Saints winners and losers from the 2020 NFL Draft

Some New Orleans Saints players benefited from the moves the team made in the 2020 NFL Draft, while others were victims of circumstance.

Some New Orleans Saints players benefited more than others once the 2020 NFL Draft wrapped up. Others found themselves on more unstable ground than when the event started, while the futures of this year’s rookie class is yet to be decided.

Let’s get into our winners and losers for the Saints from the 2020 draft:

Winners

Saints wide receivers

We went into the draft thinking the Saints would take advantage of rare depth among the wide receiver class and overwhelm Drew Brees with weapons. That’s not what happened. Instead, the Saints showed a lot of faith in their depth chart as-is, waiting until the undrafted free agency frenzy to add any new talent at the position.

That’s good news for players like Tre’Quan Smith, Krishawn Hogan, and Lil’Jordan Humphrey, not to mention Deonte Harris. Every wideout ranked after Michael Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders now knows who they will be competing against in training camp, and their opponents won’t have the luxury of high draft status to give them an edge. The best players will get the most opportunities, as it should be.

Adam Trautman

This might be the perfect situation for Trautman to step into, given his background at a small school not known for putting players into the NFL. He’ll be able to lean on the decade-plus of experience that Jared Cook and Josh Hill have collected in their NFL careers, providing perfect models of how he too can succeed at the game’s highest level.

He also won’t have to be rushed into a role he isn’t ready for. Cook can continue to dominate targets through the air while Hill handles blocking duties. The Saints have shuffled their third tight end spot around often the last few years, trying to find a backup blocker who can lessen Hill’s workload, and Trautman can fill that role while thoroughly learning the playbook.

Alvin Kamara

The Saints had opportunities to draft a running back of the future, but instead they reinforced the offensive line and made sure to invest in better blocking up front and out wide on screens. That’s great news for Kamara, who is headed for the final year of his rookie contract (and who also was never dangled as trade bait with other teams).

Kamara’s immediate job security is now tighter than it’s ever been before, with no immediate replacement on hand and a stronger supporting cast around him. Cesar Ruiz starting at center should push Erik McCoy to guard, where both players can do a better job executing blocks in space and up the middle than the Saints were able to do last year. Now we need to see whether the Saints will try to re-sign Kamara to a big-money contract extension before the season, because his value will skyrocket if they wait too long.

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How did NFL draft experts rank Saints picks Zack Baun, Adam Trautman?

The New Orleans Saints traded up in the 2020 NFL Draft to pick two highly-rated prospects: Wisconsin’s Zack Baun and Dayton’s Adam Trautman

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The New Orleans Saints spent all of their remaining picks in the 2020 NFL Draft to move up in the third round, targeting Wisconsin linebacker Zack Baun and Dayton tight end Adam Trautman in a pair of trades.

But where did the draft experts project them to be picked? The Saints graded both prospects as top-40 selections internally, and scouting reports from various media outlets also rated them highly. Here’s a quick survey:

The Athletic

Dane Brugler was a fan of the pickups; Trautman was his top-rated tight end prospect, projected to be picked late in the second round or early in the third. While the rookie’s lack of experience at the higher levels of college football is worth noting, Brugler spoke highly of the attributes Trautman brings to the NFL:

Overall, Trautman doesn’t have the body of work vs. top-level competition, but his athleticism and pass-catching traits for a player his size make him a highly intriguing prospect, projecting as a future NFL starter and top-75 draft pick.

As for Baun: Brugler graded the Wisconsin product as his fourth-best linebacker and a fringe first-round talent, talking up Baun’s athleticism in the open field and positional versatility. Brugler’s scouting report summary:

Overall, Baun’s evaluation requires some projection because he won’t be a full-time rusher in the NFL, but he displays the fluid athleticism, smarts and motor to line up as a stack linebacker and nickel pass rusher, projecting as a top-40 prospect.

The Draft Network

Meanwhile, Kyle Crabbs spoke highly of Trautman’s versatile route tree and strength as a blocker, though he acknowledged it’ll take some time before the tight end is ready to contribute against NFL competition:

Trautman has length, burst, dominant reps as a blocker, violent hands and the production you would expect from an NFL talent playing on the smaller competitive fields. Trautman will need time and patience, but he can be a seam busting tight end and red zone threat who can align in traditional alignments or flexed wide.

However, Crabbs’ colleague Joe Marino expressed reservations about the time it will take to get Trautman up to speed. Between his background as a high school quarterback who didn’t catch a game until he arrived at Dayton and the low level of competition he faced there, Marino said, Trautman is very much a developmental pick — but a worthwhile one given his skills.

