I want Keith Rivers. (2 Viewers)

[Ryan]

the best player available method is great, but the thing about that is it's not an exact science. if people knew that patrick willis was going to be the best defensive player in the draft last year, he probably would have gone higher than he did. using a little common sense here: pick the player that has the best chance to help your football team. if there's an offensive player that you think will be a MUCH better player, then you take him. if they are rated pretty closely, you take the defensive player because he has a better chance to help the team than the offensive player. even if the offensive guy is rated a little higher.

 

[fish321]

well said ryan

 

[Percussionboi]

I previously really wanted at DB at the 10th but after keith rivers' pro day i definitely want him in the black & gold. and the fact the saints took him and ellis out to dinner could mean that all sign point to yes!

So what would you do about our secondary situation? Just gamble by taking Rivers and hoping that everything turns out right. I believe in drafting the best player at the time on the board but only do it when your pretty solid across the board. Were not solid in our secondary. So we need to address that situation so we wont have a repeat of last year and dont make the playoffs because we cant cover to save our lives.

 

[Percussionboi]

Defense win championships!!!!!

We invest to much money in our offense when we already have a good offense but still loose becuase our D cant stop nobody.

Im tired of looking at the offense put up 28 and the defense give up 24! If we had a defense compatible to our offense we'll be in the superbowl.

So stop talking about offense and address the secondary pleassssseeee!!!!!! Just leave the line backers alone and start getting some more secondary players. Gay is not a one man wrecking crew he will not change anything

 

[Pookie]

Steve Hutchinson (Albert) or Boss Bailey (Rivers)?

 

[TideSaint]

I would say Streif did get blown up when he started that Houston game. Kind of off topic, but just saying.

Strief dominated Julius Peppers in the game he started his rookie season.

 

[duckjr78]

I'm with Bonchie on this one. We draft a guy at #10 (Rivers, DRC, etc) who won't be able to start unless there are injuries. This logic seems flawed to me. It would be like drafting a DE this year. We have two above average starters and we picked up a reserve in free agency. In the LB core we have 3 above average starters and last year's starters as backups. Another one just doesn't fit into the mix. It's Dorsey/Ellis/or OL for our top ten pick. Now, if we trade down, we can make a case for picking just about anyone at any position not QB.

 

[xardoz]

Yeah...

All stats - and no production... we may as well bring Hazlett back.

 

[AustSaint]

The two players I have wanted in the black and gold next year have been Rivers or Jenkins. I would be happy with either of them.

 

[BigSlick]

I'm one of the folks that's holding out hope for the SAINTS to somehow trade up for one of the defensive tackles, but if the pick at ten is Rivers, I'm totally fine with that. It seems like there are top DBs available in free agency every year, and LBs are harder to come by. Looking through Mike Dettilier's draft guide, I'm struck by just how many WR and DB there are available every year in the draft. It seems like 6'0"/190lb defenders are much easier to find than 6'2"/225lb defenders: the whole 'planet' thing and all that...

I think back to the parade of Brian Coxes, and Brian Simmons, and Danny Clarkes, and remember how envious I would find myself becoming of other teams that were able to draft and grow their own LBs. The SAINTS have had one (1) solid LB in the last few years, and if the front office wants to add another via a seemingly safe pick in the first, then I'm behind them the whole way.

 

[bergeaux]

We led the league in fewest sacks allowed last year and just paid Nesbit a decent salary and still have to pay Jahri. How much money do you want to tie up in our Guards? A top-10 pick, who has never played a down in the NFL, is going to command top dollar. Do you think Jahri Evans, who is an established starter, is going to take anything less? It would be a terrible business decision on our part to take a guard at 10. But if you don't believe that then you work at McDonalds AND need to watch more football.

If someone with more football knowledge than me would confirm, I believe that OTs are usually the most important part of pass protection and OGs are usually most important for opening holes up for your RBs. This makes sense because of inertia. It's easier to keep someone from getting through than to get through yourself. Our OGs can use inertia to prevent most DTs from getting through, but when the task is to get through the D-line and create holes themselves, it's harder. So from the opposite perspective, average DTs might have a hard time getting through our OGs to Brees, but not so hard a time preventing our OGs from creating holes for RBs.

We have really good OTs, no doubt, but I think OGs are the key to the running game and we have decent ones, but not road graters. In fact most of our OGs are utility players, which is great for flexibilty, but is not great for creating holes for RBs.

I noticed that in the NFCC against the Bears and in several games last year, a majority of the pressure on Brees came from up the middle. Our OGs couldn't handle pass rushing DTs. In those same games, we couldn't seem to break open big runs. Same problem? I'm not sure, but it makes sense to me.

This is also what got Tom Brady in the SB. The Giants rotated Tuck and a few around and pushed up the middle on Brady. That's why people are talking about the Patriots going OL in the draft. The talk is that they were "exposed" by the schemes of the Giants.

 

[bergeaux]

Oh, I kind of assumed this, but wanted to make sure it was mentioned in the above thought. The difference between OG and OT is often cited as bulk vs athleticism. OGs need bulk and strength to push the DTs and LBs around. OTs need athleticism to keep the fast rushing DEs from getting around them or putting a move on them. Athleticism though doesn't help much when you are trying to push back big D lineman to create holes for RBs.

Denver created the zone blocking scheme that uses athletic OL to block. That's why it's become so popular. I don't believe we use the zone run block scheme all the time, although I'm sure there are some plays that are that way. It take a certain type of RB to take advantage of the zone run blocking scheme.

 

[bergeaux]

Just thought I would revive this thread. So many said that Rivers wasn't a top 10 pick.

Now we'll have to see if he blows it up for Cincy.