With the 9th Pick in the 2025 draft, who should the Saints select? (merged) (33 Viewers)

[MikeyF]

Draft "analysts" said the same thing about Fuaga but he is playing LT now. If you draft Campbell IMO you move Penning inside where his struggles as a pass protector won't be as exposed. With his run blocking ability he could be a monster at Guard. Plus, you have to decide on Penning's option this year and/or give him a big long term contract. I'd hate to bet on Penning continuing to develop by giving him a big contract given how much he has struggled at this point in his career.

You would really be taking a chance on messing Penning head up by moving him inside after his early career struggles...
Also he is more of your prototype NFL OT... As with any OT drafted from a lower college sub-division, it was always going to take him a couple of years to get up to speed of the NFL game. It is disappointing that so many Saints fans hold this against him!

A lot of our fans act as if he was terrible this year because of PFF's pressure stats...
PFF's Pressure stats are a completely overrated stat!

'The system is terrible': J.J. Watt slams NFL stats website

J.J. Watt made it clear on the X platform Tuesday that he is not a fan of Pro Football Focus.

www.yardbarker.com

He had a good year at RT!




He is our only OL that started every game this year!

 

[TruSaint]

Coaches normally pick up things they like from their different stops. He's benefitted from a 3-4 defense combined with his offense getting the Eagles to the SB. It's not a given, but a possibility. If he's the guy, I'm looking forward to hearing his plan/vision of the team and what the team's identity is.

Thanks for your input, I’m all for it.

 

[St. Widge]

You would really be taking a chance on messing Penning head up by moving him inside after his early career struggles...
Also he is more of your prototype NFL OT... As with any OT drafted from a lower college sub-division, it was always going to take him a couple of years to get up to speed of the NFL game. It is disappointing that so many Saints fans hold this against him!

A lot of our fans act as if he was terrible this year because of pressure stats...
Pressure stats are a completely overrated stat!
He had a good year at RT!




He is our only OL that started every game this year!

I just don't think you plan your entire OL around a guy who might only be here for two more years and who took 3 years to become even someone you can put on the field. He's turned into a good run blocker, but he still has major struggles as a pass protector that would force whoever the OC is to keep TEs and RBs in to chip on his side or outright stay in the help him block. It's hard to have dynamic pass attack when you have to give that much help to your RT in pass protection. In addition, I think it hurt Ruiz's performance because he had to help Penning and Ruiz doesn't have the level of skill to pull that off without his own assignment suffering.

And what the stats miss is that he was that bad as a pass blocker despite all the help he got. And I'm not just going by the pressure stats. I'm going about what I saw and he's still not what you need in pass protection. Maybe he gets better, but I don't think you can count on that or make plans based on that.

So, IMO, you don't build anything around him and where he fits should be an afterthought when fixing the OL. If Penning somehow take a leap as a pass blocker and wins the RT job then fine put Campbell at LG, but I wouldn't make any plans based on needing to find a spot for Penning or trying to keep Penning comfortable. He's going to be a 4th year player you have to either be able to take the training wheels off or be ready to move on at that point.

But, I'd leave all that up to the next HC. If he thinks he can work with Penning, fine, but I wouldn't eliminate the possibility of taking an OT if the value is there even if it meant moving Penning to Guard or sitting him on the bench.

 

[MikeyF]

Draft "analysts" said the same thing about Fuaga but he is playing LT now. If you draft Campbell IMO you move Penning inside where his struggles as a pass protector won't be as exposed. With his run blocking ability he could be a monster at Guard. Plus, you have to decide on Penning's option this year and/or give him a big long term contract. I'd hate to bet on Penning continuing to develop by giving him a big contract given how much he has struggled at this point in his career.

Trevor Penning




Will Campbell





He is even more suited to play G in the NFL that Fuaga.

 

[MikeyF]

I just don't think you plan your entire OL around a guy who might only be here for two more years and who took 3 years to become even someone you can put on the field. He's turned into a good run blocker, but he still has major struggles as a pass protector that would force whoever the OC is to keep TEs and RBs in to chip on his side or outright stay in the help him block. It's hard to have dynamic pass attack when you have to give that much help to your RT in pass protection. In addition, I think it hurt Ruiz's performance because he had to help Penning and Ruiz doesn't have the level of skill to pull that off without his own assignment suffering.

And what the stats miss is that he was that bad as a pass blocker despite all the help he got. And I'm not just going by the pressure stats. I'm going about what I saw and he's still not what you need in pass protection. Maybe he gets better, but I don't think you can count on that or make plans based on that.

