What Positions Should the Saints Get in the First Round?

We gave Twitter users a chance to vote on a poll regarding what positions the Saints should grab in the first round, adding thoughts on each potential combination and group.

Author:
John Hendrix
Publish date:
Apr 25, 2022 8:46 AM EDT

It's NFL Draft week. It's going to be a very crazy, but exciting time for the Saints especially. There's been a variety of opinions regarding what New Orleans will and should do on the first night of the draft with their two first round picks. We recently took to Twitter to get some public thoughts on what the team does with 16th and 19th in regards to what positions they address. Here's how it went down.

USATSI_18023129_168388561_lowres — Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Chris Olave (2) pushes off Purdue Boilermakers cornerback Dedrick Mackey (1) after a catch during the 3rd quarter of their NCAA game at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio on November 13, 2021. Syndication The Columbus Dispatch

Offensive Lineman/Wide Receiver (79.3%)

This seems like the likeliest course of action for the Saints, as these are two of the biggest needs to address on the team. We'll know how much the team believes in James Hurst as the potential answer at left tackle by how New Orleans attacks the draft.

Most of the mocks have Northern Iowa's Trevor Penning as a popular pick, which was the case on my first one. If the Saints don't grab an offensive tackle at No. 16, then it's likely the Chargers can get it right behind them. New Orleans could also look at Day 2 options to help fill the need.

As for wide receiver, the team really needs to invest in another weapon. Michael Thomas' return will absolutely help the team, and others will play a key role in whether or not the Saints offense rebounds from a pretty abysmal season. However, they should be in a position to get either Jameson Williams or Chris Olave, and they both would be game changers. That's not to say the team couldn't get someone on Day 2 in the 2nd or 3rd Round to get some much-needed help, but Williams and Olave are two of the popular additions that would go at 16th or 19th.

USATSI_17667316_168388561_lowres — Feb 5, 2022; Mobile, AL, USA; American squad quarterback Malik Willis of Liberty (7) in the first half against the National squad during the Senior bowl at Hancock Whitney Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports

Quarterback/Wide Receiver (12.8%)

Nothing gets a good debate going like trying to figure out whether or not the Saints look at a quarterback or not in this draft. The options are clear, and there's tremendous drop off after the Top 6-7 players. New Orleans didn't commit heavily to Jameis Winston financially, but did build in some good incentives into his contract that behooves him to perform well.

If the team was to draft a quarterback, they'll undoubtedly sit on the bench for at least one season. The 2022 plan is for Winston to be the unquestioned starter going into training camp with veteran Andy Dalton being the insurance plan. Things could certainly change, but it feels like New Orleans shouldn't force something here and try to trade up to get someone.

Quarterback/Offensive Lineman (3.7%)

Again, if you invest in an offensive lineman, particularly a left tackle, you're hoping that you strike gold like you did with Ryan Ramczyk. The implications for hitting on a franchise offensive lineman are massive. Many forget that the Saints got Terron Armstead in the 3rd Round of the 2013 draft, and he didn't even start until late in the season. However, the counterargument can be made that the team's track history since then has been mostly off aside Ramczyk.

A similar argument can be made when it comes to quarterback. They've tried the 3rd Round (Garrett Grayson), 4th Round (Ian Book), and 7th Round (Tommy Stevens) in the past 10 years and have come up empty. The verdict is still out on Ian Book, but think about what it says if they do get another quarterback in the draft. Of course, we'll see how things play out, but if they trade up to get one of the top guys, it's going to be a move that will be scrutinized for years to come.

USATSI_17070338_168388561_lowres — Oct 31, 2021; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Saints cornerback P.J. Williams (26) intercept a pass from Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady (12) and runs it in for a touchdown during the second half at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

Other (4.2%)

Some of the other combinations included in this was wide receiver/safety, two wide receivers, offensive lineman/defensive tackle, linebacker/defensive back, offensive lineman/safety, edge/offensive lineman, safety/quarterback. Here's some thoughts on each.

Safety - It's certainly a need from a depth perspective, but some of this could hinge on whether or not the Saints take a run at Tyrann Mathieu after the draft. For now, the starting favorites would be Marcus Maye and P.J. Williams. C.J. Gardner-Johnson is your nickel guy, while J.T. Gray is a key special teamer. Daniel Sorensen will fit more as the Jeff Heath role for the team, while Justin Evans also looks to make a big comeback.
Defensive Tackle - This is an area where the team is pretty deep at. Newcomers include Kentavius Street and Jaleel Johnson, while the team brought back Shy Tuttle (RFA), Albert Huggins, and Jalen Dalton. Malcolm Roach and Braxton Hoyett will be competing here, with David Onyemata being the star on the interior. He'll be looking to overcome a pretty tough season, and it wouldn't be out of the question to see the Saints try to upgrade on the interior to get better.
Edge - This wouldn't make much sense to me, as the team is again loaded here. Unless they're looking to trade someone, it doesn't feel like this is an area to go. Cam Jordan, Marcus Davenport, Tanoh Kpassagnon, Carl Granderson, and Payton Turner figure to be your top depth. Taco Charlton's addition will be intriguing here, so if they add here, it'll likely be later in the draft and definitely through the undrafted process.
Wide Receiver - Definitely a fan of going two wide receivers in the first round, although it doesn't seem likely. It would help Jameis Winston in a big way and push the others on the depth chart not named Michael Thomas. Plus, it would potentially set the team up for years to come. They could still get some quality talent on Day 2 and be happy.