SmashMouth

The New Orleans Saints made two trades and five selections in the NFL Draft on Friday and Saturday. Here's how I graded each pick, along with an assessment of the overall haul of prospects:



Round 2 (No. 48 overall): Center Erik McCoy
I am already on record about loving this pick. It’s not the sexiest selection, but like the selection of Ryan Ramczyk in 2017, it will look positively beautiful when we review this draft years from now. The move to acquire him was costly. Second-round picks are usually quality selections and the Saints dealt one to Miami to move up and select McCoy. But if things go as planned for the Saints this season, the selection will be a low second-rounder next year and if McCoy develop into a multi-year starter, as most expect, then the price tag will be justified. Most scouts and analysts graded McCoy as a high second-round talent. He has all of the traits the Saints look for in their linemen: versatility, intelligence, toughness and production. He will compete immediately for a starting spot at center but has also played guard in his career and easily slide to the position if needed. He should be an interior anchor for years to come. Grade: A

Round 4 (No. 105): Safety Chauncey Gardner-Johnson
This pick makes a lot of sense. Safety was a sneaky need for the Saints. Marcus Williams struggled through a sophomore slump last season and the Saints lacked quality depth at the position after moving on from Kurt Coleman. Gardner-Johnson was graded as a second-third round talent so to get him high in the fourth round was excellent value. Gardner-Johnson’s athleticism and versatility should allow him to see the field early in sub-packages, where Dennis Allen likes to play multiple safeties for match-up purposes. In Williams, Vonn Bell and Gardner-Johnson, the Saints not have three athletic, almost interchangeable safeties they can employ in passing situations. Grade: B

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