The New Orleans Saints addressed their most important need in the first round of the 2023 NFL draft, so where do they go from here? The truth is that they could move in almost any direction and come away feeling great about the decision.
After picking Clemson Tigers defensive tackle Bryan Bresee at No. 29, the Saints could be justified in turning their attention to offense, either along the line (prioritizing a guard like Florida’s O’Cyrus Torrence or TCU’s Steve Avila) or at the skills positions (in targeting a pass-catcher such as Notre Dame tight end Michael Mayer, wide receiver Cedric Tillman, or UCLA running back Zach Charbonnet).
There also a couple of talented defensive backs available in Penn State cornerback Joey Porter Jr. and Alabama safety Brian Branch. New Orleans could double down on their defensive front by prioritizing edge rushers Keion White (Georgia Tech) or Isaiah Foskey (Notre Dame), too. And let’s not overlook some long-term developmental quarterbacks like Will Levis (Kentucky) and Hendon Hooker (Tennessee), either.
The point is that it’s really tough to predict what the Saints will do on the second day of the draft. But we’ll try anyway. Here’s a quick mock draft for their picks in Rounds 2 and 3:
Round 2, Pick 40: OL Cody Mauch, North Dakota State
The Saints love to build through the trenches (as we saw on Thursday night when they picked Bresee), and I expect them to try and trade up for big Georgia Tech defensive end Keion White — whether they’ll be successful remains to be seen. Assuming that move doesn’t pan out, they’ll pivot to the offense and invest in a succession plan at left guard, and North Dakota State product Cody Mauch (6-foot-5, 302 pounds with a 9.32 Relative Athletic Score) fits the bill.
He’s dominated a lower level of competition despite some length limitations (Mauch’s 32.3-inch arms are beneath NFL standards at left tackle) and a move to guard is likely, where his aggressive style of play and movement skills would be maximized. He’s one of the most agile linemen in this draft class and more than held his own at Senior Bowl practices. He’s a high-end athlete with leadership skills the Saints value as a former team captain.
Round 2, Pick 61: WR Cedric Tillman, Tennessee
Projected trade:
- New Orleans gets: 2.61 and 4.133
- Chicago gets: 3.71, 4.115, and 5.165 (via Philadelphia)
Tillman is one of the few big-bodied receivers in this draft class, boasting a height-weight-speed profile very similar to Michael Thomas coming out of school (and an 8.67 Relative Athletic Score at 6-foot-3 and 213 pounds). He broke out with a 1,000-yard season under Saints receivers coach Kodi Burns in 2021 and started the 2022 season hotter than his teammate Jalin Hyatt, only to be slowed down by an unfortunate ankle injury. He’s healthy now, though, and he’d make a ton of sense for a Saints receiving corps that needs better depth. Tillman is ferocious as a blocker but offers more receiving ability than Tre’Quan Smith at this stage in his career.
Trading up for him might be necessary if the Saints pass on him at No. 40. The Bears are wheeling and dealing this year and this move would better position them in the middle rounds; right now their picks are kind of bunched up in pods; they’re going into Day 2 with picks at Nos. 53, 61, and 64 as well as another cluster at 133, 136, and 148. If New Orleans plays it right, they can move up while still holding onto mid-round assets of their own.
Round 3, Pick 73: DE Zach Harrison, Ohio State
Projected trade:
- New Orleans gets: 3.73
- Houston gets: 7.227, 2024 Round 2 pick (via Denver)
It’s a revamp of the 2017 Alvin Kamara trade, but we’re targeting help on defense. All of the compensatory picks the Saints are expecting to get in 2024 (two fourth rounders for losing defensive linemen David Onyemata and Marcus Davenport, as well as a sixth-round choice as compensation for linebacker Kaden Elliss) have to be burning a hole in their wallet, and parting with an early-round choice next year to get a difference-maker now fits their usual draft strategy. Houston may want to reload with that future pick after making an expensive first-round trade with Arizona.
Harrison is a long-armed athlete who plays at full speed, though he isn’t as flexible as some smaller players and his high center of gravity can work against him. But he’s a naturally-stout run defender with the size the Saints value at 6-foot-5 and 274 pounds (with an 8.71 Relative Athletic Score, too). He created a lot of impact plays with 25.5 tackles for loss, 13 sacks, 11 pass breakups, and 5 forced fumbles in 46 games (28 starts), and he’s also a former team captain. He’s still improving but he can play right away in the rotation as an insurance policy in case Payton Turner continues to come along slowly.
Remaining needs
It’s a good thing we were able to get a fourth-round pick back in the middle of all these moves, because the Saints will need it. We weren’t able to come away with a running back to reinforce the depth chart behind Alvin Kamara and Jamaal Williams and that feels like something that should be more of a priority. The Saints have done a lot of work on mid-round prospects at that position, though, and they could target someone like Pitt’s Israel Abanikanda or UAB’s DeWayne McBride in the fourth round to address it. There’s also still room for a blocking inline tight end or a rookie quarterback to develop as Derek Carr’s long-term backup.
