NFL Draft: Round One targets for the Saints
The NFL draft can't get here soon enough, as we're less than two weeks away. To put it lightly, the world has seen enough of COVID-19, and getting sports back would mean a lot at this time. This year's draft will look completely different, as teams will draft remotely. However, the event will still be broadcast on major networks. Assuming the New Orleans Saints do pick in the first round and hold firm at 24th overall, there should be an abundance of talent available to them. Here's a look at who they could be targeting and might be available.
Henry Ruggs III
Wide receiver is going to get addressed at some point of the draft for New Orleans, but the question is what round it might come. This is a very deep wide receiver class, and Henry Ruggs III is going to be a problem for NFL secondaries. The first thing that stands out with the Alabama wideout is his speed, and it's a quality the Saints could use. Assuming Drew Brees doesn't have the deep ball he once did, New Orleans needs to compensate by getting players like Ruggs who can take quick passes in the short and intermediate game and turn them into extra yards. Throw him in the slot or outside, and he'll find success.
Jordan Love
Love is an interesting prospect that has boom or bust written all over him. The key here is that Love is going to need a place to develop and learn, and New Orleans offers both. The Saints are going to add at least one more quarterback to their room for 2020, but the verdict is still out as to whether that will be a veteran or rookie. Although we've heard that Taysom Hill is regarded as the future of the franchise, there's no financial commitments that back that up currently.
Love is an exciting player to watch, but had some errors in his game that led to more turnovers at Utah State. Sean Payton, who revealed that the team has conducted a virtual meeting with Love, attributed some of that to a coaching change. Payton also said that their third quarterback will be someone they'll want to develop, work with and improve. Love could be that guy.
Kenneth Murray
The Saints are going to need a linebacker or two, as we've looked at the situation previously in our biggest draft needs piece. The great debate tends to be between Oklahoma's Kenneth Murray and LSU's Patrick Queen. What you can about Murray is he's probably the more explosive player, being both physical and tough, which is ideal for the linebacker spot. He has good closing speed and lane integrity, but some of the decisions that he makes can cost him. Murray is a strong run support option, but has a few things to his game that will undoubtedly have to be tuned up.
Patrick Queen
As opposed to Murray, Patrick Queen's football IQ seems to give him the edge. He's certainly more consistent, providing more upside in coverage. He's a bit quicker in terms of speed, and while he's not immune to having bad plays here and there, he certainly has some standout highlight tape from his time at LSU. The Tigers have produced some stellar linebackers over the years, who have made tremendous impacts for their respective teams at the next level. Regardless of where he's selected, Queen should be the next great to impact the NFL.
Justin Jefferson
Throw the ball to Justin Jefferson, and he can find it and does what it takes to make a play. Perhaps one of the best contested catch artists in college, Jefferson would be a great slot addition with whatever team he latches on with, as he can excel with inside routes. He can also provide help over the middle and can be tough to bring down in the open field. While Joe Burrow gets a ton of credit for LSU winning the National Championship, it's one those situations where it might be tough doing it without a player like Justin Jefferson. Jefferson just hit another level at times, and the only real knock on him is that he has to become more polished as a route-runner.
Tee Higgins
Tee Higgins has a nice height advantage to him, which allows quarterbacks to put throws his way that gives him the best opportunity to secure the catch. He has publicly said that he models his game after A.J. Green and Julio Jones, and from his Clemson film, you can see the similarities. He probably won't beat you with speed, which isn't necessarily an issue, but has the ability to make up for it by being physical against cornerbacks, especially once he gets the ball. He can be a real pain to bring down. Higgins could use some work as a blocker and getting off the line of scrimmage a little better.
Jeff Gladney
Cornerback probably doesn't get talked about enough as a need the Saints have, but it's out there. Could they use their 24th overall pick on a corner? Sure. Would they? It certainly wouldn't be the pick fans would love in the first round, but Jeff Gladney certainly checks a lot of boxes. For starters, he's not going to back down from a challenge. However, in the same breath, that can lead to him getting worked by bigger, physical wide receivers. Gladney is also very aggressive, which can be good and bad. In man coverage, he can easily shine and would be good for slot duties in his first season. He can blitz and tackle well, which is something the Saints could use.
Jalen Reagor
If there's someone who has really helped themselves within the past week, it would be Jalen Reagor. In his last season with TCU, quarterback play didn't exactly do him justice. His Pro Day workout showed him running an unofficial 4.22 second 40-yard dash. Reagor's kind of explosion is something the Saints would benefit tremendously from. He's the type of toy and weapon Sean Payton would make special plays for to get the most for his offense. He could also be used in the return game, but that isn't a necessity given Deonte Harris is there.
