The guy I'd like in the first round. (1 Viewer)

[Forest]

In this offseason, most fans love to talk about mock drafts, what player they think would be best for the team, so I'd to share how I feel about who I want with the #10 pick, which will most different from what most people are pulling for.

Now obviously, this team has some question marks at DT, LB (injury concerns), CB, TE, RB, and RT.

I'm a firm believe of the "BPA philisophy" with one clause - don't draft a position where you have a stud who still has 3-5 years left. For example, Drew Brees - if the best player on the board is a QB, don't do it.

Now before I share my pick, let me make an assumption - Glenn Dorsey and Sedrick Ellis will both be gone. Out of "lock-in" talks in the Top 9, there is possibility that one of these season changers fall to us, and if so, we take him and never look back and we'll all be singing Who Dat.

With that assumption laid out, the guy I'd like to see us pick at #10 (or perhaps a little later if the FO feels they can trade down and still grab him) who I think will be the best player there, slightly above Keith Rivers (who I think will still be on the board), is Jonathan Stewart, running back from Oregon. Sorry, I'm not a fan of a CB this early in the draft even if the great Deion Sanders endorses him.

Now before you implode and cry Deuce is coming back, I ask you to consider it objectively and take off your ego for a little while. Mendehall can also be considered, however, I believe Steward has an amazing blend of size, speed, hands, vision and atheliticism. As for McFadden, he'll probably be gone, but he's not as good as a runner as Steward or Mendehall is and doesn't have their vision.

And for the Reggie loves, fear not. Reggie will be an instrumental part of this offense and he and Stewart can help each other out the same way Deuce and Reggie complemented each other so well in 2006. I think we need to come to terms that the NFL is evolving and Payton is one of its brightest minds and has his own unique blend of an offense, which is not conventional and Reggie is a big key to that offense, period.

However, a conventional pounding runner back along with Reggie, Colston and hopefully (gasp, Meachem) gives Sean a lot of toys to play with to do a lot of unique things and score a lot of points, similiar to 2006, but even better now with Colston and Bush with a couple years in the system.

I understand we have holes on defense, but we have holes on offense too. We don't have a very solid run blocking offense line (left guard and right tackle are soft although I feel we will improve at center here), so we can't just put any running back in there the way Denver does and get great results.

I'm hoping this happens. I'd like us to get to our 2006 offense. And I'd like to have another running back like Deuce in his 2002-2003 form. I think Stewart is that vehicle and having him on the feel will allow Bush to line up anywhere and terrorize defenses.

As for Deuce, I love him. He's been instrumental in this region an it's unfortunate he was injured, but that is life in the NFL. Deuce is an outstanding entrepreneur as well and an intelligent fellow - he will be OK. I would like to see him restructure if he wishes to remain on this team for depth and guiding a new power running back through our offense.

As for loyalty, football is a business, and I subscribe to NPIB.

Nothing Personal In Business.

Let's make it happen Mickey! I know Sean won't be upset.

 

[The Mongoose]

My only problem with that is that we don't need an every down running back. What we lack at RB (if Duece doesn't come back healthy, that is) is a thumper, somebody to get tough yards between the tackles. We have PT and Reggie to run screens, catch passes, get to the corner, etc. I know PT is supposed to be an inside runner and he very well may be one, but he's not a thumper.

So, is it wise to use the 10th overall pick on such a specific need? We don't need a franchise running back; that's what you get at 10.

That's my only problem with your plan.

We could get Forte later in the draft. We could get a free agent, like Musa Smith or someone who specializes in thumping.

Sure, it would be nice to have a RB who did it all, but we already have Reggie and PT. From an efficiency standpoint, I want fill more of a need at #10.

 

[basilisk]

stewart will probably be a good pro back, but i disagree with your premise that we shouldn't necessarily draft, for example, matt ryan at #10 if he's there... i personally think he's highly rated on the saints' board and would be almost impossible to pass up... also, i think if we took him we could get great value for him in a trade (think atlanta when they traded schawb, but without having to wait 2 or 3 years)

 

[Pookie]

I like Mendenhall over Stewart.

 

[Forest]

stewart will probably be a good pro back, but i disagree with your premise that we shouldn't necessarily draft, for example, matt ryan at #10 if he's there... i personally think he's highly rated on the saints' board and would be almost impossible to pass up... also, i think if we took him we could get great value for him in a trade (think atlanta when they traded schawb, but without having to wait 2 or 3 years)

Are you suggesting draft him and then get on the horn and try to trade him down for more picks plus potential players? What happens if we get no bites?

 

[basilisk]

Are you suggesting draft him and then get on the horn and try to trade him down for more picks plus potential players? What happens if we get no bites?

i'm saying you wouldn't have to 'get on the horn'... he's the top ranked QB in the draft and might even go #1 overall... i can't imagine the saints passing on ryan (or macfadden for that matter) if he's there

 

[Forest]

My only problem with that is that we don't need an every down running back. What we lack at RB (if Duece doesn't come back healthy, that is) is a thumper, somebody to get tough yards between the tackles. We have PT and Reggie to run screens, catch passes, get to the corner, etc. I know PT is supposed to be an inside runner and he very well may be one, but he's not a thumper.

