With the 9th Pick in the 2025 draft, who should the Saints select? (merged) (17 Viewers)

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Some of Ruiz's weaknesses are listed in his draft profile below. A few takeaways, he was small 6'3" 307lbs, now PFR has him at 6'4"314lbs, that's still on the smaller side. It also stated that he had/has a high ceiling, but his floor is low. He could benefit of being a backup while he develops. He needed to get stronger. He needed to develop more. Fast forward 5 seasons and he was thrust into starting while at a position change with no real offseason before his rookie season putting him behind the development curve. Some of that lack of strength/size and development shows up on Sundays while some of this athleticism also shows up. It looks like he's still incomplete and not fully developed which make sense, he's still only 25 y/o and not even in his prime for a offensive lineman in the NFL. Maybe another offseason of development with our legit OL coaching staff could work wonders for him as he starts to enter his prime years. He won't get taller, but he can get stronger and refine his technique.

I still think we draft a LG and another interior offensive lineman to develop as depth. If we strike gold, that player could be as y'all are discussing the RG allowing Ruiz to be that interior O-line position versatile depth player.

Cesar Ruiz NFL Draft 2020: Scouting Report for New Orleans Saints' Pick

C Cesar Ruiz , Michigan STRENGTHS —Two-year starter at center who has experience at guard and brings both positional and schematic versatility. —Excellent quickness from snap to block; quick to make contact with defenders...
bleacherreport.com
 
The combine is six weeks away, free agency starts in March, we have several pro bowl caliber players that may or may not recover from injury and we have no coach. Kind of hard for me to get too worked up about who we draft. A lot will change between now and April 24.
 
I think Ruiz's play will be largely dictated by what's around him. He's not a guy, to my mind, who plays to a defined, good standard regardless of what's around him - an anchor essentially. His performance varies with how the guys next to him are performing. The only true anchor we have on this OL is McCoy. Jury is out on Fuaga going forward and Penning still has a mountain to climb to being a bona fide anchor providing consistent, good to high level OL play regardless of who's next to him or across the LoS from him. I don't even know who our LG will be.
 
Belfast Saint said:
I think Ruiz's play will be largely dictated by what's around him. He's not a guy, to my mind, who plays to a defined, good standard regardless of what's around him - an anchor essentially. His performance varies with how the guys next to him are performing. The only true anchor we have on this OL is McCoy. Jury is out on Fuaga going forward and Penning still has a mountain to climb to being a bona fide anchor providing consistent, good to high level OL play regardless of who's next to him or across the LoS from him. I don't even know who our LG will be.
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That tells me we need to draft an anchor and develop one. Draft a stud LT and move Fuaga to RG be the anchor on the right side. Draft one of these stud LGs and between that LG and the stud LT, that would anchor the left side. Ruiz becomes IOL depth who if put in either side would be surrounded by anchors elevating his play.

Another option is draft a stud LT and move Fuaga to LG to be the anchor. Then draft another RT later in the draft (guy out of Wisconsin) to push Penning to RG and Ruiz to IOL depth.

Essentially, whichever LT is drafted is an anchor and wherever Fuaga moves, he becomes one as well. A more technically sound RT could be an anchor allowing Penning to be a mauler.

Maybe one of these LG/RG draft prospects can come in an be an achor at LG or RG from the start.

Obviously, I am just spitballing, but to limit the amount of draft capital to 2 OL in this draft, the above scenarios might be how to do it.
 
kennydfresh said:
Please elaborate on this and provide evidence. Please and Thank you.
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His physical talents are sub par. Less than average NFL arm. Played in a system designed specifically for him and has two of the best recievers in CFB to throw to.

As someone living in Boulder, CO and friends with many of the faculty at Colorado I can confirm he is extremely disliked amongst the staff. Incredibly immature rude, and entitled as they come.

Travis Hunter however is the exact opposite. Great kid that everyone loves. Incredible humble and respectful to the faculty.
 
Snakehead said:
That tells me we need to draft an anchor and develop one. Draft a stud LT and move Fuaga to RG be the anchor on the right side. Draft one of these stud LGs and between that LG and the stud LT, that would anchor the left side. Ruiz becomes IOL depth who if put in either side would be surrounded by anchors elevating his play.

Another option is draft a stud LT and move Fuaga to LG to be the anchor. Then draft another RT later in the draft (guy out of Wisconsin) to push Penning to RG and Ruiz to IOL depth.

Essentially, whichever LT is drafted is an anchor and wherever Fuaga moves, he becomes one as well. A more technically sound RT could be an anchor allowing Penning to be a mauler.

Maybe one of these LG/RG draft prospects can come in an be an achor at LG or RG from the start.

Obviously, I am just spitballing, but to limit the amount of draft capital to 2 OL in this draft, the above scenarios might be how to do it.
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Wait. Didn't we already draft a stud LT this year? I have, I think a genius idea, how about we draft a LG to play LG? I don't think the Saints have ever done that before. Maybe it will work.
 
nakadish said:
Wait. Didn't we already draft a stud LT this year? I have, I think a genius idea, how about we draft a LG to play LG? I don't think the Saints have ever done that before. Maybe it will work.
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Well our future HOF RG was actually a LT in college, so there is that. The LG opposite him was also a T in college. It is fairly common to draft college tackles and move them inside. It's about finding the best player and playing them at their best position. If that's a LT turned RG as in Jahri Evans case then so be it.
 
Hank said:
Soon to be 30 yr old RB in AK with multiple 2024 injuries, K Miller very few games played and often injured, and a guy you just signed off the street in Clyde----Saints Rb is no where near settled---Take Jeanty @ 9 if available.
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Absolutely agree!
 
St. Geezy said:
We can want and want and want something to happen, but a lot of times the real cash impact plays a role in these decisions.

If he is on the roster, this contract isn’t sitting on the bench.

Saints announce 4-year extension for OL Ruiz

The Saints have signed guard Cesar Ruiz to a four-year extension. The deal is worth up to $46 million, including $30 million guaranteed, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter.
www.espn.com

Four of our five OL starters are penciled in for next season. We need to just hope for health and improvement from the group (which is young) with the next coaching staff and system, and with hopefully a stud upgrade at LG.
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Yup, unless his play drops off a cliff, no way Ruiz is on the bench in the foreseeable future....
 

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