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The New Orleans Saints don’t have a head coach or a quarterback right now, but ESPN draft analyst Jordan Reid made a move to help with one of those problems in his latest 2022 NFL mock draft.
With the Saints slated to make their first pick at No. 18 overall, Reid has the Saints selecting Ole Miss quarterback Matt Corral, the top underclassman prospect in this year’s draft. Here’s what he had to say about the pick:
“Corral was the lone potential first-round quarterback who couldn’t participate in the all-star circuit because he hasn’t graduated from school, which means his performances next month at his pro day and the NFL combine will be crucial. There are still a wide range of possibilities in which he could be selected. He could make sense for the Saints, though, who might need to use the draft to find their 2022 starter because of their salary-cap issues. Drafting a young signal-caller would give them a cheaper option for five seasons. Corral is a quick processor who has the release to match. Praised for his leadership and magnetic personality, this is an ideal landing spot for him.”
Corral could be a good fit for the Saints if Pete Carmichael Jr. remains their offensive coordinator, though the question mark at head coach makes that uncertain. He’s a patient passer who can attack every level of the field, and who put up gaudy numbers in 2021. If they bring him in and make some upgrades at wide receiver, the offense could bounce back in a big way.
And then Reid threw a curve ball in the second round of his projection, linking the Saints to a possible replacement for Marcus Williams: Georgia Bulldogs safety Lewis Cine. Here’s what he wrote of the match:
“The Saints have a lot of big decisions to make this offseason, including figuring out how to re-sign safety Marcus Williams, a second-round pick in the team’s historic 2017 class. Cine makes a lot of sense if the team is unable to bring back Williams. Cine is a hard-hitter against the run who’s also rangy in coverage.”
Seeing Williams leave in free agency after playing on the franchise tag in 2021 would be a surprise. The Saints have a better salary cap situation now than they did a year ago, but that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t evaluate all options in the draft. If there are multiple prospects they feel could start right away, maybe the Saints talk themselves into letting Williams walk. Now we’ll just have to wait and see.
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