shadowdrinker

16. New Orleans - S Thomas Davis
Still can't shake Thomas Davis off this mock draft. Assuming the Saints don't fill the position of weakside linebacker in free agency, the incubents at the position are second-year Colby Bockwoldt, who was a pleasant surprise but not probably a long-term solution, and Derrick Rodgers, who turns 34 and is coming off back surgery. Davis projects immediately to the weakside spot, which in the Saints' scheme is asked to play off the line and in space. Davis' career as a safety would likely be stunted by a lack of deep coverage skills; a team that plays him at linebacker is his best hope for longevity.

Come draft day the Saints will hope for offensive skill position players to go early and often. There are three RB's, two QB's and three or four WR's as potential top 15 picks, and the Saints want them all to go so that targeted players like Davis, LB Derrick Johnson, DT Travis Johnson and T Alex Barron are pushed down to them. One or two of the top tier of players should fall to them if early teams get greedy on offense. If more good players slip than expected - or none at all - the Saints should entertain offers to trade down.