And while he also anticipates a learning curve for Baun, Marino expects the linebacker to fit in and play often for just about any defensive scheme in the league. Crabbs was in agreement with that take, saying that Baun will find the most success in a defense that allows him to move up all over the field. Marino’s summary:

He projects favorably to a 3-4 outside linebacker role at the next level where his versatility to rush the passer, drop in coverage and defend the run is optimized given his modest mass and length. With that said, I believe he can also play SAM linebacker in 4-3 base defenses and rush the passer off the edge on passing downs, making him a scheme-versatile prospect.

ESPN

While Trautman wasn’t included in every analyst’s top-50 lists, Baun was ranked the 31st-best prospect by Mel Kiper. Kiper credited Baun for his ability to play all over the defensive front and generate pressure off both the left and right sides.

NFL Network

Daniel Jeremiah was also a fan of Baun’s, though Trautman didn’t make his top tier, either. He hyped up Baun’s positional flexibility and all-around athleticism, and has a player comparison in mind:

He spends a lot of time playing over tight ends and gets the best of them in the run and pass games. As a rusher, he has a good initial burst and can really bend at the top of his rush. He has a nifty inside counter move and he can get skinny before closing on the quarterback. He mixes in a stutter/bull rush, but usually stalls out after generating some push. He is very athletic as a dropper in coverage. He is very good as a back-side run defender because of his burst and effort. Teams will differ on where to play him at the next level. He reminds me of former USC LB Uchenna Nwosu, someone whose versatility the Chargers have tapped into. I’d do the same with Baun.

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How to watch Day 3 of the 2020 NFL Draft, and what Saints fans can watch instead

The New Orleans Saints traded all of their picks in the final four rounds of the 2020 NFL Draft, but there’s still plenty for Saints fans.

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The final four rounds of the 2020 NFL Draft are set to begin on Saturday, and New Orleans Saints fans could be forgiven if they choose to just loop Adam Trautman’s college highlights for the next seven hours. The team shocked the world late Friday night by trading each of their four remaining draft picks to get back into the third round, allowing them to select the Dayton tight end with 178 catches on his resume.

But we shouldn’t count the Saints out just yet. They’ve traded future year draft picks to acquire new players before, and that might come into play on Saturday. And with so many players with ties to New Orleans, Louisiana, and the greater Gulf South, there’s a good chance Saints fans will have a rooting interest in a few prospects on the cusp of going pro.

Here’s how you can tune in for the third and final day of this year’s NFL draft:

Time: Saturday, April 25 at 11 a.m. CT
TV: ABC, ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPN Deportes, NFL Network
Radio: ESPN Radio, Sirius XM NFL Radio, Westwood One
Streaming: fuboTV (try it for free), NFL.com, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Yahoo! Sports, Twitch Prime

Of course, Saints fans can also check out the highlight reels for Trautman and the team’s other third-round draft pick, Wisconsin linebacker Zack Baun, where we’ve linked them below. Whichever option you choose, it’s sure to be entertaining.

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Saints say all three of their draft picks had top-40 grades

The New Orleans Saints graded each of the prospects they picked in the 2020 NFL Draft highly: Cesar Ruiz, Zack Baun, and Adam Trautman.

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The New Orleans Saints were even more aggressive than usual in the second day of the 2020 NFL Draft, working the phones all day long to find trade partners. And their efforts paid off. The Saints exited the first three rounds with three different prospects they graded among the best players in this year’s draft class.

Of course, that comes with a catch — the Saints traded all of their remaining 2020 draft picks to make it happen, as well as a third-round choice in 2021. But it’s a maneuver they’d be happy to repeat.

Saints general manager Mickey Loomis admitted as much in a conference call with local media after Friday night’s selections were in the books.

“We are excited,” Loomis said. “That’s three players we had in our top 40.”

His thoughts were echoed by Saints coach Sean Payton, who said Wisconsin linebacker Zack Baun (one of the team’s third-round picks) was initially projected to be picked within the first 20 selections of the second round. When he made it past that range, Payton and his team called every team ahead of them to try and cut a deal. After about an hour, they finally found a taker.

With these three rookies in the fold, the Saints have now filled 73 of their 90 offseason roster spots. They can only carry 53 players on the opening-day roster, so there are guys under contract now who won’t make it to September. Punting on the third and final day of the draft makes sense in light of that; the Saints are taking a quality over quantity approach.

But that doesn’t mean they’ll sit out Saturday’s picks entirely. If the value is right, the Saints won’t be afraid to trade future assets to acquire someone they feel can help out right away. With Drew Brees entering the twilight of his career, it’s time the Saints use every resource at their disposal to go chase another Super Bowl.