So, is it wise to use the 10th overall pick on such a specific need? We don't need a franchise running back; that's what you get at 10.

That's my only problem with your plan.

We could get Forte later in the draft. We could get a free agent, like Musa Smith or someone who specializes in thumping.

Sure, it would be nice to have a RB who did it all, but we already have Reggie and PT. From an efficiency standpoint, I want fill more of a need at #10.

I understand and some of those options may be adequate if they're the BPA. Perhaps if I saw more of what PT can do, it wouuld be different. I just feel Stewart may be the best player available when we pick and you can never hurt yourself by stock piling serious talent and threats all over the field.

 

[Forest]

i'm saying you wouldn't have to 'get on the horn'... he's the top ranked QB in the draft and might even go #1 overall... i can't imagine the saints passing on ryan (or macfadden for that matter) if he's there

I'm hoping he does go #1 and I'm hoping Brohm finds his way in the Top 9 as well.

As for McFadden, I'm not really sold on him, but he may be a superstar.

 

[Webmeistro]

This team can get to a Super Bowl with the talent it currently has on offense.

This team will be lucky to make the playoffs with the talent it currently has on defense.

You either draft defense, pick up a top OT if one is available, or you trade down. We don't need another RB. We have enough guys who can do the job. Any back you draft is going to be a part timer. We already have two part timer RBs on the roster, along with two 3rd down backs. There's no room to fit another, and we don't need another. What we need are young, healthy, intelligent defensive players who can actually play the game of football. We have very, very few of those.

 

[Forest]

This team can get to a Super Bowl with the talent it currently has on offense.

This team will be lucky to make the playoffs with the talent it currently has on defense.

You either draft defense, pick up a top OT if one is available, or you trade down. We don't need another RB. We have enough guys who can do the job. Any back you draft is going to be a part timer. We already have two part timer RBs on the roster, along with two 3rd down backs. There's no room to fit another, and we don't need another. What we need are young, healthy, intelligent defensive players who can actually play the game of football. We have very, very few of those.

No doubt, but the draft is 7 rounds, not 1, and we can't spend them all on defense.

 

[obwhiteo]

Boo This Man!!

 

[tenordas]

I like Mendenhall and McFadden over Stewart, but I don't like a RB in the first round period. If we must take a running back, we can still get a "bruiser" in the second or third round. Remember, we already have a speedy "all-purpose" back in Reggie. If we must get another RB, he should be a "pound it up the middle" type. We can still get a guy like that in the later rounds. Spend the #10 pick where it's needed, please.

 

[Superfan]

I agree with the idea that we need a RB so The reggie experiment can work. Reggie just as a runner will never work. I think the Denver Broncos have shown good run blocking makes RB, this is also true with Jerome Bettis. Remember when bettis was trash then he had came back from nowhere? I think if we can get a Jones-Drew or Marion Barber type runner late in the draft we can be set at RB. I think with light weight Faine gone and reshuffling of the Oline like Stinch is not RT replaced with Strief or Strief at LT and Brown at Rt so we can have running lanes will be a major improvement. It is possible to get talent deep in the draft at RB. We got P.Thomas undrafted Marion Barber was picked late because Marooney was starting in college over him. I would not waste a 1st on a RB with the talent we already have. we just need running lanes. We can get a situational RB in the 6th if we wanted.

Good Lb's, safety, Oline and Dline are really worth the 1st round pick s to what talent is immediate starter. Rarely does a QB, CB, WR really make huge impacts. You get the occasional RB but they mostly have great blocking. I think colleges ruined some o these players. Spread offense for example. Matt Whinehart = overrated, Vince young and jamarcus Russell i dont even know if they can be a QB let alone make a sandwich. The proof could be in McFadden this year. He might just be a real good athlete who sometimes plays freshman or weak teams and turns the corner which won't happen often in the pros. I hate to say it Reggie might fit this mold of over-hyped. I just want Regie to be a slot receiver and situational Rb a times. I hope we use reggie like 06 as more of a guy who confuses defenses when he lines up all over the place.

As i said i think we can get a wrecking ball later in the draft. We cant take a DE in the 7th and make him or 3rd down RB? if he is fast but can't play DE b/c he cant make the push against olinemen why cant he be a RB? i think with hole he could get the 4 yards. remember the fridge? Oh well i guess i went off the deep end with this post.

 

[home dog]

Not this year.

In order for the Saints to get back to post season , the D must improve. Taking a offensive player with any of our top three picks will not solve the problems exibited in the Philly game last year. We need an infusion of team speed on defense and the best way to insure that is to use multiple early picks on defense. Even if we miss on one pick, the odds are in the numbers. 2008 is the year of the defense.

 

[jessy]

the guy I'd like to see us pick at #10 (or perhaps a little later if the FO feels they can trade down and still grab him) who I think will be the best player there, slightly above Keith Rivers (who I think will still be on the board), is Jonathan Stewart, running back from Oregon.

Do you even watch football?

Name one team that has made it to the post season carrying 5 running backs