In attempt to un-clutter everyone’s TL this week, all 125 players will be meeting with all 32 NFL teams at @seniorbowl. Absolutely zero need for “Player X met with Team Z” posts. Have a great Monday!
Buy Saints Tickets— Jim Nagy (@JimNagy_SB) January 30, 2023
Months of leadup to the 2023 NFL draft kicks off this week at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala. as the pro football world gathers for days of practices, interviews, and private meetings with 125 college prospects competing in the all-star game.
It’s a big opportunity for the New Orleans Saints, too. We’ll see dozens of reports and tweets linking the Saints to different players this week as they make contact with draft prospects, many of whom will be making their first contact with the Saints. This will also be the case for the Houston Texans and every other team around the NFL as they look to fill out scouting reports on this year’s top prospects.
So don’t get too worked up over the reported meetings between Saints personnel and these former college players hoping to turn pro. In many cases these conversations are as simple as filling out paperwork and sharing phone numbers to schedule later meetings. By the end of the week, decision-makers in New Orleans will have at least had cursory conversations with almost every player in attendance. By the time the draft rolls around in April, they’ll have talked with hundreds of draft-eligible players.
What’s more notable for the Saints this year is that four of their coaches will be working with some prospects every single day. Saints passing game coordinator and quarterbacks coach Ronald Curry and offensive assistant D.J. Williams have been assigned to the National Team roster as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, respectively, with the American Team adding Saints defensive assistant Cory Robinson and offensive assistant Declan Doyle as the safeties coach and tight ends coach.
That’s bound to bring New Orleans some inside info on how the players they’re working with tick, though we’re months away from finding out whether it impacts their draft strategy. It’s fine to get excited about news of the Saints meeting with various draft prospects. Just don’t expect the first one to be reported to be picked by them.