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Watch: Saints draft pick Adam Trautman puts on a show in his college highlight reel

Dayton tight end prospect Adam Trautman was picked by the New Orleans Saints in a trade in the 2020 NFL Draft, and his highlights explain it

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Here’s a stunner: the New Orleans Saints boldly traded back into the third round, exchanging all of their remaining picks in the 2020 draft for No. 105. And they made that move with a singular target in mind, picking small-school tight end Adam Trautman out of Dayton.

And Trautman’s highlight reel makes it easy to see why the Saints valued him so highly. He’s a natural hands-catcher who doesn’t need to shield the football with his body when it’s thrown to him. He can catch it at the high point of the arc while running in stride, sometimes with just one hand. See him in action for yourself:

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Saints trade all of their remaining 2020 picks to go get Adam Trautman

The New Orleans Saints shocked us all with another trade in the third round of the 2020 NFL Draft

The New Orleans Saints shocked us all with another trade in the third round of the 2020 NFL Draft, moving up to pick No. 105 (owned by the Minnesota Vikings) in exchange for all of their remaining selections in this year’s event. And they did it to targeting Adam Trautman, a tight end out of Dayton ranked near the top of many draft boards.

To recap: the Saints just swapped all four of their picks in the final four rounds for one player. As things stand now, they’re out of selections in the 2020 draft.

Trautman might be worth it. ESPN’s Louis Riddick said on the draft broadcast, “I like everything about this player. I’m shocked to see him still on the board.”

The big tight end — Trautman weighed in at 6-foot-5 and 255 pounds, with a 78-inch wingspan and a 4.8-flat time in the 40-yard dash — caught 178 passes in college, gaining 2,295 receiving yards and scoring 31 touchdowns. He’s a big-play threat who has a lot to learn as the understudy to Jared Cook, a veteran entering the final year of his Saints contract.

We’ll see if the Saints give up any of their future draft picks to sneak back into the draft on Saturday, but it doesn’t feel likely. Then again, who saw this coming?

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10 potential targets for Cardinals in the 3rd round of the draft

The Cardinals have one selection on Day 2 as of right now – pick 72 in Round 3. Here are ten players they could look to select.

The NFL Draft is finally upon us this week. While there has been a lot of talk about what Arizona could do at pick 8, how about at pick 72?

This player could also play a big role in this upcoming season, even if they aren’t a full-time starter.

Here are 10 players that could make sense for the Cardinals.

Zack Moss, RB, Utah

Arizona has shown quite a bit of interest in Moss, having a FaceTime visit with him and spent time with him at the combine. He makes some sense in Round 3. He’s not a back that fits every system, but would make for a good one-two punch with Kenyan Drake.

Moss would bring a bigger body to the backfield room, but not only that, he would bring a surprising amount of elusiveness and ability to cause miss tackles. Those traits are what led him to be PFF’s number one ranked running back.

Utah's Zack Moss forced a missed tackle on 38% of rushes in 2019.

Most among any RB with 150+ carries in a season since 2014. pic.twitter.com/t5wPoxPQPF

— PFF Draft (@PFF_College) April 13, 2020

Moss finished 2019 with 1,416 yards for the Utes to go along with 28 catches out of the backfield and 17 total TDs.

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2020 NFL Draft: Should the Bears target tight end in 2nd round?

Following the release of Trey Burton, there are some that believe the Bears will use one of their 2nd-rounders to draft a tight end.

There’s no doubt that tight end remains a huge need for the Chicago Bears. That’s certainly the case when your tight end group collectively nets 36 receptions, 416 receiving yards and just two touchdowns.

Bears general manager Ryan Pace has been focused on fixing one of the position groups that plagued Chicago’s offense. He brought in veteran Jimmy Graham during free agency and admitted a mistake with Trey Burton, parting ways with him Friday.

The Bears have been linked to tight ends throughout the pre-draft process, and it’s not exactly a surprise. But considering this year’s weak class of tight ends, there are some that believe there aren’t any tight ends worthy of a second-round selection.

Following the release of Burton, there are some that believe it’s a certainty that Chicago will use one of their second-rounders to draft a tight end. While that’s certainly a possibility, it’s not a guarantee.

The problem with the Bears taking a tight end in the second round is that they only have two selections in the first four rounds — both in the second round — and there are needs other than tight end.

Chicago has shown interest in prospects like Notre Dame’s Cole Kmet, Purdue’s Brycen Hopkins, Dayton’s Adam Trautman and Vanderbilt’s Jared Pinkney. While guys like Kmet and Hopkins will be gone before the Bears’ next pick rolls around following the second round, Pinkney is someone that should still be there for Chicago in the fifth round.

