Tankathon: Saints top 6 draft pick watch (58 Viewers)

[St. Widge]

Lots of posts here in favor of the skill positions with the first pick, I see. Y'all sure about that? In other threads, I've preached the value of drafting the trenches early and often. And it's what I want to see. O-line, d-line, doesn't matter. Even as the eras in football change, one thing has remained true -- you build and win from the inside out. Depth along both lines stinks like garbage. We have none. And so the best thing to do, given the team's current situation with the cap and salaries in general, is to draft the best available guys along both lines.

I'm not "in favor of a skill position" with the first pick, but I am in favor of BPA with the first pick. I would like McMillian at WR or a DL that is BPA to be that pick. But, if those aren't there, I'm fine with BPA even if it's a CB, Safety, OT, RB, etc.

Underhill did a mock and he has us taking Michigan CB Will Johnson with pick #10. Not the pick I would like but if the boards falls a certain way and you think Johnson is the BPA, and he may be given that he might be the best CB in the draft, you take him.

I just don't think there are any positions on this team where we couldn't use an upgrade or a guy that's a starter pushing the starter down to create good depth.

 

[ELLIASJWILLIAMS]

I'm not "in favor of a skill position" with the first pick, but I am in favor of BPA with the first pick. I would like McMillian at WR or a DL that is BPA to be that pick. But, if those aren't there, I'm fine with BPA even if it's a CB, Safety, OT, RB, etc.

Underhill did a mock and he has us taking Michigan CB Will Johnson with pick #10. Not the pick I would like but if the boards falls a certain way and you think Johnson is the BPA, and he may be given that he might be the best CB in the draft, you take him.

I just don't think there are any positions on this team where we couldn't use an upgrade or a guy that's a starter pushing the starter down to create good depth.

@Rouxble I think quantified it best. Teams that can pass and stop the pass are generally successful. I'd be fine w/ a secondary player, especially one that can force turnovers at a high rate. Our defense was suspect to start the year, but they got turnovers at a high rate. I remember telling people firing Dennis Allen will affect the defense somewhere, somehow but we won't know it at first. Obviously our ability to force turnovers went way down after his departure, and more specifically seemed to fall off a cliff once Adebo went down, but primarily i noticed the Safeties got far fewer takeways than they had to start the year.

We need to rebuild the secondary so that we can blitz and play more aggressively. The best teams are fairly blitz heavy this year and offenses haven't adapted well, conversely offenses have been killing teams playing soft coverage shells and in 2High. This defense would benefit by getting rid of their tendencies to play coverage heavy on the back end.

 

[St. Widge]

@Rouxble I think quantified it best. Teams that can pass and stop the pass are generally successful. I'd be fine w/ a secondary player, especially one that can force turnovers at a high rate. Our defense was suspect to start the year, but they got turnovers at a high rate. I remember telling people firing Dennis Allen will affect the defense somewhere, somehow but we won't know it at first. Obviously our ability to force turnovers went way down after his departure, and more specifically seemed to fall off a cliff once Adebo went down, but primarily i noticed the Safeties got far fewer takeways than they had to start the year.

We need to rebuild the secondary so that we can blitz and play more aggressively.

Interestingly, in a NOF article Nick mentioned that after the GB game Mathieu said that the scheme needs to be tweaked to deal with modern offenses that use a lot of movement like GB. He thinks it's a good scheme, but they way it is now if a team moves around three guys on offense the defense is going to "fork it up". Makes me wonder if a lot of what we are seeing is about guys not playing the correct assignment more than about a lack of talent.

Anyway, no doubt we need secondary help. Taylor has been more or less okay at outside CB, but I think he was bordering on being a great Slot CB. If we can find an outside CB that allows us to move him back into the Slot, I think it makes the defense better. That could be Adebo being healthy and/or Kool-Aid taking over, but none of the guys we have are sure bets at outside CB whether it's because of age, experience or injury. And that assumes we sign Adebo to a new deal.

At the same point, we also need help at DL and LB given the age and lack of performance issues there. And the same is more or less true at every position on offense.

Which is why I'm fine with any position in any round. There are not positions where we don't need help or an upgrade.

 

[St.Dan]

^^All fair points, and indeed the secondary isn't exactly what we want it to be right now. Adebo's injury isn't talked about enough on here, and his was super-significant toward the kind of season we've seen.

But at the end of the day, if it was me holding the figurative pen to the draft card, I'd be writing the best available trench guy on there. O or D, wouldn't matter.

 

[BBarnes]

Because the Saints played so poorly against GB, I think they will play enthusiastic & tough football against the Raider's.

