This is an odd trend. A lot of things went sideways for the New Orleans Saints in 2022, and they have a long list of team needs for 2023 to right the ship and get back to playing competitive football — but now we’re seeing a 2023 mock draft linking the Saints to a tight end for the second time in two weeks. The Athletic’s Dane Brugler has New Orleans using its top draft pick, at No. 40 overall, on South Dakota State tight end Tucker Kraft.
So who is he? Kraft is one of five tight ends going off the board in this two-round mock draft, and NFL teams are excited for his playmaking ability as both a blocker and as a receiver. He’s a product of the same school that sent Dallas Goedert to the Philadelphia Eagles (he was picked at No. 49 overall back in 2018). Listed at 6-foot-5 and 255 pounds, Kraft moves well for someone his size but he missed five games this year with an ankle injury that required tightrope surgery. He’s appeared in 32 games for the Jackrabbits, catching 99 passes for 1,211 yards with 9 touchdown receptions.
