New Orleans Saints fortsatte deres opgradering af forsvaret på tredjedagen af NFL draften. Saints valgte outside linebacker Davis Tull, defensiv tackle Tyeler Davison, CB Damian Swann og RB Marcus Murphy.
Davis Tull Tull var produktiv for Fresno State, og vil være god på special team, samtidig med at skabe dybde på linebacker positionen.
Tyler Davison er – ifølge NFL.com – et udviklingsprojekt, som skal være med til at stoppe løbet.
Saints handlede sig op igen i femte runde, ved at sende Saints sjette og 2016s sjetterunde valg til Washington Redskins. Her valgte Saints CB Damian Swann.
I syvende runde valgte Saints runningback Marcus Murphy fra Missouri.
Ville gerne give 10, men det bliver 7 – muligvis når vi kigger tilbage om 3 år, så var mit skøn forkert
Peat, Anthony og Hau’oli er gode solide valg – faktisk kan jeg bedst li’ Hau’oli
– men ingen er rigtige playmaker
Grayson er et flot valg og jeg håber vi nu har en kronprins
Williams, Tull og Davidson kan være årsag til at jeg ændrer mit 7-tal til en 10’er
Swan og Murphy kan være Payton’s jokere, men jeg tro ikke rigtig på dem
NFL.com:
New Orleans Saints
Draft picks: OL Andrus Peat (No. 13 overall), LB Stephone Anthony (No. 31 overall), DE Hau’oli Kikaha (No. 44 overall), QB Garrett Grayson (No. 75 overall), CB P.J. Williams (No. 78 overall), LB Davis Tull (No. 148 overall), DT Tyeler Davison (No. 154 overall), CB Damian Swann (No. 167 overall), RB Marcus Murphy (No. 230 overall)
Day 1 grade: A-
Day 2 grade: C
Day 3 grade: C
Overall grade: C
The skinny: An offensive lineman isn’t a sexy pick, but Peat could wind up being the best player at left tackle in this draft class and is just scratching the surface of his potential as a pass protector. He will be able to start right away in New Orleans and help keep Drew Brees upright. Anthony is an inside linebacker who should help defensive coordinator Rob Ryan slow opposing offenses down. On Day 2, the Saints reached for Kikaha, but there’s little doubt he will be a boost to the pass rush. Many believe Grayson will be nothing more than a backup, but he does have all the tools to develop under Sean Payton’s tutelage. Williams might be the best of the team’s Day 2 picks and is an athletic option in a division full of receivers.
Bottom line: With so many picks in the top half of the draft, this was a chance for the Saints to get a lot better. They improved, but not that much, with several curious choices.