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

[livefromDC]

Lol I still can't believe we drafted Sullivan instead of a player like Terrell Suggs, Troy Polamalu, or heck even Marcus Trufant

I personally wanted the Saints to draft Marcus Trufant. I thought it was obvious they were going to take Trufant when they got on the clock. I would have settled for any player besides the one they picked. But that's what happens when people are blinded by perceived temporary needs. In hindsight, that "need" at DL was low in comparison to having an actual contributing player on defense at any position.

No that's just poor talent evaluation. If you are good at a position group or at least pretty good you don't pass a player at a position group that is a glaring need to draft a slightly higher graded player in a position group that you are strong at. THAT'S how you make a rebuild take even longer

If your OL is pretty good but you have no weapons you don't take an OL that is graded @ a 9 and pass a RB or WR that is graded at an 8.5

It's poor talent evaluation because they ignored better players to reach for need. Try this scenario.

Knowing what you know, if the following players were available in the 3rd round this year when the Saints were on the clock, who would you pick? How would you rank them for the Saints to pick? And yes, the idea is that you know what the first 8 seasons of these players' careers will look like. Using this info, who would you pick first for the Saints today, in 2025, out of this cloud of players that were similarly ranked by teams in 2017? And again yes, you would be adding a fresh out of college Kamara to a back field that includes 8 year veteran Kamara if that's your choice.

Ahkello Witherspoon, CB, Colorado, position rank #14 (according to ESPN)
Alvin Kamara, RB, Tennessee, position rank #4
Dewayne Smoot, DE, Illinois, position rank #9
Cooper Kupp, WR, Eastern Washington, position rank #7
Pat Elflien, Center, OSU, position rank #1
Dan Freeney, OG, Indiana, position rank #3

 

[TruSaint]

Jack Sawyer is a lock at 9 to the Saints. He’s rising up the boards. And we really regret letting Trey Hendrickson go. Sawyer is a Hendrickson clone.

Welcome to New Orleans Jack Sawyer!

He won't go at 12, but it's maybe possible he's there with our 2nd.

 

[ELLIASJWILLIAMS]

Thank you. RB position value goes considerably back up when you're getting less than average QB play. Some fans are still stuck in the Brees, Brady, Rodgers QB era but really there was only Burrow that even came close to 5k and he threw the ball 70-100 times more than everybody else.

With worse QB play running the ball becomes even more important in protecting the QB and taking time off the clock to protect the defense. With a better run game we're not having to trot a tired defense out in the last 2 minutes to just give up a DPI and lose the game.

So not only would Jeanty likely be the most talented prospect available but he'd account for a considerable chunk of our offense for the next 8 years. I fail to see how this is even an argument.

It's a pattern, and pattern recognition isn't an intelligence that everyone shares ((I think there's 5 types of intelligence) I'm likely dumb in the other 4.

 

[SWJJ]

How about Jeanty Sawyer and 3 other top 100 picks plus Luke Lachey?

 

[3ParStillDriver]

How about Jeanty Sawyer and 3 other top 100 picks plus Luke Lachey?

Really good. I doubt Jeremiah Cooper will be available in the 6th or 7th, but I would've snagged him with 245 if he were. My confusion comes with the Walter Nolen pick. He's a 3 tech, so are we drafting him to sit Bresee or play side by side? I feel like we really need a big NT to help shore up our leaky run defense and push the pocket for our ends so the QB can't step up every play. If you put Bresee and Nolan side by side, your an audible to a run from a 1st down if its less than 6 yards. If you want depth, theirs more value for talent later in the draft like Slackman from Florida. I'm not confident given how poor Bresee has been against the run that we can afford to go without a NT if we want to keep him in the lineup

Lachey is my sleeper pick for offensive playmakers.

 

[SweetT]

I’m laughing at all of those who devalue the RB position.

