With the 9th Pick in the 2025 draft, who should the Saints select? (merged) (4 Viewers)

[Swampy Saint]

games are still won and lost in the trenches. I know we lack playmakers,but we need to start rebuilding both lines

100% Cannot win without it.

 

[MikeyF]

FWIW, Penning gave up 54 pressures as of last week, which was most in the league for a tackle. Fuaga gave up 39, which is 10th most (although he is a rookie).

I'm not the biggest fan of using pressures to gauge our OL.
Chase Young is great example. He is one of the DL leaders in pressures but he hasn't t really changed the outcome of any game with his pressures.

Sacks & tackles for a loss matter!

I do believe our 2 young OT will only get better.
McCoy is Pro Bowl Alternate even with missing almost half of the season.
We need better G play...

 

[TribuneUK]

And as we have this discussion…. Gibbs has 3 TDs tonight…. Leads the league in TDs…. Vikes have no answer, and I believe he was picked 12 overall.

Prior to the season-ending injury of David Montgomery, after 13 games Gibbs had 12 TDs.

The same number of TDs as Montgomery, a free agent signing and former 73rd overall draft pick.

The only difference since then has been Gibbs getting almost all the carries (and TDs) in Montgomery's absence.

So, 12th overall or veteran free agent, both produced TDs at the same rate when given equal opportunity. Almost suggests some sort of common denominator...

 

[Jesse Custer]

This is one of the reasons I’d like to give Kubiak another year at least. Good guards can be found in the later rounds. I love the idea of moving Ruiz to backup center. My one wish for this draft is that we get players that excel at their college position and play them at the same spot in the pros.

MADNESS

 

[tyler735]

The Patriots winning yesterday kind of sucks for us. Going into yesterday there looked to be a decent chance Tetairoa could potentially fall to us as the Patriots likely would take Travis Hunter if they had the top pick and the other teams ahead of us were far from a lock to take Tetairoa given their needs and who likely would be available. Now with the Patriots picking #4, I’ll be surprised if they don’t strongly consider Tetairoa at that spot (assuming Hunter goes in the top 3 picks).

 

[St. Geezy]

Great running backs can be found it later rounds, sure. But if the league was to do a 2017 re-draft with a crystal ball, knowing what we know today, where would Alvin Kamara be selected?

Just curious what some of your philosophical takes are on that question.

That’s what this should be based on…perceived, determined value of a player, his grade, rather than banking on getting lucky in a middle round or downgrading him solely because he plays a certain position, IMO.

 

[Infoman]

@Infoman how about this guy (not at 9) to be the next Taysom?

Milroe may not be ready to start in the NFL but he could be the next Taysom Hill

Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe is headed to the NFL in 2025, declaring for the NFL Draft following Alabama’s bowl game loss to Michigan to end 2024 and his Al

bamahammer.com

 

[Infoman]

Prior to the season-ending injury of David Montgomery, after 13 games Gibbs had 12 TDs.

The same number of TDs as Montgomery, a free agent signing and former 73rd overall draft pick.

The only difference since then has been Gibbs getting almost all the carries (and TDs) in Montgomery's absence.

So, 12th overall or veteran free agent, both produced TDs at the same rate when given equal opportunity. Almost suggests some sort of common denominator...

My eyes (and we all have these) tell me that while the numbers were similar - One of these players is a special talent - and you can build your offense around that talent - while the other, although a nice player - Is not in the same galaxy of a conversation.

 

[St. Geezy]

My eyes (and we all have these) tell me that while the numbers were similar - One of these players is a special talent - and you can build your offense around that talent - while the other, although a nice player - Is not in the same galaxy of a conversation.

Yep. Gibbs is a game-changer, capable of making spectacular plays, and someone you can sell as your signature player. He’s someone that will give defensive coordinators fits, a guy you must account for where he is at on every single play.

Montgomery is VERY good and underrated, mind you, but Gibbs is on a different planet, and this is just year two for him.

 

[JackDiesel]

"Running backs have short careers more often than not and are injury prone. "
Exactly....we have been lucky to have kamara as long as we have. I think this coming season will be his decline era. And we don't have anyone else.

RB's don't have short careers. I posted it somewhere else but look at McCaffrey last year, it was year 7 or 8 and he got the 49ers to the NFC Championship Game. Barkley broke 2k in his 8th year. Henry is mauling defenses in year 9.

That's high production deep into their 2nd contract. Now go look at our first round picks and consider their play in their 2nd contract (if they even reach it). It's Lattimore, Peat and Ruiz. That's it.

 

[WhoDat?DrewDat]

And as we have this discussion…. Gibbs has 3 TDs tonight…. Leads the league in TDs…. Vikes have no answer, and I believe he was picked 12 overall.

I realize the Lions have a bunch of other pieces….

The Lions are stacked across the board. Best OLine in the league, elite recievers(including LaPorta), elite play caller, and to finish it off Gibbs is great.

But you can build around that I would think.

Notice they figured EVERYTHING ELSE out first then drafted a RB. We are not in that boat we need a complete talent overhaul.

Please name one team in the last 2 decades that started a successful rebuild by centering around a top 10 running back. It does not exist.

 

[TribuneUK]

My eyes (and we all have these) tell me that while the numbers were similar - One of these players is a special talent - and you can build your offense around that talent - while the other, although a nice player - Is not in the same galaxy of a conversation.

But 'your eyes' don't escape the fact that the same Detroit team could equally build their running attack around a player drafted 12th or acquired as a veteran free agent.

But this was just to counter your argument that a player taken 12th overall is the requirement for top end TD production. I honestly think that while Gibbs was considered over drafted at the time, the Lions knew that he fit into their system, could benefit from their run scheme and (of course) the ability of those high end, blue chip OL picks playing in front of him. He was a great pick for the team at the time.

But that definitely doesn't mean it's the rule to go looking for a Gibbs in the first round. As various examples and contradictory evidence shows.

 

[BBarnes]

Please no to Jeanty. I think he’s super talented and seems to be a great guy, just don’t want a RB that high.

I am seeing a good bit of "experts" thinking he falls to the middle of the first. I would not be terribly mad with Jeanty, but to go RB for us with our first pick would not be ideal. DL or Tetairoa McMillan but I think he will be gone way before us. My first want is Abdul Carter but I have a bad feeling the Panthers will snatch him up. Mykel Williams would be a great second option if Carter is gone.

 

[WhoDat?DrewDat]

This was also covered and they do…. We have 1st or 2nd round picks at every Oline position save 1…. WTH else are we supposed to do there before we start drafting guys that can actually stay healthy and score points?

This is a great point. We do not need to draft OLine in the first. Unfortunately for us we have plenty of other holes that need to be filled.

WR, TE, DLine, LB, FS, SS