The 2022 NFL draft is just weeks away, so here’s a good opportunity to reflect on which players the New Orleans Saints have selected before. With two first-round picks coming up at Nos. 16 and 19, it’s vital that the next players turning pro with New Orleans meet their potential.
And the Saints do have a good track record in the first round dating back to the earliest days of Mickey Loomis’ tenure. Though Loomis wasn’t hired as general manager until 2002, we’ll start with the 2001 draft and one of the all-time great players to suit up for New Orleans — running back Deuce McAllister. Here is a quick look at every first round pick the Saints have spent since 2001: