Last pick, Kawaan Baker, WR Southern Alabama (1 Viewer)

Mike D said ran 4.41 40, big hands and very powerful. Stock dropped because he hurt his knee mid year. Scouts were surprised he was able to work out on pro day and really excelled. Said he was a good value pick and a big fast guy they can go get jump balls and fades
 
His RAS screams speed, but not shifty. Good news is, Payton has been drawing up plays for that type of player his whole career.
Keep in mind that the RAS is artificial inflated this year without a combine. The 4.41 at a pro day likely equals 4.45+ at the combine.

Looking at his highlights, he does look much more fast than shifty. He did well after the catch when he had room to run, but not with a defender in front of him. His a bigger guy, and considering that he’s not shifty, hopefully he can develop a stiff arm.
 
I’m thinking they drafted him for special teams help.
Some of the players we picked up in free agency were absolutely special teams help guys.
10. What would a team get in a player like you?

My versatility I can play both sides of the ball & all special teams.

12. What do you hope to accomplish if you make it into the NFL?

When I make it to the NFL off the field I intend on helping rebuild my community and on the field I plan on becoming a top special team guy.


While I do think Baker can play special teams, I think it was his versatility that grabbed the attention of the coaches. Baker can line up as a 3rd down back, in the slot or outside. He reminds me of a more explosive version of Travaris Cadet with a bigger frame. A poor man's Percy Harvin. The person I'd compare him to the most though is Ty Montgomery. He could see some reps at kick returner as well as he has the traights with straight line speed, enough size to take hits, good hands and experience with the ball in his hands but he isn't going to be the primary returner. It's interesting how the staff values versatility so much at some positions, but other they really focus on a very specific role for a player. Trill Williams will have one purpose on the defense. He is either going to make it as a big nickle corner/safety or he isn't going to make with a secondary hope he can play special teams as a depth player.

I guess that is what you have to look for late in the draft. Guys that can move around and fill multiple positions over a season without necessarily excelling at any of them or a guy that can come in and contribute in a very specific role while playing some special teams. The players that can excell at multiple different positions we value high in the draft. Payton Turner can play DE, DT and then he can play DE in a 3-4 set as well. Then he can be disruptive as someone that drops in zone with his length and athletic ability, rush from a joker position, be a traditional end or slide inside on passing downs to get a specialized edge rusher on the field. Last season we drafted Ruiz who can line up at C or G. Before that it was Davenport who is quite a bit like Turner and can be moved around. Then Ram can play either OT position. Lattimore was the last player we took with our first pick that had a very defined position. This season it's very obvious we were focusing on explosive players with good work ethic and high football IQ. Last season we also went after Alexander a move that screams wanting to add speed and athleticism.

Next season's draft we should be looking for a player that offers versatility, athletic explosion, a good work ethic and very smart at a position of need in the next season or two and we can probably figure out who we are drafting.
 
Had a feeling it was going to be a player we never heard of and not ranked by ESPN but high on by the Saints
7th rd is not "high on"...thats "we'll just take a flyer and see what happens". Just because we never seen him doesnt mean he shouldnt have gotten drafted.
 
Jonathan Adams from AR State is everything and more than what this kid is. Pick was pulled from the wazoo and we will be looking for FA's at WR and CB still or we are going to take our lumps and start fixing the cap and be fiscally conservative. Truly no choice, Loomis shot his wad and our only Super Bowl is nowhere in the near future.

Pete Carmichael knocked it out on UDFA's and plenty of unexpected UDFA's like Dylan Moses at a position of need are not on any Saints signings. Detroit vs NO or has Carmichael made the attitude difference, opportunities to play at both are pretty equal so why did we suck at UDFA's and have to accept the arrogance of front office that we will develop our draft class into upper echelon playoff (not SB) talent. Kinda like we don't need no stinking talent cause we got Lommis and Payton. Jonathan Adams vs our pick is laughable in same conference.

 
That's the first thing I said when I saw the speed, frame and how he catches the ball (with his body).
Yeah, I read reports that his hands are average. His highlight videos don't really show him attacking the ball, but waiting for it to come to him and as you said, catching it with his body. None of the catches in the video show him going up to get the ball with his hands. He will need work to go against NFL DB's who will contest catches.
Hey, that's why we have coaches right?
 
Jonathan Adams from AR State is everything and more than what this kid is. Pick was pulled from the wazoo and we will be looking for FA's at WR and CB still or we are going to take our lumps and start fixing the cap and be fiscally conservative. Truly no choice, Loomis shot his wad and our only Super Bowl is nowhere in the near future.

