind of lost in all of this hype of Hodge. Actually Ford is a better blocker

*Isaiah Ford WR Virginia Tech 6012 190 4.49 #1 Jr

halloween 65

Being cap friendly this year and only having 5 picks I wouldn't mind seeing a few trades go on to improve both sides of the ball.

saintshrimp

We need better people in the trenches and better pass rushers, and secondary guys. I dont think pass catchin guys are the problem

Our offensive line needs to be better at run blocking .ill admit payton dont call enough running plays but when we do the oline dont give the backs very good holes to run between. As pass blockers they are not bad

The current dline is just average to below average. Nobody is really scary if you as me on a consistent basis

Lbers while we may have inproved a little still along way to go dont have a guy that strikes fear in you at all on defense amd thats a problem

Secondary is a buch of second teamers. With Delvin Breaux the best of the bunch however hasnt been the same since his broken fibula


Still think next years draft class has to be in those area as well as free agents they bring in

jeanpierre

Okay, you'll have to explain to me who's the one year wonders...

Trubisky has improved each year, despite playing for a really badly coached Carolina...
Ramczyk was a transfer and got his game on just like fellow Badger J.J. Watt...
McDowell could have been a second round pick last year, even as deep as that class was...

Trade down into that group? Most of them wouldn't have made the first round last year nor next year...

The Great White Hope? No Thank You. I see Trubisky where we'll be in the first round...

Only in need of a couple of re-signings (e.g. Nick Fairley, Sterling Moore, Willie Snead); we'll have cap room to sign at least one Guard, a Safety (should we release Byrd) and a REAL Tight End...

It's not that my way is the right way, I just make the right way my way...

saintshrimp

I dont see them going Te in this draft unless its later in the draft not after giving Fleener that big deal. I think its going to be a lineman or a secondary guy in round one and two

I dont think the take a qb this year either early this coming draft the qb draft class the following year is going to be the year to get the qb

jeanpierre

Our 2017 Roster, assuming we lose all Free Agents, with ERFA and RFA marked accordingly, will look something like this...

OFFENSE

QB (2) 9 - Drew Brees, 7 - Luke McCown

FB (0)

RB (4) 22 - Mark Ingram, 36 - Daniel Lasco, 38 - Travaris Cadet, 23 - Marcus Murphy

WR (4) 10 - Brandin Cooks, 13 - Michael Thomas, 16 - Brandon Coleman (ERFA), 19 - Jake Lampmann (ERFA)

LT (1) 72 - Terron Armstead

LG (2) 75 - Andrus Peat, 65 - Senio Kelemete

C (2) 60 - Max Unger, 66 - Jack Allen (ERFA)

RG (1) 78 - Landon Turner

RT (2) 64 - Zach Strief, 67 - Avery Young

TE (3) 82 - Coby Fleener, 89 - Josh Hill, 84 - Michael Hoomanawanui

SR (2) 83 - Willie Snead (ERFA), 87 - Tommylee Lewis


DEFENSE

DE (2) 94 - Cameron Jordan, 58 - Obum Gwacham

DT (2) 98 - Sheldon Rankins, 90 - Nick Fairley (Re-Sign Priority)

NT (2) 95 - Tyeler Davison, 93 - David Onyemata

DE (2) 99 - Paul Kruger, 91 - Kasim Edebali (RFA)

SLB (2) 44 - Hau'oli Kikaha, 54 - Nate Stupar

MLB (2) 52 - Craig Robertson, 50 - Stephone Anthony

WLB (2) 59 - Dannell Ellerbe, Travis Feeney (ERFA)

LCB (3) 40 - Delvin Breaux, 46 - Ken Crawley, 27 - Damian Swann

FS (2) 31 - Jairus Byrd, 48 - Vonn Bell

SS (3) 32 - Kenny Vaccaro, 30 - Erik Harris, 37 - Chris Banjo (RFA)

RCB (4) 25 - P.J. Williams, 24 - Sterling Moore (Re-Sign Priority), 21 - De’Vante Harris, 43 - Jimmy Pruitt


KICKING

K (1) 3 - Wil Lutz

P (1) 6 - Thomas Morstead

LS (0)

And you still have these guys to upgrade, draw from...

PRACTICE SQUAD

DB 39 - Taveze Calhoun

OT 79 - Rob Crisp

CB 20 - Brian Dixon

G 73 - John Fullington

QB 18 - Garrett Grayson

TE 45 - Garrett Griffin

DT 96 - Ashaad Mabry

TE 85 - Jake Stoneburner

WR 81 - Jordan Williams

It's not that my way is the right way, I just make the right way my way...