USAT: Saints Wire audio clip

USAT: Saints Wire

Mar 12, 2022

We’re still too far out from the 2022 NFL draft to make many educated takes on which prospects will be landing where, so it’s a fun opportunity to discuss some scenarios that may be coming out of left field. And an always-unpredictable team like the New Orleans Saints is ripe for this sort of draft-day intrigue. - The Draft Wire’s Luke Easterling threw a curve ball by projecting Pittsburgh’s Kenny Pickett, a top quarterback prospect this year, to fall to the Saints at No. 18. Here’s what he wrote of the match: - “If the Saints are going to be interested in a quarterback prospect, it’ll need to be one with experience, who is ready to lead an offense immediately. Pickett fits that description, and would give New Orleans a long-term upgrade over a lackluster free agent class.” - It may seem like a reach for Pickett to be available so late in the first round given projections have had him going top-10 for months, but you never know. At the end of the day these mock drafts are all projections trying to guess at what 32 different teams will do on draft day. There’s no such thing as a super accurate mock. It’s totally possible that teams feel differently about Pickett, who didn’t break out until his final year in college. But he has shown enough to warrant a high draft pick, and he could fit the Saints well as one of the more experienced passers in this class. - Additionally, Easterling has the Saints picking Western Michigan wide receiver Skyy Moore in the second round. Moore is a prospect on the rise despite having posted uneven testing numbers at the NFL scouting combine, coming in beneath several of New Orleans’ established standards with poor agility scores and good, not great explosive test results. Still, he’s a very talented route runner, and the Saints aren’t talented enough at receiver to be too picky. Maybe he steps into the slot and plays too well to be taken off the field. - Whatever you think of these specific prospects, these are the top two positions of need for New Orleans right now. With Jameis Winston, Deonte Harty, and Tre’Quan Smith each on track to reach free agency (though that could change in a hurry) and the Saints passing game in shambles, it’s vital that the team addresses these needs as soon as possible. - - List - - 4-round Saints mock draft takes an unconventional approach to retooling the roster - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Email - - - - - Sign up - - - - - - - - Like this article? - Sign up for the Saints Wire email newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning - - - - An error has occured - - - Please re-enter your email address. - - - - - - Thanks for signing up! - - - You'll now receive the top Saints Wire stories each day directly in your inbox.

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