So, IMO, you don't build anything around him and where he fits should be an afterthought when fixing the OL. If Penning somehow take a leap as a pass blocker and wins the RT job then fine put Campbell at LG, but I wouldn't make any plans based on needing to find a spot for Penning or trying to keep Penning comfortable. He's going to be a 4th year player you have to either be able to take the training wheels off or be ready to move on at that point.

But, I'd leave all that up to the next HC. If he thinks he can work with Penning, fine, but I wouldn't eliminate the possibility of taking an OT if the value is there even if it meant moving Penning to Guard or sitting him on the bench.

Ruiz is a below average G & he has been his whole career...
Don't blame Penning for his play!

Penning game up 5 sacks & 4 QB hits all year!

 

[St. Widge]

Trevor Penning




Will Campbell





He is even more suited to play G in the NFL that Fuaga.

Look man, there are lots of opinions out there on where any of these guys are going to play. Maybe Campbell would be better at OG or maybe he would be better at LT. Or maybe Banks is the best LT in this draft and he is they guy that would be the best value at #9. Or neither of them will be good value at #9 and we should draft Will Johnson, Jeanty, Starks, Carter, Graham, McMillan, etc.

My only point is that you don't pass on a guy you think could be your starting LT or RT for 10 or 15 years because Trevor Penning is on your roster. He's not good enough to pass that up if it is there and whoever it is.

 

[St. Widge]

Ruiz is a below average G & he has been his whole career...
Don't blame Penning for his play!

Penning game up 5 sacks & 4 QB hits all year!

Ruiz is inconsistent and ranges from slightly above average to below average. But, the year before when he had hobbled Ram or the other revolving door RTs next to him, he played more consistently average or above average.

Penning got lots of help in pass protection and was still very shaky!

And pressures given up do matter!

 

[MikeyF]

Look man, there are lots of opinions out there on where any of these guys are going to play. Maybe Campbell would be better at OG or maybe he would be better at LT. Or maybe Banks is the best LT in this draft and he is they guy that would be the best value at #9. Or neither of them will be good value at #9 and we should draft Will Johnson, Jeanty, Starks, Carter, Graham, McMillan, etc.

My only point is that you don't pass on a guy you think could be your starting LT or RT for 10 or 15 years because Trevor Penning is on your roster. He's not good enough to pass that up if it is there and whoever it is.

You sure make statements up for other people...

I never said don't draft Will Campbell!

All I said is that if the Saints draft him he will probably end up at G.

 

[St. Widge]

You sure make statements up for other people...

I never said don't draft Will Campbell!

All I said is that if the Saints draft him he will probably end up at G.

I didn't say you did say not to draft Will Campbell. But if Campbell is a Guard I would not take him at #9 but I would take another player who is a LT if he is the best value at #9. For example, Banks.

You clearly have no desire to have a real discussion about this so I'm done with it. Have fun overreacting.

 

[TruSaint]

Who has the bigger hole, oline or dline?

O-line and D-line both need a lot of work, but at least the oline has Fuaga, who will get better, McCoy who's a stud, and Penning should also improve. The only d-line has Bresee and Granderson, that's it.

 

[LUX]

I’d like to know who will be our new DC so I can know what kind of scheme we will run on Defense

That's the biggest question. I prefer a 4-3 defense. What we have been running doesn't really help and there are a lot of things that went wrong. The question is do we have the players that can adjust back to a 4-3 defense? Do you have a defense scheme in mind that you like?

 

[SuperSaint]

No you’re not.

Come to my house and watch me.

 

[3ParStillDriver]

Its really going to depend on who the coach is. But I have feeling if we land Moore, he'll make a push for Jeanty. The amount of success he had in Philly won't be reproduced with anyone here. The amount of success he had with the Chargers was in large part Ekeler. And a large part of his success was Elliot with the Cowboys.

Now you can say "Kamara". But hes 29. That's already up there in terms of age for a RB. Most start to fall off in a big way at 30. We're in prime position to get a generational talent similar to Barkley, Moore loves great RB's... it almost feels like a lock.

 

[Lafexpress]

#9 Draft position: whom is your pick if these players are available at your Pick?
Travis Hunter
Mason Graham
Mykel Williams
A. Jeanty
M. Starks
Or trade for 2nd and 3rd round picks?

 

[3ParStillDriver]

#9 Draft position: whom is your pick if these players are available at your Pick?
Travis Hunter
Mason Graham
Mykel Williams
A. Jeanty
M. Starks
Or trade for 2nd and 3rd round picks?

In order:

Mason Graham
Ashton Jeanty
Tyler Warren
Travis Hunter

If none of those 4 are available, then trade back. Yes, I think Tyler Warren by the time combines are done will be an anticipated top 15 pick. If there's no trade back option, take Booker and look to the second round.