 

[SWJJ]

Really good. I doubt Jeremiah Cooper will be available in the 6th or 7th, but I would've snagged him with 245 if he were. My confusion comes with the Walter Nolen pick. He's a 3 tech, so are we drafting him to sit Bresee or play side by side? I feel like we really need a big NT to help shore up our leaky run defense and push the pocket for our ends so the QB can't step up every play. If you put Bresee and Nolan side by side, your an audible to a run from a 1st down if its less than 6 yards.

I was thinking since Nolan plays well against the run, he would play early downs and Bresee would come in on passing downs. Bresee has done very well in passing situations but struggles against the run.

 

[3ParStillDriver]

I was thinking since Nolan plays well against the run, he would play early downs and Bresee would come in on passing downs. Bresee has done very well in passing situations but struggles against the run.

fair enough. I like the puzzle solving you put into your thinking.

 

[WhoDat?DrewDat]

Like your throwing context out the window when you said RBs have no value because Travis Henry and Saquon couldn't pull teams with awful QBs out of the basement? That kind of context?

I never said RBs don't have any value.

Just that RBs don't lead bad teams to victory. Which is exactly what we are.

RBs are great pieces to add when your roster is already filled out and we are nowhere close to that point.

 

[3ParStillDriver]

I never said RBs don't have any value.

Just that RBs don't lead bad teams to victory. Which is exactly what we are.

RBs are great pieces to add when your roster is already filled out and we are nowhere close to that point.

Plenty of runningbacks have dispelled that notion over the years.

Just one example, Adrian Peterson did it with a bad coach and a bad QB. Another, Kamara did it 2021 with bad QB's and no WR's (Michael Thomas was out injured all but 3 games) and still made the playoffs.

 

[MikeyF]

This should only happen if McMillian, Carter, & Graham are off the board...
I would rather us trade back a bit because I think he will be a mid 1st round selection.

Hubbard: NFL Draft Profile, Will Campbell

The Saints could be in prime position to draft one of the best OL on the board.

www.canalstreetchronicles.com

 

[St. Geezy]

I never said RBs don't have any value.

Just that RBs don't lead bad teams to victory. Which is exactly what we are.

RBs are great pieces to add when your roster is already filled out and we are nowhere close to that point.

I guess what I am not understanding is what is so important about building your team in a certain order? When did this become a thing?

You build your team in the manner in which the BPA chips fall. You don’t force it.

 

[WhoDat?DrewDat]

Plenty of runningbacks have dispelled that notion over the years.

Oh yeah? Please list them.

Just one example, Adrian Peterson did it with a bad coach and a bad QB. Another, Kamara did it 2021 with bad QB's and no WR's (Michael Thomas was out injured all but 3 games) and still made the playoffs.

AP was drafted almost two decades ago and the Vikings didn't win anything until they had Farve. He is also a HOF RB. So that's what it takes.

AK had 900 yards rushing and 400ish yards receiving. That production is not nearly enough to claim he lead us to anything. 2021 was a team year that was lead by our defense which was ranked 4th.

 

[WhoDat?DrewDat]

I guess what I am not understanding is what is so important about building your team in a certain order? When did this become a thing?

You build your team in the manner in which the BPA chips fall. You don’t force it.

Some positions have more built in value over others. Running back picked inside the top 10 has almost never lead to successful team building.

Same with safety, center, tight end, and offball linebacker.

It's not to say they can't be impact players, just that you should value other positions more high in the draft.

Not to mention the ONE position we have a playmaker on offense is RB. You generally only play one at a time.

 

[St. Geezy]

Some positions have more built in value over others. Running back picked inside the top 10 has almost never lead to successful team building.

Same with safety, center, tight end, and offball linebacker.

It's not to say they can't be impact players, just that you should value other positions more high in the draft.

Not to mention the ONE position we have a playmaker on offense is RB. You generally only play one at a time.

Outside of your fan wishes, how many OL starting positions do you really think are open for us ? In my eyes, I only see one, left guard, and there will be plenty of other opportunities to fill it.