The 2012 year just wasn't too friendly to the New Orleans Saints. It started with a dramatic late-game loss to the San Francisco 49ers in the 2011 NFC Divisional Playoffs, continued with the BountyGate scandal and ended with a disappointing 2012 regular season that saw them finish 7-9 with head coach Sean Payton suspended for the entire year.
No NFL team could be happier that 2012 is in the rearview. These Saints still have a ton of talent and could surprise a great deal of people next season. Here is eDraft's full seven-round New Orleans Saints' mock draft.
First Round: Johnathan Hankins, Defensive Tackle, Ohio State
Most of this mock draft is going to focus on the Saints rebuilding their weak defense to fit a revamped 3-4 scheme under new coordinator Rob Ryan. Where better place to start than along the interior of their defensive line. The 318 pound Akiem Hicks may be a good rotational player, but I am not too sure he can anchor the defensive line of a 3-4 scheme.
Hankins is one of the most underrated prospects in the draft. He is extremely stout against the run and is rarely thrown off his spot by blockers. This is what New Orleans needs with Cameron Jordan transitioning to a 3-4 end as well as both Junior Galette and Victor Butler expected to take on more pass-rushing responsibility.
I do, however, expect New Orleans to trade down from the 15th spot. Hankins would be a bit of a reach, but I don’t see any of the top-tier defensive tackle or outside linebacker options being available here.
Third Round: Baccari Rambo, Safety, Georgia
Where New Orleans might have reached a bit with Hankins in the first round, it acquires great value at a need position in the third. Rambo had a stellar career at Georgia and would represent a major upgrade over Malcolm Jenkins, who was one of the worst cover free safeties in the NFL last season.
Fourth Round: Brandon Jenkins, Linebacker, Florida State
Do I personally believe Jenkins falls to the fourth round? No! With that said, this is about the spot in the draft that most experts have the talented pass rusher going. If Jenkins didn’t miss the final 12 games of his senior season he would have likely been a first-round pick. He is one of the best pure pass rushers in the draft.
Needless to say, New Orleans needs to find itself solid 3-4 players in its new scheme. Jenkins is a pure outside linebacker and a perfect fit here.
Fifth Round: Reid Fragel, Offensive Tackle, Ohio State
As it stands right now, the Saints' two starting offensive tackles will be comprised of a combination of Charles Brown, Zach Strief and Jason Smith. That cannot make Drew Brees feel too good.
While Fragel is a bit of a project coming from Ohio State, he does have a relatively high ceiling for a mid-round prospect. He seems to have the skill set in terms of size and athleticism to be a decent starter at some point in the future.
Sixth Round: Marquess Wilson, Wide Receiver, Washington State
Why not? The Saints aren’t really deep at wide receiver. Their two starting receivers are Marques Colston and Lance Moore. After that, there really isn’t a whole lot to see here. Nick Toon missed his entire rookie season and really struggled as a senior at Wisconsin. There is no telling whether he will ever be a reliable receiver in the NFL. Joseph Morgan has shown flashes, but isn’t a consistent threat either.
If it wasn’t for off-field issues and becoming an enigmatic figure in Pullman, there is no doubt in my mind that Wilson would have been a day-two pick. His combination of size and hands makes him a steal here in the sixth.