2022 WR draft vs. 2017 DE/LB draft

The 2017 draft that was hyped to be loaded with DE/LB (edge rushers) talent. It was a huge need for us. Those positions went flying off the board and we didn't get one until the third round with Hendrickson (and Muhammad in the sixth). That's the way the draft fell and the Saints going BPA over position. This board was losing it's collective mind as we kept passing on players that could rush the QB. Turned out to be our historical best draft, but missing those high-profile prospects was freaking us out.

I could see the same thing happening with this draft if we go OT in round one (which is a sound idea if a really good one falls into our lap). But if WRs fly off the board quickly, we may keep skipping them if BPA keeps overriding the available WRs.

Here's how the first three rounds of DE/LBs were drafted in 2017 and our picks mixed in. (I included all LBs not remember which were edge rushers or pure LBs).

ROUND 1
1 Myles Garrett DE
3 Solomon Thomas DE
11 Marshon Lattimore CB
13 Haason Reddick OLB
14 Derek Barnett DE
17 Jonathan Allen DE
22 Charles Harris DE
26 Takkarist McKinley DE
28 Taco Charlton DE
30 T. J. Watt LB
31 Reuben Foster LB
32 Ryan Ramczyk OT

ROUND 2
35 Malik McDowell DT
42 Marcus Williams S
49 Ryan Anderson LB
51 DeMarcus Walker DE
54 Raekwon McMillan LB
55 Dalvin Tomlinson DT
57 Zach Cunningham LB
59 Tanoh Kpassagnon DE

ROUND 3
65 Larry Ogunjobi DT
67 Alvin Kamara RB
68 Dawuane Smoot DE
73 Jordan Willis DE
74 Chris Wormley DE
75 Duke Riley LB
76 Alex Anzalone LB
77 Daeshon Hall DE
78 Tim Williams LB
80 Tarell Basham DE
83 Derek Rivers DE
88 Eddie Vanderdoes DT
93 Montravius Adams DT
102 Nazair Jones DT
103 Trey Hendrickson LB
107 Kendell Beckwith LB

I don't know if the front office, with this new coaching staff, will still go BPA as they did with Payton. But if we opt for an OT and miss out on WRs they value high, I expect fireworks on this forum come draft day. I'll have my popcorn on the ready.