Good news, Saints: ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. thinks this is a great defensive draft
 

The New Orleans Saints finished with the 27th-ranked defense in 2016, which was actually an improvement from the previous two seasons.

So, it stands to reason the Saints will look for defensive help in the draft in April, and one analyst Thursday said this is a good year to be in the market for defense.

"This is a great defensive line draft; it's a great defensive draft overall," ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. said while answering a question about possible first-round options for the Dallas Cowboys.

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Just about every mock draft we will see over the next few months will have the Saints picking a defensive player. Kiper had the Saints using the 11th overall pick on former Alabama linebacker Reuben Foster in his mock draft published Thursday morning.

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Re: Good news, Saints: ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. thinks this is a great defensive draft
 

I have been looking at Mock Draft as I am want to do this time of year and if they are indicative of the way the draft will play out I see three players as probable picks for the Saints at#11.
Rueben Foster ILB


Derek Barnett De


Solomon Thomas DE

I would be thrilled with any one of these guys.

Re: Good news, Saints: ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. thinks this is a great defensive draft
 

I'd make some kind of trade so I'd have 5 picks to draft the best defensive people in the first 2 rounds.

Re: Good news, Saints: ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. thinks this is a great defensive draft
 

actually i agree with mel for once

But what makes this really interesting is the way the rankings are falling which is like believing in ghost I know

deep at CB and I mean deep at starter quality all the way through the draft with solid upside prospects. many with FS possibilities. Big and fast

DE is ok early pretty solid in the middle and in the end I still have questions. heavy on 34 DE

gap shooting DT is not bad and there are some solid 43 NT types sprinkled all around.

Safety is a bit thin. I am hoping a deep CB class will allow a safety to slip through the cracks and be snagged on day 2

ILB and OLB looks to be a huge whole in the draft. WLB once again dominate. 43 SLB and MLB are almost non existence once again.

Re: Good news, Saints: ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. thinks this is a great defensive draft
 

Mel Kiper??? What does Gil Brandt have to say about it? Him and Mayock are about the only two people I really listen to about the drafts.

Re: Good news, Saints: ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. thinks this is a great defensive draft
 

So trade Ingram?

Re: Good news, Saints: ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. thinks this is a great defensive draft
 

Armstead is about the only player we could afford to lose right now and gain a pick in the first two rounds...

And then you'd have Peat sliding to LT and signing two veteran guards, RG Kevin Zeiter and LG Andrew Norwell...

The only two players that would get interest in the trade market for first or second round picks are Cooks and Jordan...

This bullshinski talk of trading Cooks is asinine because Thomas-Cooks-Snead is as near a perfect complementary group you can have...

With Cam, You'd have to get a first round pick for Cam Jordan and THEN take a DE-5T in the draft who plays with his veteran impact...

Re: Good news, Saints: ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. thinks this is a great defensive draft
 

I'm still beating the drum for trading Vaccarro.

Re: Good news, Saints: ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. thinks this is a great defensive draft
 

Good possibility Tomsula shakes up the D line if hired.

Re: Good news, Saints: ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. thinks this is a great defensive draft
 

And fill that spot with...?