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It’s far too early to predict which prospects the New Orleans Saints will pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. This year’s rookies haven’t even signed their contracts yet. But that’s not going to stop us from putting together a watch list of names to remember when the college football season eventually kicks off.
That’s the approach taken by Dane Brugler for The Athletic, who connected the Saints to a wide receiver he’s very excited about: Ohio State Buckeyes junior Chris Olave. Here’s what Brugler had to say:
The Saints have a pretty good track record with Ohio State players, especially at wide receiver. Olave is leaner than ideal, but his route running skills and ball skills are NFL ready, and whenever the Buckeyes needed a big play, it was usually Olave making it happen.
Annual All-Pro wideout and Buckeyes alum Michael Thomas would certainly love that move, and it would make sense with veteran receiver Emmanuel Sanders having signed only a two-year deal. The Saints could use a long-term fix in the receiving corps, even if Drew Brees isn’t around to benefit from it.
Olave, listed at 6-foot-1 and 185 pounds, broke out last season with 48 receptions for 840 yards and a dozen touchdown grabs. While he trailed teammate K.J. Hill (a seventh-round pickup by the Los Angeles Chargers this year) by nine catches for the team lead, Olave gained 204 more yards through the air, leading the Buckeyes in both receiving yards and touchdown catches.
Here are five other prospects connected to the Saints in way-too-soon 2021 mock drafts:
- CB Israel Mukuamu, South Carolina. Listed at 6-foot-4 and 205 pounds, Mukuamu is a lanky prospect with ball skills. He intercepted four passes and totaled nine passes defensed as a sophomore, and is one of the few Gamecocks starters returning from last year on defense.
- QB Jamie Newman, Georgia. A transfer expected to replace Jake Fromm, Newman has good size (listed at 6-foot-4, 230 pounds) and athleticism. He threw for 2,868 yards and gained 574 yards on the ground in his junior year at Wake Forest, but should exceed those numbers thanks to a strong Bulldogs supporting cast.
- RB Travis Etienne, Clemson. Etienne returned to school for his senior year, driven to seek payback after Clemson’s loss to the LSU Tigers in the national title game. Monstrously productive, the Louisiana native has already scored 62 combined touchdowns in just 43 games played.
- LB Dylan Moses, Alabama. Moses lost his junior year to a torn ACL in preseason, and he’s looking to bounce back in a big way. The next great Crimson Tide linebacker prospect has all the ability in the world, he just needs to prove he can remain healthy.
- WR Devonta Smith, Alabama. Smith outplayed both Jerry Jeudy and Henry Ruggs, who were each drafted in the first round last week. He should be even more dominant in 2020 with less-established options around to take touches from him.
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