We’re just days away from the start of the 2023 NFL draft, but there’s little consensus for what the New Orleans Saints will do with their first-round pick at No. 29. There’s widespread agreement that the Saints will look to add a defensive lineman — and a couple of prospects are popular, like Myles Murphy (Clemson), Adetomiwa Adebawore (Northwestern), Calijah Kancey (Pittsburgh), and Bryan Bresee (Clemson). But there’s no single name standing out from the pack.
But there’s some variance at play. Some outlets have the Saints bringing in another pass-catcher at tight end or wide receiver to surround Derek Carr with more weapons. That could be a smart play, but there’s no question that the defensive line is a greater area of need. Here’s a quick roundup of last-minute media mock drafts:
USA Today
Author: Nate Davis (Source)
The pick: CB DJ Turner II, Michigan
His 4.26 40 time was the fastest at the combine, and he added a 38½-inch vert and 10-foot, 11-inch broad jump for good measure. Turner could step in and give New Orleans one heck of an athlete to man the slot.
New York Daily News
Author: Pat Leonard (Source)
The pick: WR Zay Flowers, Boston College
New QB Derek Carr needs more weapons. The Saints’ defense can use help, too, but Flowers can help in the slot and in the vertical passing game.
The Ringer
Author: Sheil Kapadia (Source)
The pick: DE Will McDonald IV, Iowa State
SB Nation
Authors: Mark Schofield, Joseph Acosta, James Dator, and Ricky O’Donnell (Source)
The pick: TE Dalton Kincaid, Utah
There are some other pressing needs, but the Saints won’t be able to get Kincaid by their next pick looking at the top of the second round. He’s Kincaid a modern, pass-catching TE who is a major threat on offense, and brings another needed weapon with Michael Thomas being a question mark moving forward.
CBS Sports
Author: Ryan Wilson (Source)
The pick: DE Myles Murphy, Clemson
Murphy turned 21 in early January, and while we’d like to see him play with more consistency, his best football is in front of him. He has all the physical tools you look for in an elite edge defender and it’s easy to see him in a few years being dominant. And that, in large part, is what makes him such an interesting prospect.
NBC Sports
Author: Peter King (Source)
The pick: DE Myles Murphy, Clemson
Thought this was cool in Jeff Legwold’s annual rankings of the top 100 players entering the draft: 8) Bryce Young; 9) Myles Murphy. “One of the best effort players in the draft,” one GM said.
ESPN
Author: Matt Miller (Source)
The pick: DT Adetomiwa Adebawore, Northwestern
Adebawore is one of the most intriguing players in the class. His combine testing was legendary — a 4.49-second 40-yard dash at 6-2 and 282 pounds turned plenty of heads — but he produced just 12.5 sacks in four seasons of play. “Doesn’t matter where you grade him, he’s going first round,” said one AFC area scout. Many other evaluators echoed that, saying their teams had Round 2-3 grades on Adebawore but his potential would push him into the first. With rare speed, quickness and the positional versatility to play end or tackle, Adebawore has legitimate upside. The Saints are still trying to replace Trey Hendrickson‘s pass-rush production, so that upside is too good to pass on.
NFL.com
Author: Chad Reuter (Source)
The pick: DE Myles Murphy, Clemson
Murphy could very well be the Greg Rousseau of this draft class, possessing good overall athleticism but lacking the dominant play and pure twitch many teams want at the position. The Saints have picked similar defensive ends in the past, though, and Murphy would replace Marcus Davenport.
Pro Football Focus
Author: Michael Renner (Source)
The pick: DT Adetomiwa Adebawore, Northwestern
Adebawore is the type of long and explosive defensive lineman that Saints general manager Mickey Loomis has prioritized over his tenure. He has outside/inside versatility as well, and the Saints could use help at both.
NBC Sports Edge
Authors: Eric Froton, Connor Rodgers and Kyle Dvorchak (Source)
The pick: DT Calijah Kancey, Pittsburgh
New Orleans’ defensive line was decimated in free agency. Kancey is undersized for his position but was a nightmare for opposing quarterbacks.
NBC Sports Edge
Author: Connor Rodgers (Source)
The pick: DT Bryan Bresee, Clemson
Even after spending on interior defensive line help in Khalen Saunders and Nathan Shepherd, neither of those contracts should block New Orleans from getting more help here.
Bresee dealt with a ton of adversity this season with personal health issues and the tragic loss of his sister. His 2022 tape doesn’t warrant a Round 1 selection, but some teams will bet on the raw talent he has at that size
NBC Sports Edge
Author: Eric Froton (Source)
The pick: DT Bryan Bresee, Clemson
I really like Bresee (6’5/298) and think New Orleans should run up to the podium to plant the former five-star monster in the middle of their defensive front. New Orleans are heavy favorites to take a DL at (-160) as you’re ever going to see for a team this far down the board. Other options are WR (+380) and TE (+450), but with Olave already in town I think they can afford to wait at WR.
NBC Sports Edge
Author: Kyle Dvorchak (Source)
The pick: DT Adetomiwa Adebawore, Northwestern
I’ve listed Adebawore as a tackle, but he’s somewhere between a tackle and an end based on his size and usage at Northwestern. In New Orleans, he would most be used as a three-tech defender who can handle his own against the run and is dangerous to opposing passers. Having lost multiple defensive linemen in free agency, Adebawore would be an easy pick for GM Mickey Loomis to make.
CBS Sports
Author: Bryant McFadden (Source)
The pick: DT Calijah Kancey, Pittsburgh
Defensive interior help is the biggest defensive need for the Saints, and they answer that need with Kancey.
The Draft Network
Author: Jaime Eisner (Source)
The pick: DE Keion White, Georgia Tech
Keion White was one of 17 players invited to the 2023 NFL Draft green room this year, a non-insignificant fact worth knowing. The Saints appear poised to add to their defensive line and take a shot with the toolsy, three-down-potential prospect.
The Draft Network
Author: Justin Melo (Source)
The pick: DT Adetomiwa Adebawore, Northwestern
The Saints lack quality depth at defensive end. Marcus Davenport departed in free agency and Cameron Jordan is entering the final year of his contract. Payton Turner has yet to prove himself as a full-time contributor. Saints general manager Mickey Loomis has always had a penchant for athletic pass rushers. Adetomiwa Adebawore ran a silly 97th-percentile 4.49 and leaped a 125-inch broad jump. Adedawore positioned himself for a first-round landing spot.
