Here’s an unconventional mock draft for the New Orleans Saints. The Draft Network’s Damian Parson recently completed a two-round projection that has the Saints selecting USC Trojans pass rusher Tuli Tuipulotu at No. 41 overall, bringing a potential heir-apparent for Cameron Jordan into the building. Jordan won the Saints sacks record last year but will turn 34 this summer, so and the team shouldn’t keep asking him to be their leading pass rusher.
Tuipulotu certainly fits New Orleans’ prototype at defensive end, being listed at 6-foot-4 and 290 pounds. He’s coming off the best year of his college career with 13.5 sacks and 17 tackles for loss across 14 games; Pro Football Focus charting found he generated 56 quarterback pressures, which led the Trojans by a wide margin.
There are some questions about his exact fit in the NFL, though. Parson’s peer at TDN Kyle Crabbs wrote in Tuipulotu’s scouting report that:
“Expectations for Tuipulotu will range from team to team. Are you going to have him play in the 290s and serve as a B-gap defender? Or is he someone you’ll charge with playing around 270 and ask him to work more prominently off the edge? He’s shown the ability to do either, but in order to maximize his stock as a prospect, he’ll need to offer as much passing down value as possible to sell teams on his ability to play high snap volume in the NFL.”
New Orleans likes its defensive ends to play on the heavier side of that weight scale owing to their natural strength in run defense, so Tuipulotu wouldn’t have to drastically change his body to accommodate their system. But that’s assuming defensive line coach and co-defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen won’t leave for a new job after interviewing with the Minnesota Vikings and Atlanta Falcons.
It shouldn’t shock anyone if the Saints end up using their top pick in the 2023 draft on a defensive lineman. Marcus Davenport and David Onyemata are pending free agents, as are guys like Tanoh Kpassagnon, Shy Tuttle, Kentavius Street, and Malcolm Roach. They aren’t all going to return next season. The Saints haven’t gotten anything out of their 2021 first round pick Payton Turner, either, so it would make sense if they add someone like Tuipulotu to their rotation behind Jordan and Carl Granderson.
But that should only be a consideration if their bigger problems are resolved in free agency. The Saints have higher priorities at quarterback and running back, and you could make the case for roster needs at left guard, wide receiver, and safety, too. Maybe even tight end. They have plenty of issues to work out this offseason.