We are the underdog in this game, we shall see. Hopefully the Raiders come out firing and leave no doubt

 

[BBarnes]

I'm not "in favor of a skill position" with the first pick, but I am in favor of BPA with the first pick. I would like McMillian at WR or a DL that is BPA to be that pick. But, if those aren't there, I'm fine with BPA even if it's a CB, Safety, OT, RB, etc.

Underhill did a mock and he has us taking Michigan CB Will Johnson with pick #10. Not the pick I would like but if the boards falls a certain way and you think Johnson is the BPA, and he may be given that he might be the best CB in the draft, you take him.

I just don't think there are any positions on this team where we couldn't use an upgrade or a guy that's a starter pushing the starter down to create good depth.

I want McMillian or Abdul Carter in the first. Both would be game changers for us early. But, as long as we hit on the pick I’ll be happy with anyone bc we need so much.

 

[St. Widge]

I want McMillian or Abdul Carter in the first. Both would be game changers for us early. But, as long as we hit on the pick I’ll be happy with anyone bc we need so much.

I'd be very happy with either of those guys or Mason Graham. But, I agree that the key is that we get a great player no matter what position he plays.

 

[RJS]

@Rouxble I think quantified it best. Teams that can pass and stop the pass are generally successful. I'd be fine w/ a secondary player, especially one that can force turnovers at a high rate. Our defense was suspect to start the year, but they got turnovers at a high rate. I remember telling people firing Dennis Allen will affect the defense somewhere, somehow but we won't know it at first. Obviously our ability to force turnovers went way down after his departure, and more specifically seemed to fall off a cliff once Adebo went down, but primarily i noticed the Safeties got far fewer takeways than they had to start the year.

We need to rebuild the secondary so that we can blitz and play more aggressively. The best teams are fairly blitz heavy this year and offenses haven't adapted well, conversely offenses have been killing teams playing soft coverage shells and in 2High. This defense would benefit by getting rid of their tendencies to play coverage heavy on the back end.

If you haven't yet, watch Nick Emmanwori video from South Carolina. Game changer

 

[JPSaints87]

WR is one of our biggest needs especially a big X that can make the contest catch

Yeah but you can find those in the second, third round and beyond. We always fine either good or decent wide receiver in later rounds. I just don't want us to make a stupid mistake with our first round pick especially if it's going to be in the top 10

 

[ELLIASJWILLIAMS]

If you haven't yet, watch Nick Emmanwori video from South Carolina. Game changer

Been on my radar since September. We’ve had matchup problems vs TEs since Vaccaro departed. Was looking for a guy w/ size. He’s around 6’3 220 if I’m not mistaken.

It’s a matchup league

Much like RB I expect the safety position to start being valued again. Saints would be wise to get ahead of market

 

[sammymvpknight]

My main concern is that I don't want us wasting our perfect draft position on a position that will come bite us back down the road.

Please do not draft any RBs, FS, CBs, WRs with our 1st Round pick.

All of those picks on DL and OL recently have resulted in disaster recently. It’s more important to get game changing talents than worrying about position. This draft is really strong at RB…so you’d be dumb to not get one at some point in the draft.

 

[SweetT]

Yeah but you can find those in the second, third round and beyond. We always fine either good or decent wide receiver in later rounds. I just don't want us to make a stupid mistake with our first round pick especially if it's going to be in the top 10

Name these WRs that we have found in later rounds in recent times?

 

[ELLIASJWILLIAMS]

Name these WRs that we have found in later rounds in recent times?

Can’t name any but MVS was a pretty good find. Bring him back along w/ Olave/Means/ and Shaheed and that’s a good 4. At worst you bring a late rounder to compete w/ Means at #4/5 but I don’t think you need to press for WR.

I’d def see if the Ravens are willing to trade Andrews

 

[St. Geezy]

Can’t name any but MVS was a pretty good find. Bring him back along w/ Olave/Means/ and Shaheed and that’s a good 4. At worst you bring a late rounder to compete w/ Means at #4/5 but I don’t think you need to press for WR.

I’d def see if the Ravens are willing to trade Andrews

Think we are at the part of the program where we need the most expensive Olave/Shaheed insurance we can find. Can’t trust either to make it through the season I’m afraid, and neither are a true #1…JMO.

 

[SweetT]

Can’t name any but MVS was a pretty good find. Bring him back along w/ Olave/Means/ and Shaheed and that’s a good 4. At worst you bring a late rounder to compete w/ Means at #4/5 but I don’t think you need to press for WR.

I’d def see if the Ravens are willing to trade Andrews

I’m referring to this notion that we are supreme at finding WRs in later rounds. Other than Colston, I can’t think of any.

Don’t need Andrews. Need Warren from Penn State.
I’m about to go full @Infoman like he did with Bowers last year.
Warren is the guy we need. Dude lines up all over the field, including out of the shotgun. Plus the dude can block