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So, that happened. The New Orleans Saints passed on prospects commonly projected to join them in the first round like linebacker Patrick Queen and wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, instead opting to select Michigan Wolverines center Cesar Ruiz. How do you grade that pick?

The last time the Saints played a football game, their offense was destroyed from the inside out when the Minnesota Vikings defensive line outplayed their New Orleans counterparts. Neither left guard Andrus Peat nor right guard Larry Warford were up to snuff, leaving rookie center Erik McCoy in the unappealing position in-between. It was a massacre.

In light of that disaster, Ruiz makes sense. While the Saints may currently plan for him to start at center, bumping McCoy over to guard (where he’ll probably compete to replace Warford, who is highly-paid in the final year of his contract), that feels like a situation that won’t get resolved until the final weeks of training camp. McCoy played center at a very high level last season and Ruiz has experience in Warford’s spot at right guard (starting five games there as a freshman in 2017).

Don’t look at this pick as a depth move, though. That was how the Ryan Ramczyk pick was characterized a few years ago, and he was starting at right tackle by Week 3 after injuries cut down both Zach Strief and Terron Armstead. We’re one bad day away from Ruiz taking Ramczyk’s lead, by inheriting a starting job and never letting it go.

Ruiz actually has a shorter path to starting and playing often now than Ramczyk did those years ago. If the Saints can find a way to get out of Warford’s contract — possibly with a trade during the long draft weekend — it would immediately open the door for both Ruiz and McCoy to play early and often. Given the financial implications, that appears increasingly likely.

So we’re looking on this move more favorably than many Saints fans may be. Ruiz can help the Saints right now and offers long-term stability, completing the rare trick of helping extend Drew Brees’ Super Bowl window while improving the team years down the line. Still, it would be nice if the player the Saints added at this spot didn’t mean another recently-picked prospect didn’t have to get moved around.

The Grade: B

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