The proliferation of NFL draft simulators has helped more and more people share their takes on the annual selection event, and now even current players are joining the fun. New Orleans Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan tried his hand at a seven-round mock draft for his team, and the results are interesting to say the least.
Jordan has the Saints trading down twice and selecting three defensive tackles, along with a local fan-favorite running back. Let’s break down his picks round-by-round:
Round 1, Pick 31
- Saints trade: No. 29
- Chiefs trade: Nos. 31 and 95
Jordan has the Chiefs trading up two spots for Oklahoma left tackle Anton Harrison, leapfrogging the Philadelphia Eagles in the process. That brought the Saints another third-round pick at No. 95 while keeping them in position to select Pittsburgh defensive tackle Calijah Kancey. Kancey is a highly athletic but worryingly undersized prospect who doesn’t fit the prototype the Saints use for the position, though he’s very disruptive and could be a big piece in their rotation.
Round 2, Pick 40
The Saints stayed put in the second round to select Utah tight end Dalton Kincaid, who some draft analysts rank best in the class. Kincaid missed time with injuries (which also kept him from completing pre-draft athletic testing) but he was a very productive receiver in college with multiple 800-yard seasons. He isn’t much of a blocker at this point in his career but could improve.
Round 3, Pick 74
- Saints trade: No. 71 and 227
- Browns trade: Nos. 74 and 140
The Saints agreed to move back three slots so they could upgrade one of their seventh-round picks to an early fifth rounder; the Browns targeted Cincinnati wide receiver Tyler Scott in this trade. And Jordan used that selection at No. 74 on Illinois safety Sydney Brown, who looks a lot like C.J. Gardner-Johnson coming out of school. He brings a ton of experience covering the slot and plays a very physical brand of football. He’d fit right in.
Round 3, Pick 95
Jordan used the pick the Saints got from trading back with the Chiefs in Round 1 on Baylor nose tackle Siaki Ika, one of the better run defenders in this draft class. He’s in the same weight class as other prominent nose tackles like Jordan Davis and Vita Vea but compares more favorably as an athlete to Danny Shelton, who the Saints nearly picked over Andrus Peat back in 2015 (only to be leapfrogged by the Browns). Pairing Ika with Khalen Saunders would put a lot of beef in the middle of the defensive line.
Round 4, Pick 115
Jordan watched Spears carve up the USC Trojans in the Cotton Bowl just like every other New Orleanian last year, and it’s clear he likes what he sees. Spears doesn’t bring breakaway speed in the open field like some backs in this class but he does offer rare two-way ability as a runner and receiver, and his impressive contact balance has shades of Alvin Kamara. Keeping him in New Orleans would be one of the draft’s best storylines.
Round 5, Pick 140
Two defensive tackles wasn’t enough, as Jordan had the Saints using this pick from the Browns on Texas prospect Moro Ojomo, who is a little light in the pants at just 289 pounds but whose well-rounded athleticism suggests he can still be an asset after bulking up a bit. It’s interesting that Jordan doubled and tripled down at the position after the Saints signed a pair of veteran free agents in Saunders and Nathan Shepherd.
Round 5, Pick 146
Here’s a good value pick. North Carolina State left guard Chandler Zavala is one of the better-experienced offensive linemen in this year’s group, and he could be penciled in as a replacement for Andrus Peat after coming off the bench in his rookie year. He moves really well for someone who weighs in at 316 pounds.
Round 5, Pick 165
Here’s another strong value pick. Maryland cornerback Jakorian Bennett is a Relative Athletic Score superstar (having posted a 9.59 RAS after his impressive combine workout) but he also has some strong ball skills with 5 interceptions and 17 pass breakups. He emerged as an asset on special teams last year and could make the team for his skills in that role alone.
Round 7, Pick 257
Of course Jordan ends his mock draft with one of his fellow former Golden Bears. He picked California safety Daniel Scott in the seventh round, adding another athletic standout (Scott posted an elite 9.94 RAS) with 600-plus snaps on special teams. Missed tackles have been a problem for Scott, but he’s only been penalized once on 1,900-plus career defensive snaps.
