Mock drafts here, get your mock drafts: we’ve got the latest New Orleans Saints picks from a three-round projection by CBS Sports analyst Ryan Wilson, who took on the unenviable task of matching 100-plus draft prospects with all 32 teams.
It’s easy to see his vision for the Saints, though. Wilson has New Orleans invested a ton of resources in its defensive line, which could use the help after the unit lost three starters in free agency. Marcus Davenport is a Vikings, David Onyemata is a (very well-compensated) Falcon, and Shy Tuttle is a Panther.
The Saints have signed some replacements on the open market but an injection of fresh legs from the draft would do a lot to rebuild confidence in their defensive front. Let’s just hope they don’t forget to get more help offensively while they’re at it:
Round 1: DE Keion White, Georgia Tech
White is a Saints draft prospect through and through. He brings rare size at 6-foot-4 and 285 pounds, with 34-inch arms — and very impressive numbers at the NFL scouting combine’s athletic testing drills. He also has a bit of an injury history, some streaky inconsistencies in his game-to-game productivity, and he started his college career at a lower level of competition in Conference USA. Wilson wrote of the match:
White was another player who had a great week at the Senior Bowl, and NFL teams love his size (6-foot-4, 280 pounds) and his motor. He consistently wins at the line of scrimmage and is good against both the run and getting after the quarterback. He may eventually end up going early on Day 2 but it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him slip into the first round.
Round 2: WR Zay Flowers, Boston College
Flowers brings marginal size at 5-foot-9 and 182 pounds, with 29.25-inch arms, but he’s a good enough athlete to threaten opponents all over the field and he could be a nice fit for New Orleans. The Saints need another receiver they can count on behind Chris Olave, because everyone else has some issue of concern: Michael Thomas has an extensive injury history; Rashid Shaheed could regress as he gets more exposure; Tre’Quan Smith isn’t a reliable pass-catcher; and guys like Bryan Edwards, Kirk Merritt, Kawaan Baker, and Keith Kirkwood have all washed out before.
Round 3: DT Zacch Pickens, South Carolina
Pickens could stand to get a little more stronger and maybe continue filling out his frame, but that’s nitpicking over someone who weighs in at 6-foot-3 and 291 pounds, with impressive 34.375-inch arms. The former Gamecock is plenty agile to compete with NFL blockers while boasting great explosiveness off the snap and enough all-around athleticism to accomplish what’s asked of him right away. His best football might be ahead of him after a college career that didn’t quite see him meet his potential.
