We know that the New Orleans Saints are now scheduled to make two picks in the 2022 NFL draft’s first round after trading with the Philadelphia Eagles, but what sort of history do they have with those specific draft slots (Nos. 16 and 19)? The last time that New Orleans was on the clock in their old spot at No. 18, they picked an iconic defender in the late Will Smith. Does their track record with these two other spots hold up?
The Saints have never picked at No. 16 overall — it’s one of the few slots that New Orleans has never fallen into during the first round, along with Nos. 4, 9, and 22. But the Saints have picked at No. 19 once before, and they came away with one of the greatest pass rushers in team history: defensive end Wayne Martin.
Martin finished his Saints career with 82.5 sacks, which trailed only Pro Football Hall of Famer Rickey Jackson (who had 115 official sacks as a Saint) in the team record books. He’s since been bumped down to third by ironman defensive end Cameron Jordan, who is rapidly gaining on Jackson’s all-time lead (with 107 sacks of his own).
And Martin also appeared in 171 games for New Orleans, which was the sixth-highest total for anyone in a Saints uniform at the time of his retirement. Jordan eventually outpaced him (he’s up to 176 games and counting), as did Thomas Morstead (190) and Drew Brees (228). Even if Martin only got one Pro Bowl nod during his long career, that’s a really impressive career, and the Saints would have to be ecstatic if whichever player they eventually pick at No. 19 comes close to matching him.
But how is the long-term outlook at these two draft slots? Of the last 20 players picked at No. 16 overall, nine got into at least one Pro Bowl. Four of them received first team All-Pro recognition. The Pittsburgh Steelers selected future Hall of Fame safety Troy Polamalu at this spot in 2003.
There is quite a drop off when we look through the history books at No. 19, with just four of the last 20 players drafted there getting a Pro Bowl nod. Only one of them, former Chargers cornerback Antonio Cromartie, was named a first team All-Pro. There are plenty of good but not great players who have been picked here. So while it isn’t a good slot historically, the Saints in particular did well when they selected Martin.
As for the other spots New Orleans is scheduled to pick from this year:
- Round 2, Pick 49: No prior picks
- Round 3, Pick 98: Drafted offensive tackle Don Morrison in 1971 (played 123 games), linebacker DeMond Winston in 1990 (50 games), and nose tackle Gary Lewis in 1983 (6 games)
- Round 4, Pick 120: Drafted defensive tackle David Onyemata in 106 (89 games) and running back Harlan Huckleby in 1985 (84 games)
- Round 5, Pick 161: Drafted linebacker Chris Bordano in 2000 (33 games)
- Round 6, Pick 194: Drafted defensive back Jimmy Elder in 1971 (0 games)
