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

Deuuuuce said

I get what you’re saying about breakaway speed being less important in the NFL, but if you’re going to be drafted top ten it should be a part of your game. The ability to turn a game upside down on one play is huge. The top backs in the league all do it. Saquon, Henry, Gibbs, Jonathan Taylor, Bijan, Mccaffery. Obviously homerun speed isn’t everything, but if you’re going as high as Jeanty, you need to have it, and I think he does.

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I certainly agree that a top 10 back has to have breakaway speed and that Jeanty has it. I just question if his quickness and contact balance are elite. And I think a top 10 back needs those to be elite too. I also have some concerns that the pounding he took in college is going to make him injury prone and/or shorted his career.

I'll also note that 2 of the backs you named above as the top backs in the NFL were not 1st round picks. I just think there is a lot of value, especially in this draft, in RBs past the 1st round.