Pete Carmichael knocked it out on UDFA's and plenty of unexpected UDFA's like Dylan Moses at a position of need are not on any Saints signings. Detroit vs NO or has Carmichael made the attitude difference, opportunities to play at both are pretty equal so why did we suck at UDFA's and have to accept the arrogance of front office that we will develop our draft class into upper echelon playoff (not SB) talent. Kinda like we don't need no stinking talent cause we got Lommis and Payton. Jonathan Adams vs our pick is laughable in same conference.



Out of the 3 primary WR positions the Saints utilize, which position do you think Jonathan Adams would play? He's primarily an X and Y, but doesn't have the top end speed to be a Z. Z was the position of need as we have depth at X with MT as the primary X, Callaway as the backup and TQS can also play X. We had no true Z. Harris was our fastest WR, now it's Harris then Baker. Baker will slide in an play Z pushing TQS/Callaway to play Y and MT at X. Now we have depth at X since we have a true Z. When you add the right player for the right position in the offense it makes a big difference. If you add Adams just because, then you are just adding another WR to the end of the roster who would be behind Callaway and TQS.

He models his game after Deebo Samuel and is very similar to Devery in build and speed. He also has plenty of rushing TDs. Devery got a few rushing attempts in the NFL, but Devery was also a converted RB. KB is our new Devery.
 
Jonathan Adams from AR State is everything and more than what this kid is. Pick was pulled from the wazoo and we will be looking for FA's at WR and CB still or we are going to take our lumps and start fixing the cap and be fiscally conservative. Truly no choice, Loomis shot his wad and our only Super Bowl is nowhere in the near future.

Pete Carmichael knocked it out on UDFA's and plenty of unexpected UDFA's like Dylan Moses at a position of need are not on any Saints signings. Detroit vs NO or has Carmichael made the attitude difference, opportunities to play at both are pretty equal so why did we suck at UDFA's and have to accept the arrogance of front office that we will develop our draft class into upper echelon playoff (not SB) talent. Kinda like we don't need no stinking talent cause we got Lommis and Payton. Jonathan Adams vs our pick is laughable in same conference.


Dude ran a 4.6 at his pro day. How is he any different than Lil Jordan or Juwan Johnson? We have 4 guys on the roster at WR that can win jump balls consistently but struggle to get seperation which is Adams biggest con. If I were Jonathan Adams, I wouldn't want to come here and if I were the coaching staff, I wouldn't put much energy into getting a guy that would likely be another guy that is in a long line of similar players to fill out the bottom of a depth chart. So yes, I think Adams is the better outside the numbers WR but it's the only spot he could play. So at that point he would be competing against 3-4 guys that are all similar and have been in the system for more than a year now.

We went for a player that could line up in 5 different positions and play special teams, someone that has a chance of making the roster. I think Baker will be a guy we keep as a flex player. A 4th RB and 5th WR option and backup KR. Here is where Baker's value comes in. Let's say we keep 4 WRs and 3 RB's. Payton has leaned towards keeping 5 WR's and 4 Rb's in the past. Now we can keep a guy like Baker as both the 4th RB and 5th WR which opens up one extra spot on the active roster to keep an extra player at another position we don't want to lose. A guy like Trey Hendrickson, Carl Granderson or Shy Tuttle, all players we may not have been able to keep around if not for versatile players that can be deep depth at multiple positions in the past. Guys like Taysom, Ty Montgomery and linemen that can play inside or out gives you more depth with that player's versatility and it allows you to open up roster spots for additional players elsewhere. That's the real value.
 
My first thought when watching his highlights is Devery Henderson. He’s not real twitchy but has speed, hands, and tackle breaking ability. He seems to play faster than his 40 time.
 
I live 5 minutes from USA. This is the school where the players were second string on most 6A/7A high school teams. It is akin to Dollar General. Family Dollar. When you really wanted to work at a hedge fund on Wall Street. Tickets are not sold. People walk into the stadium and sit where they choose. I could go on and on. It is not the JV high school game on a Thursday afternoon. It is the freshman game during 6th period on Monday. But yeah, considering this draft, he MAY be our best pick. And I am NOT being facetious (had to google my spelling on that one)
I watched USA once this season. You missed an entertaining offense if you did not walk over and see them.
 
My first thought when watching his highlights is Devery Henderson. He’s not real twitchy but has speed, hands, and tackle breaking ability. He seems to play faster than his 40 time.
Not a scout by any means, but from the film I saw, I question that he has "hands".
 
Not a scout by any means, but from the film I saw, I question that he has "hands".

With 10 3/4" hands, he might literally have the largest hands for a WR in the league or close to it. I don't think there is currently any WRs with 11" hands. He can be taught to catch better. Colston didn't have the best hands when he came in the league. Devery got better over the years as well. He should do a 10K balls summer.
 

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