The 2020 NFL Draft is little over a week away, and there’s a growing consensus among the experts on who the New Orleans Saints might end up picking. The majority of recent mock drafts have paired the Saints with LSU Tigers linebacker Patrick Queen, but the runner-up has to be Arizona State wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk (ESPN’s Mel Kiper stands apart, having thrown the Saints together with Clemson cornerback A.J. Terrell).
NFL Network’s Peter Schrager can be counted in the camp advocating for a Saints-Aiyuk teamup, having made that connection in his own updated mock draft:
The love for Aiyuk in league circles is a lot stronger than what we’re hearing in the media. In speaking with multiple GMs, even with the deep wideout class, Aiyuk is expected to come off the board in Round 1. I’ve got him going to New Orleans, a team that has very few holes, but could use one more receiver if the Saints are going to make a run for Drew Brees‘ elusive second Super Bowl ring this season. Michael Thomas, Emmanuel Sanders and Aiyuk would form a very dangerous 1-2-3.
Aiyuk is an intriguing prospect, especially in the scenario Schrager sketched out. He projects Aiyuk to be the fifth and final wideout to be picked in the first round, with both of the top two linebackers already off the board once the Saints are on the clock (Kenneth Murray joining the Las Vegas Raiders at No. 19, and Queen getting sniped just ahead of the Saints by the Philadelphia Eagles at No. 21). If New Orleans is determined to address linebacker — its most-pressing remaining roster need — on the first day of the draft, a trade up the board might be in the cards.
However, Aiyuk would be a nice consolation prize, reinforcing a strength of the team even further. He’s one of the best run-after-catch threats in this draft class, making him an ideal fit with Drew Brees. If the Saints are going to continue being reluctant about gaining chunks of yards through the air on shot plays, trusting Brees to accurately put the ball in the hands of agile playmakers like Aiyuk would be the best path forward. There’s certainly an appeal to surrounding Brees with as many viable receivers as possible.
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