Saints Draft Nick Saldiveri 103rd Overall

The Saints help bolster the offensive line by taking Nick Saldiveri from Old Dominion to lead off Round 4 of the draft.

After trading up with the Bears, the Saints led off Round 4 of the NFL Draft by taking Old Dominion offensive lineman Nick Saldiveri. They traded picks No. 115 and 165 to Chicago to move up.

QUICK THOUGHTS: Offensive line is an absolute area of need for the Saints, and it'll be interesting to see where Saldiveri goes. We kind of floated a pretty strong idea when it comes to the offensive tackle position that involves James Hurst and Trevor Penning. Perhaps Saldiveri will come into play there in a big way.

Draft Profile Notes (from Bob Rose)

Despite his size, Saldiveri can struggle as a run blocker. He'll have to improve his core strength and hand placement for better leverage against power defenders. While technically sound, he'll have to start playing with a more nasty demeanor.

Saldiveri is an outstanding pass blocker. He has great body control and balance while showing the foot agility to counter athletic rushers. His pad level stays square in lateral movement to give him a leverage advantage in pass protection or when pulling on outside plays. He also seems to be a student of the game and makes seamless in-game adjustments to his opponents.

KEY NEEDS: WR, LB, S

Remaining Saints Picks

• Round 5, No. 146
• Round 7, No. 227
• Round 7, No. 257 (compensatory)

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