Tag: 7 rounds

New Orleans Saints 7-round mock draft to jumpstart the offseason

Big changes are in store for the New Orleans Saints. Here’s our first 7-round mock draft to jumpstart the 2024 offseason:

The New Orleans Saints’ season is over and their spot in the draft’s first round is decided. That means it is time to start the season that his been more fun to watch the last couple of season, it’s time for mock drafts!

The goal for this draft is pretty clear for the Saints: address the trenches. They have players getting old or looking lost out there at times and need to bring in some fresh meat on both sides of the ball. There are other spots that could be addressed, but that should be the key. How the board falls could also really affect how the Saints look to attack this draft. And of course it all kicks off after free agency, giving New Orleans an opportunity to address their needs sooner.

Here is a starting point of expectations for this year with a full 7-round Saints mock draft:

7-round New Orleans Saints mock draft at the beginning of draft week

The real thing is almost here. Check out our 7-round New Orleans Saints mock draft at the beginning of draft week from @DillySanders:

The time has almost come and the 2023 NFL draft is just a couple of days away. The New Orleans Saints have made a lot of moves this offseason that indicate they’re ready to compete, such as signing quarterback Derek Carr. Now, it’s their chance to add some young players to the roster.

New Orleans has eight selections in the draft, including the one they got for trading Sean Payton to the Denver Broncos. They are expected to address the trenches, add some defensive depth and maybe add some more weapons.

Here’s our final mock draft of the season before things kick off on Thursday night.

Exploring Saints’ picks in new 7-round Pro Football Network mock draft

We’re exploring the Saints’ picks in a new 7-round mock draft from Pro Football Network, which has New Orleans adding immediate help at DE and WR:

We’re closing in on the 2023 NFL draft, so there’s a fresh slate of seven-round mock drafts to check out and get an idea of which prospects could be available once the New Orleans Saints are on the clock.

The latest projection comes from Cam Mellor at Pro Football Network, who has a top-rated pass rusher falling to the Saints at the end the first round. Let’s break down that selection and every other pick New Orleans made in this mock draft:

7-round New Orleans Saints mock draft update two weeks out from 2023 draft

Breaking down the picks and trades in our 7-round New Orleans Saints mock draft, updated two weeks out from the 2023 NFL draft:

Mock draft here, get your mock draft: we’re two weeks away from the 2023 NFL draft, so it’s the perfect occasion to drop our latest New Orleans Saints projection. Some things are beginning to crystalize now that the pro day circuit has concluded and the Saints have accelerated their pre-draft meetings with prospects in the wake of free agency. Some other things remain unclear.

But it’s enough to warrant another look at what might happen on draft day.  Remember, this isn’t what we’re recommending the Saints to do. It’s an exercise in trying to predict what they’ll do based off their well-established history and list of team needs. Let’s break down seven rounds of Saints picks, including a couple of on-brand trades:

ESPN’s 7-round NFL mock draft brings a big haul for the Saints

ESPN’s Jordan Reid put together a 7-round NFL mock draft which brought a big haul for the Saints, who invested multiple picks in the trenches:

Here’s a deep dive into the 2023 NFL draft from ESPN’s Jordan Reid, who assembled a seven-round mock draft with projections for all 32 teams — including the New Orleans Saints, who got great value with several of their early-round picks.

The Saints aren’t the easiest team to project for. They have some quirky draft habits and unique team needs, and an established core of talent that makes it hard for rookies to carve out a role right away. But Reid managed to link them to some players who could help them out a lot in 2023. Here’s a look at each of the Saints picks from his extensive mock draft:

7-round Saints mock draft after the beginning of free agency

The beginning of free agency has led to some big changes in our latest seven-round Saints mock draft, via @DillySanders:

Two full days have passed in NFL free agency and the New Orleans Saints have yet to sign someone new. It’s felt like all that has happened is losing players to other NFC South teams, such as David Onyemata and Kaden Elliss to the Atlanta Falcons.

If they don’t find those key additions through free agency, they still have the NFL draft to look forward to. They were able to get back into the first round, by trading former head coach Sean Payton to the Denver Broncos. They currently have eight picks to work with, but everyone knows quickly that can change with this front office.

