Who will the Saints Draft in the First Round?
The 2021 NFL Draft is just hours away, and the New Orleans Saints have been the center of NFL news on Thursday. Reports last night and this morning indicate that GM Mickey Loomis has been approaching teams and looking for a trade partner to move into the Top 10 spots of the draft.
Who the Saints are targeting remains a mystery. But, the Saints News Krewe has some thoughts on what will transpire during this evening's main event.
John Hendrix
© James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports
Thursday has brought about some fun things related to the Saints and the NFL Draft. Rumors are swirling all over the place, and some of them may be smokescreens, but some may also have some validity to them. One would say that whatever guess you have, you have a chance to be right. Let's just be honest, the Saints are going to trade up. It's in their DNA. The real question is how far they'll get and what the cost will be.
Again, I think their sweet spot is around pick No. 20, but could see them start being more active by pick No. 15. Cornerback is my guess, and I believe they get a deal done to get one, and that'll be Jaycee Horn from South Carolina. I don't think they'll fork over the ammo to move ahead of the Cowboys to grab Patrick Surtain II, but do wind up with a strong consolation prize. If it's not those two, then they'll trade up a little later and nab Greg Newsome or Caleb Farley, the player who's been hot on their radar lately. No matter what happens, buckle up and tune in, because New Orleans sure seems like they're going to shock some people.
Bob Rose
© Journal & Courier-USA TODAY NETWORK
The latest rumors confirm that the Saints are looking to trade up in the first round, which many of us thought would happen anyway. New Orleans is said to be targeting Virginia Tech cornerback Caleb Farley. While that could certainly be true, I believe that the Saints will draft Northwestern cornerback Greg Newsome. Newsome, like Farley, is an outstanding cover corner with the athleticism and coverage skills to lock down even the best wideouts. Both players have extremely high upsides, but Newsome has far less concerning medical reports than Farley.
Kyle T. Mosley
Sep 21, 2019; Evanston, IL, USA; Northwestern Wildcats defensive back Greg Newsome II (2) breaks up a pass meant for Michigan State Spartans wide receiver C.J. Hayes (4) during the first half at Ryan Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports
New Orleans will be aggressive and trade-up tonight. Either it will be OL Penei Sewell, CB Patrick Surtain, CB Jaycee Horn or CB Caleb Farley. To go as high as Sewell and Surtain, they have to beat out teams like the Bengals and Cowboys. Cincy may have first dibs for Sewell. Surtain is coveted by the Cowboys, who Jerry Jones may be willing to make moves to snag the Alabama cornerback as well.
In the end, I believe the Saints will land CB Greg Newsome II if they do not stay at No. 28. Farley's medical issues may be too much to overlook. Back issues can become chronic, and availability at the corner position is essential.
Brendan Boylan
© Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
With rumors swirling that the Saints are actively looking to move up in the draft, I can only assume that it is for one of the draft's top 3 CBs (Horn, Surtain, Newsome II). However, the bigger question is, do the Saints hold enough draft capital to move into the Top-10? I think they do. However, I would be hesitant to surrender picks over this draft and the next to move up 18+ spots.
Realistically I can see the Saints trading into the 15-20 range if a player they love falls, and as much as I love the idea of Jaycee Horn (pictured above) in a Saints uniform, I do not see him falling enough for the Saints to be in striking distance.
Instead, I see them making a move for a DB with tremendous upside that continues to fall because of his injury history, Caleb Farley. The rumored target will not attend the NFL draft after a false positive COVID test but could very well receive a call from Mickey Loomis in his North Carolina home later tonight.
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