The New Orleans Saints come into this offseason with some serious work to do. Before even thinking about the draft, Mickey Loomis and the front office have to clear out around $75 million in cap space. While they have already started, there is still plenty of work to go. With that being said, it’s obvious that the Saints won’t be making splash-free agent moves, so this draft is ever-important to the new “era” in New Orleans.
To help with this mock draft, I used The Draft Network’s mock draft simulator.
Make sure to check out all of our other NFL Team Mock Drafts.
Round 1, Pick 18: Chris Olave, WR, Ohio State
It’s no secret these days that the Saints are in love with Olave. The Ohio State product tested himself into the first round over the course of the NFL Combine last week and will immediately impact the Saints’ offense. There is a serious argument to go offensive tackle with this pick, as Terron Armstead‘s contract has expired. However, there were none worthy of a selection on the board.
For more on Olave, check out our scouting report on him.
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Round 2, Pick 49: Tyler Smith, OT, Tulsa
Now, we touch upon offensive tackle. Smith, along with a ton of players in this mock, significantly improved their stock with combine performances. Smith scored 8.77 on the relative athletic score, which cements him as a top 50 pick. While the concern with Smith is length, he has the tools to play past it and help replace Armstead. If the Saints don’t take an offensive tackle in the first round, it’s a lock they will with this pick.
Round 3, Pick 100: Greg Dulcich, TE, UCLA
Defensive tackle is a much bigger need here, but none on the board were even close to the talent level of a top 100 pick. While there is still a tiny bit of hope for Adam Trautman, Dulcich has serious potential. He’s been a player rising up draft boards for the last few weeks, and for good reason. The UCLA man will provide contested-catch ability and stretch the field for New Orleans.
Round 4, Pick 118: Haskell Garrett, DT, Ohio State
Garrett may not be a player that goes this high, but the need is more than there for the Saints. A smaller defensive tackle, Garrett has done well to show pass-rush ability throughout the pre-draft process As long as he doesn’t get completely overhauled in the run game, Garrett can be a nice piece on this Saints defense. At this point in the draft, the Saints have to target players they can count on.
Round 4, Pick 136: Kalon Barnes, CB, Baylor
Talk about combine performances. Barnes ran a 4.23 40-yard dash on Sunday, the second-fastest of all time. In the drills, we saw an effortless ability to change direction and track the football well. Will he make it to the Saints in the fourth? It’s possible. Every team will now be going back to the tape to see where that discrepancy came pre-combine versus the excitement now. Needless to say, New Orleans is getting a thrilling player here in the fourth round.
Round 5, Pick 160: J.T. Woods, SAF, Baylor
Our second Baylor Bear in a row. Woods has excellent range and the prototypical length that NFL teams strive for these days. This is a safety who will be super versatile in Dennis Allen‘s scheme and add to the ever-growing youth in the Saints’ secondary. Woods would be a great get for New Orleans, especially with Malcolm Jenkins and Marcus Williams headed for free agency.
Round 6, Pick 213: Sincere McCormick, RB, UTSA
The Alvin Kamara situation is still way up in the air at this point, so why not look for a back as a “what if?” scenario. McCormick was a production monster at UTSA. He’s a smaller back with great vision and can do it on the ground and catching the football. Finally, McCormick will add much-needed depth behind Mark Ingram, especially since the veteran running back might end up becoming a cap casualty.
Round 7, Pick 234: Amare Barno, EDGE, Virginia Tech
Barno is a super interesting product. The former Hokie just broke the edge-rusher for a 40-yard dash, running it in 4.34 seconds. Better yet, Barno is ridiculously long and has got the key measurables to have a successful NFL career. Like Barnes, who the Saints took earlier here, scouts will have to check the film to see if Barno can actually produce with all this athleticism. In any way, however, he’ll be an exciting athlete to have in the organization.
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