With the 9th Pick in the 2025 draft, who should the Saints select? (merged) (6 Viewers)

[MikeyF]

Yes, I remember reading an article a long time ago where Bill Cowher said the reason he changed to
the 3-4 was OLB's that can rush the passer are easier to find in the draft than a standout DE. If you
do run a 3-4 a NT that can't be moved and can take on double teams is critical. Sam Mills once said
the true MVP of the dome patrol was Jim Wilkes.

This is my hope with a new coach...

He brings the 3-4 back to the Saints!
You also have more options in your nickel & dime packages with the 3-4 whereas with a 4-3 you only have a 4-2-5...

 

[MikeyF]

I agree our guard play was lacking.

However we will not be replacing Ruiz so really it's only LG that up for grabs. How much of that was due to our center being out and Patrick missing significant time?

Ruiz was pretty bad last year also...
He is only 25, so hopefully he figures it out.
but you are correct in that we aren't cutting him next year due to his salary cap hit.

 

[MikeyF]

Look at the available Free Agent guard list---it's long---We aren't going to be big buyers in FA but maybe get a Guard in free agency to secure the line up the middle.
This has been a successful strategy for the Saints in the past.

Maybe...
but that is what we did this year & it didn't work out very well.

We have 2 3rd round picks, hopefully we use one of them to draft a G that can come in & start...

 

[3ParStillDriver]

Two guys I'm watching at QB, and the only two that have me intrigued is Quinn Ewers and Dillion Gabriel. If we get an offensive minded head coach, I wouldn't be surprised at all to see us look at a QB for him to groom. Those are the two that I have my eye on if it were Joe Brady. The thing I really like about Gabriel, and I know I'm going to get a whole lot of flack for this, is he reminds me of Brees at Purdue. Gabriel is already showing that he can progress through his reads. I've seen him progress through 3 of em often, and calmly. That's really good for a college QB. He's also ridiculously accurate. Unfortunately, exactly like Brees, he's short. If Drew Allar were declaring (and rumor has it he still may), he would be in the mix, definitely ahead of Ewers.

 

[tyler735]

Maybe...
but that is what we did this year & it didn't work out very well.

We have 2 3rd round picks, hopefully we use one of them to draft a G that can come in & start...

Not saying I’m against a guard at some point on day 2 of the draft, but we absolutely bargain bin shopped on OL last year in free agency.

I feel like we are a little closer to being in good shape with the cap in future years and could potentially bring in a solid guard through free agency this year if we were to back load a contract a little bit. Not saying spend a ton of a guard, but certainly more than we did last year.

 

[DaveXA]

Two guys I'm watching at QB, and the only two that have me intrigued is Quinn Ewers and Dillion Gabriel. If we get an offensive minded head coach, I wouldn't be surprised at all to see us look at a QB for him to groom. Those are the two that I have my eye on if it were Joe Brady. The thing I really like about Gabriel, and I know I'm going to get a whole lot of flack for this, is he reminds me of Brees at Purdue. Gabriel is already showing that he can progress through his reads. I've seen him progress through 3 of em often, and calmly. That's really good for a college QB. He's also ridiculously accurate. Unfortunately, exactly like Brees, he's short. If Drew Allar were declaring (and rumor has it he still may), he would be in the mix, definitely ahead of Ewers.

I'd rather use draft picks this year on other needs and roll with Carr/Rattler next season and depending on how things go, draft a qb in 2026. The qb class this year is pretty meh.

 

[MikeyF]

Two guys I'm watching at QB, and the only two that have me intrigued is Quinn Ewers and Dillion Gabriel. If we get an offensive minded head coach, I wouldn't be surprised at all to see us look at a QB for him to groom. Those are the two that I have my eye on if it were Joe Brady. The thing I really like about Gabriel, and I know I'm going to get a whole lot of flack for this, is he reminds me of Brees at Purdue. Gabriel is already showing that he can progress through his reads. I've seen him progress through 3 of em often, and calmly. That's really good for a college QB. He's also ridiculously accurate. Unfortunately, exactly like Brees, he's short. If Drew Allar were declaring (and rumor has it he still may), he would be in the mix, definitely ahead of Ewers.

Both of these QBs hurt their draft stock with their lack of play against teams they were suppose to dominate this past week...

 

[MikeyF]

Not saying I’m against a guard at some point on day 2 of the draft, but we absolutely bargain bin shopped on OL last year in free agency.

I feel like we are a little closer to being in good shape with the cap in future years and could potentially bring in a solid guard through free agency this year if we were to back load a contract a little bit. Not saying spend a ton of a guard, but certainly more than we did last year.

Good UFA G cost a ton to sign...
Teams covet them.

 

[3ParStillDriver]

Both of these QBs hurt their draft stock with their lack of play against teams they were suppose to dominate this past week...

Not really. Between all 3 of them they combined for 8 TD's and 1 int (Ewers), and they played against the top teams in college. They played just fine.

 

[MikeyF]

Not really. For Gabriel, every team that had bye's lost. That time off had teams out of sync which is why everyone is calling for the elimination of the bye weeks. Their draft stock is fine. Theres not a single coach in the NFL that thinks teams can take multiple weeks without games and come out playing not losing a beat. Allar and Ewers still had good games against some of the best teams in college.

Ewers put up stats but he missed too many intermediate passes that resulted in punts...
That is the main reason AZ State was able to get back into the game.

At least he has a chance to play more consistent this week...

 

[faceman]

Not really. For Gabriel, every team that had bye's lost. That time off had teams out of sync which is why everyone is calling for the elimination of the bye weeks. Their draft stock is fine. Theres not a single coach in the NFL that thinks teams can take multiple weeks without games and come out playing not losing a beat. Even with that Gabriel still played well. Allar and Ewers still had good games against some of the best teams in college.

Fwiw, Mel Kiper strongly suggested to Ewers he play another year in college. His stock has definitely dropped.

https://athlonsports.com/college-football/mel-kiper-urges-quinn-ewers-to-forgo-nfl-draft-and-return-for-another-season

 

[faceman]

Ewers put up stats but he missed too many intermediate passes that resulted in punts...
That is the main reason AZ State was able to get back into the game.

At least he has a chance to play more consistent this week...

Yes his play was the reason AZ St. was able to make a game of it.

 

[3ParStillDriver]

Ewers put up stats but he missed too many intermediate passes that resulted in punts...
That is the main reason AZ State was able to get back into the game.

At least he has a chance to play more consistent this week...

Fair enough. Which is why I have him below the other two. Yet, even in that game he still threw the ball better then Sanders, Milroe and matched Ward.

 

[St. Widge]

Fair enough. Which is why I have him below the other two. Yet, even in that game he still threw the ball better then Sanders, Milroe and matched Ward.

I mean even the announcers, I think it was Herbsteit, said that the report Gabriel got from the NFL was that he was going to be an UDFA. Maybe they are wrong about him, but I wouldn't spend a high pick on a guy that is likely thought of as an UDFA. If you really like him and want to make sure you get him, maybe you use a 6th or a 7th, but no higher than than.

Frankly, I think Rattler is a better prospect that any of the QBs in this draft including Sanders and Ward.