Marshon Lattimore, Saints Agree to 4-Year Rookie Contract

The New Orleans Saints invested the 11th overall pick from the 2017 NFL draft in defensive back Marshon Lattimore out of Ohio State, and on Friday the organization signed him to a four-year rookie contract.

New Orleans announced the terms of the deal on its official website.

Lattimore and the Saints were one of the most ideal fits in the entire draft. New Orleans has been seeking help in the secondary for years, and the former Buckeyes standout has all the tools to step right into the lineup and make a major impact as a rookie.

The 20-year-old Cleveland native tallied 41 total tackles, nine passes defended and four interceptions, including one he returned for a touchdown, across 13 games in his final season at Ohio State.

Josh Katzenstein of the Times-Picayune passed along comments from Saints head coach Sean Payton about what amounted to a no-brainer selection.

"We value obviously his prototype, his size," he said. "We value his speed, he's got tremendous ball skills, and there were a number of things that (we liked). When you get a high-graded player at a position of need, then it becomes an easier selection and in this case that was that player."

New Orleans allowed the most passing yards in the league last season and also finished with just nine interceptions, tied for the fifth-lowest.

So, while the team has a dynamic offense led by Drew Brees, Mark Ingram and free-agent signing Adrian Peterson, the defense must improve for the Saints to become a threat.    

There will probably be some rookie mistakes for Lattimore, especially since he could slide right into the No. 1 corner role for the Saints. Getting to go up against many of the league's best wideouts as a rookie should accelerate the learning curve, though.

All told, his playmaking ability should put him in the conversation for the Defensive Rookie of the Year Award if the Saints defense makes the necessary improvements as a whole.