Here’s a full-seven round mock draft, taking into consideration the beginning of free agency and how it has affected the New Orleans Saints.

Full 7-round Saints 2023 mock draft: Pre-NFL Scouting Combine

Full 7-round New Orleans Saints 2023 mock draft: Pre-NFL Scouting Combine edition, with free agency predictions, multiple trades, and an updated depth chart

It’s finally here. The NFL Scouting Combine is set to kick off, and we managed to squeeze in one last 2023 mock draft for the New Orleans Saints before days of athletic testing, private meetings, and rumormongering throw it all into disarray.

And we’ve got it all. This time we’re making some free agency predictions to help set the board, and considering a couple of trades with help from the Pro Football Network mock draft simulator. At the end you’ll find a recap of our draft-day haul, our future picks in 2024, and an updated depth chart reflecting all of the new additions. Let’s get it:

Saints mock draft: Trading up for QB after missing on Derek Carr

What if the Saints can’t land Derek Carr? Here’s how they can trade up for a top quarterback prospect in our 7-round mock draft, via @RossJacksonNOLA:

While the potential for Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr to end up in New Orleans continues to pick up steam, it’s important to remember that nothing is guaranteed. Much like last year’s Deshaun Watson pursuit, the Saints could wind up empty-handed at quarterback while Carr agrees to be traded or agrees to free agency terms with another team. If that happens, the Saints would likely have to turn back to Andy Dalton, the passer that started the majority of the team’s games in 2022.

If that were to happen, New Orleans would be justified in being aggressive in this year’s draft in order to land a potential quarterback of the future. Now that they are back in the first round after trading the rights of former head coach Sean Payton to the Denver Broncos, there are a lot of possibilities open. They could stand pat at No. 29 and grab a second-tier passer early to have the benefit of a fifth-year option on that player. They could wait around until the second round and select a signal-caller at pick 40. Or, if they really liked someone higher up in the draft, they could make a bold move to grab them.

That’s what we did in this seven-round mock draft. In this simulation, the Saints do not land Carr or any other big-ticket quarterback on the market. Thus, they re-sign Dalton and look to the draft to grab a prospect from a program they love that could be ready to start by 2024, if not sooner.

Updated New Orleans Saints 7-round mock draft after Sean Payton trade

We’ve updated our New Orleans Saints 7-round mock draft after the Sean Payton trade. The Saints have a first-round pick now, but what can they do with it?

Good news, everyone: the New Orleans Saints finally have a first-round pick in the 2023 NFL draft after agreeing on a trade that sent Sean Payton to the Denver Broncos. But what can they do with it? To figure that out, we’ve updated our seven-round Saints mock draft reflecting the picks the team actually has to work with now.

I’m going into this mock draft with the expectation that the Saints will find a starting quarterback ahead of the event, likely in free agency (or they could trade for one, but that’s its own can of worms) while addressing some other big priorities. So don’t panic when you don’t see that first rounder spent on your favorite quarterback prospect. Remember, free agency happens before the draft, and that’s where the Saints are likeliest to solve their problems.

So look at this as an opportunity to introduce yourself to some new 2023 draft prospects more than anything else. If we know anything about Mickey Loomis, it’s that the Saints general manager isn’t finished making moves. This projection is going to change wildly in the weeks ahead:

7-round mock draft for the Saints, with a Cardinals-Sean Payton trade proposal

Here’s a new 7-round NFL mock draft for the Saints, with a Cardinals-Sean Payton trade proposal and a focus on prospects competing at the Senior Bowl:

Last week we explored how a New Orleans Saints mock draft could be impacted by trading Sean Payton to the Denver Broncos. This time around we’re proposing a similar trade with the Arizona Cardinals, and then going through all seven rounds to explore various prospects who may be on the Saints’ radar.

We’re also trying to put an emphasis on players who will be competing at the Senior Bowl practices and all-star game this week, where multiple Saints coaches are going to be in attendance getting hands-on experience. That limited our player pool a bit, but it ended up highlighting some really interesting talents looking to go pro. Let’s get to it: