New Orleans Saints Mock Draft: 7-Round Predictions, Post-Combine
The 2015 NFL Scouting Combine has come and gone, and now that the draft is less than two months away the New Orleans Saints should have a better idea of how they’ll approach the three-day, seven-round event.
New Orleans entered the 2014 season with high expectations. Throughout the team’s disappointing 7-9 campaign, however, it became increasingly apparent that coach Sean Payton’s club suffered from glaring weaknesses at multiple positions.
Payton and general manager Mickey Loomis are looking to right the ship in 2015, and the upcoming draft will play a key role in whether the Saints can make the necessary roster improvements.
If there were any questions about the Saints’ biggest needs, the answer came straight from the horse’s mouth last weekend. Payton stated to ProFootballTalk at the combine (h/t ESPN.com's Mike Triplett) that cornerback, interior offensive line and pass-rusher were the top three "musts" the team had to check off this offseason.
New Orleans also has free agency with which to address some of these needs, but the draft will allow the Saints to build depth at numerous positions, which should breed some healthy competition when fall camp rolls around.
Continue reading for a complete seven-round New Orleans mock draft. Of course, a lot can change in the coming weeks, but as of now, here’s a look at how things could play out for the Saints.
Round 1: Bud Dupree, Defensive End/Outside Linebacker, Kentucky
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The New Orleans pass rush was expected to be huge strength last season, but it turned out to be a major disappointment.
Yes, the secondary was awful, but the Saints’ cover men would have been aided immensely by a decent pass rush.
Primary pass-rushers Cam Jordan and Junior Galette both regressed after outstanding seasons in 2013, and the Saints received little to no help from anyone else along the defensive front. Opposing quarterbacks were thus allowed to stand in the pocket and pick apart the New Orleans secondary on a regular basis.
If the Saints are to improve their pass defense in 2015, they must be able to generate a formidable pass rush.
The most practical way to accomplish this is by injecting the defensive front with young talent, and it therefore stands to reason that New Orleans should bring in an edge-rusher with its first-round pick.
This year’s draft class is stocked with athletic ends and outside linebackers. Randy Gregory of Nebraska, Dante Fowler Jr. of Florida and Vic Beasley of Clemson are widely considered the cream of the crop in terms of total package. There’s a good chance none of them will be there, however, when the Saints make their pick at No. 13.
From a pure pass-rushing standpoint, Kentucky’s Bud Dupree is right there with the aforementioned trio, and his eye-popping athleticism has him projected as a mid-first-round selection.
The long-armed (32.625") former Wildcat standout is quick off the edge, uses his hands extremely well and closes like a freight train. He also comes in battle-tested against top-notch collegiate competition, having finished his career as the SEC’s all-time sack leader.
By snagging the 6'4", 269-pound Dupree, New Orleans can give its pass rush a major shot in the arm for next season and beyond. He’s a realistic option in the middle of Round 1, and if he’s still available, the Saints should run to the podium and take him off the board.
Round 2: Laken Tomlinson, Guard, Duke
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As 36-year-old quarterback Drew Brees enters the late stages of his career, a strong running game will help him out immensely. Regardless of whether free-agent running back Mark Ingram returns next season, a dependable, road-grading guard would be quite beneficial to the Saints rushing attack for the next few years.
At the left guard spot, Ben Grubbs is set to deliver a whopping $9.6 million cap blow to New Orleans in 2015. After being named to the Pro Bowl in 2013, Grubbs underperformed this past season, particularly with regard to pass protection.
Right guard Jahri Evans, who’s slated to pop the Saints for $11 million next season, wasn’t much better.
Given their challenging salary-cap situation, it’s certainly not unthinkable that New Orleans will have to free itself from one of these two mammoth contracts in order to get under the cap.
The Saints clearly need some new blood at the guard position, and the second round of this year’s draft is an excellent time to bring in a high-quality player.
Sure, 2014 backup lineman Tim Lelito could step in and fill the position, but there’s a good chance he’ll be competing for the starting center spot.
Duke guard Laken Tomlinson, meanwhile, has seen his stock rise steadily since late January, when he turned in an impressive showing at the Senior Bowl.
According to Mike Mayock of NFL Network, the former Blue Devil stood out with his performance against Danny Shelton, who’s widely considered one of the top two defensive tackles in this year’s draft. Tomlinson followed that up with a solid outing at February's combine.
The 6’3”, 323-pounder is strong and sturdy, and he’s already an accomplished run-blocker. As for pass protection, he’s capable of holding his ground against powerful bull-rushers, which is something both Evans and Grubbs struggled with last season.
He’s also a highly intelligent football player, and his team-first approach to the game should make for a great fit in New Orleans.
As if there wasn’t enough to like about Tomlinson, he plays with a mean streak, which, along with all of his other attributes, makes him an excellent choice for the Saints in the second round.
Round 3: Senquez Golson, Cornerback, Ole Miss
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New Orleans fielded an atrocious pass defense last season, and an upgrade at cornerback is probably the team’s biggest offseason need.
This year’s crop of free-agent cornerbacks is stacked with potential starters, and it will be borderline shocking if the Saints don’t pursue one of them. With proven cover men such as Kareem Jackson and Byron Maxwell surfing the free-agent waters, New Orleans would be downright foolish not to attempt to reel one of them in.
Besides, highly drafted cornerbacks are hit-or-miss these days, and the Saints would be taking a big gamble by spending their first-round pick on an unproven cover man.
That being said, quality depth is an absolute necessity at this position, and New Orleans could look to bring in an additional cover man in the middle rounds of the draft.
In Round 3, Senquez Golson makes a lot of sense. He possesses exceptional ball skills, as evidenced by his 10 interceptions last year at Ole Miss. A unanimous first-team All-SEC performer, he’s an aggressive run defender who appears to thoroughly enjoy the physical aspect of the game. In coverage, he has excellent hips, and his on-field demeanor suggests he’s a highly confident player.
At 5’9” he’s too short to play on the outside and will almost certainly be used strictly as a slot corner. If the Saints do as expected and sign a starting outside cover man in free agency, however, this won’t be a problem and could actually make for an ideal situation.
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Round 4: Andy Gallik, Center, Boston College
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At the center position, 36-year-old Jonathan Goodwin is coming off an injury-riddled season, and his time as a starter may be over.
Backup Tim Lelito saw significant action last year, and he should contend for the starting role this coming season regardless of whether Goodwin returns.
That hardly means the Saints are set at the position. They could try to bring in a center via free agency, and Rodney Hudson of the Kansas City Chiefs would be a home run pickup.
If New Orleans doesn’t sign a veteran, however, Round 4 is an opportune time to grab a promising young prospect. Centers aren’t typically drafted high, and a quality talent will likely still be on the board at this point.
Andy Gallik would make for a nice value pick at this spot in the draft. The All-ACC performer manned the starting guard position quite effectively for three-plus seasons at Boston College, and he demonstrated impressive durability with 41 total career starts.
Gallik is a well-balanced, instinctive player, and he has the potential to become a solid starter in the league.
Round 5: Taiwan Jones, Inside Linebacker, Michigan State
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Similar to the offensive guard position, the Saints may have to do some housecleaning this offseason at the inside linebacker spot.
Given his lofty 2015 salary, the future status of inside ‘backer David Hawthorne is in question, and there’s a chance he may be given the ax if his contract can’t be reworked.
Regardless of Hawthorne’s status, New Orleans could stand to improve at the position be it through free agency or the draft.
As for this year’s draft, the inside linebacker crop is on the thin side and lacks elite talent, but Michigan State’s Taiwan Jones may prove to be a steal as a fifth-round pick.
In a class that features numerous smaller inside ‘backers, Jones is the largest player at the position.
At 6’3” and 245 pounds, he’s a hard-hitting thumper who’s tailor-made to play on the inside of defensive coordinator Rob Ryan’s 3-4 alignment. The former Spartan standout is a heady player who can be counted on to be well-prepared week in and week out, and he’s as physical as any inside linebacker in this class.
If New Orleans is seeking a tough, hard-nosed run defender, Jones is the guy. Never one to shy away from contact, he demolishes ball-carriers in a violent manner, and he’s a highly effective blitzer to boot.
He needs to improve his pass coverage skills, but with time, he has the talent to develop into a full-time starter.
Round 6: Sean Mannion, Quarterback, Oregon State
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There’s no denying that Drew Brees experienced a down year in 2015.
Sure, he tossed for 33 touchdowns and nearly reached the 5,000-yard passing mark again, but costly interceptions at crucial moments of games plagued him throughout the season.
Brees still has two years left on his current deal, and the Saints will likely do everything they can to surround him with what he needs to be successful.
In the meantime, it isn’t out of order to bring in some youth at the position and start looking toward the future.
New Orleans has given former Tulane signal-caller Ryan Griffin a hard look for the past two years. While Griffin has shown some promise in preseason action, he still hasn’t been able to beat out journeyman Luke McCown for the backup spot.
New Orleans re-signed McCown to another one-year deal in early February, and unless Griffin makes some strides, the 11-year veteran will likely hold down the No. 2 spot for another season.
The sixth round of this year’s draft would be an opportune time for Sean Payton to bring another young arm into the fold, and Sean Mannion is an intriguing name to consider.
The former Oregon State Beaver certainly doesn’t lack for talent. He has a huge arm and can make all the throws. And he has prototypical size at 6’6” and 229 pounds.
On the down side, he lacks mobility, and he can be erratic with regard to his accuracy. He also appeared to regress in his senior season, as he no longer had the luxury of Saints 2014 first-round pick Brandin Cooks at his disposal.
Mannion is certainly worth a look in the late rounds, however, and if he’s available in the sixth, don’t be surprised if the Saints snatch him off the board.
Round 7: Ellis McCarthy, Defensive Line, UCLA
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UCLA’s Ellis McCarthy is an interesting late-round prospect who can man multiple positions along the defensive front, and he could prove to be worth the gamble in the seventh round.
At 6’5” and 338 pounds, he’s built in the mold of current Saints starter Akiem Hicks. He can play as a tackle in a four-man front or an end in a three-man front, and he can also line up as a 0-technique nose guard.
The biggest drawback on McCarthy is clearly his lack of experience. He never served as a full-time starter for coach Jim Mora’s Bruins, and his decision to leave school early and enter the draft this year was rather surprising.
McCarthy is a project at this point in his career, but given his athleticism and versatility, he could develop into a highly productive NFL player.
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