But given a report that the Bears are looking to trade one — possibly both — of their second-rounders, it would make sense for Pace to trade down and lock up an extra selection in rounds three or four, where some top tight end prospects should still be on the board.

What say you, Bears fans? Should Pace draft a tight end in the second round of the draft?

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Colts’ final 7-round mock draft projections with trades

A final mock before the draft.

The week is finally here as the Indianapolis Colts put the finishing touches on their prep for the 2020 NFL draft, which is set to begin Thursday night.

Though the Colts won’t be on the clock until Friday unless they make a move up, this week will be all about cleaning everything up and making the final touches before the biggest event of the offseason arrives. The same goes for us as well be making our final predictions for the draft.

Without using a simulator, just good old fashioned projections, here is our final seven-round mock draft for the Colts in the 2020 draft:

Round 2

*Trade the No. 34 pick to the Vikings for Nos. 58 and 89*

Chris Ballard mentioned in his pre-draft conference call that he wants to add more picks. He wasn’t asked about it but still said it unprompted. As he has done in every draft, Ballard will move around and add some picks. Here, the Colts are able to move back later in the second round but add an extra third-round pick. It makes it easier to move this far back having the No. 44 pick already.

No. 44 | Michael Pittman Jr. | WR | USC

After trading back and adding an extra third, the Colts are likely to use one of their second-round picks on a wide receiver. Pittman Jr. is the perfect prospect for the Colts given his size, length and contested-catch ability on the boundary. He wins with physicality and has shown a knack for beating press coverage. He won’t win with pure speed, but he gets enough separation to be a threat downfield and on the intermediate routes as a possession receiver.

With Philip Rivers under center, Pittman Jr. would quickly become a favorite target. Addin that Pittman Jr. understands the NFL life from his father and was a senior captain with the Trojans, this pick makes too much sense.

No. 58 (from MIN) | Josh Uche | EDGE | Michigan

This spot is really tough because there are so many options. They could add a quarterback here or even an offensive tackle but given Ballard’s propensity for adding to the defensive line, I think we see him select and edge piece earlier than expected. With Uche, Ballard would be drafting another strong athlete with the versatility to work on the edge or as a SAM backer.

While he might be a little undersized to be a full-time edge rusher, Uche wins with speed, length and incredible bend when running the arc. He’s twitchy and rangy but has to develop his pass-rushing plan and overall instincts at the position. Seeing that he doesn’t have to start right away, Uche can hone his crafts and become a strong future piece of the front seven while giving the Colts a bendy, speedy rush on sub-packages to start out.

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2020 NFL Draft Prospect ranking: Tight ends

It’s not a primary need for the Browns but TE could be on the draft menu later

The Browns just signed Austin Hooper for the richest tight end contract in history, but it is extremely likely that Kevin Stefanski rolls with multiple tight end sets frequently. David Njoku is still on the roster, but has been on the hot seat for some time. It is not crazy to think the Cleveland Browns may snag a tight end in this extremely strong and underrated tight end class.

I grade players extremely generous and like to think with an open mind. Most writers only rank 20-25 first-round grades and that is probably more indicative of their talent rather than where they are selected. I rank prospects based on the highest I could possibly see them be snagged.

1st Round

1. Cole Kmet, Notre Dame, 6-6, 262 pounds

Kmet has insane upside with intriguing athleticism as evidenced by the fact he was once viewed as an MLB prospect. It is not surprising that Kmet comes from NFL bloodlines; his father was drafted by Buffalo in 1992. The most concerning issue with Kmet is that he does lack elite burst coming off the line of scrimmage.

2nd Round

2. Hunter Bryant. Washington, 6-2, 248 pounds

Bryant is a large and dynamic receiving threat who was finally able to stay healthy and dominate the entire season. His unique athleticism makes him a difficult player for defenses to cover. Bryant is not exactly a complete tight end and will need some serious work as a blocker if is he to compete in-line as the No. 1 option.

3. Brycen Hopkins, Purdue, 6-4, 245 pounds

Like Bryant, Hopkins is another top-of-the-line athlete and his quick burst off the line of scrimmage and acceleration going in and out of routes make him a dangerous target. Despite being a great athlete, Hopkins did not have the best combine workout and will that will likely have an effect on his stock.

4. Adam Trautman, Dayton, 6-5, 255 pounds

Trautman was utterly dominant playing against FCS competition, but what really allowed his stock to soar was his fantastic week at the Senior Bowl. It is clear that he is a capable blocker that can play in the NFL. With that said, Trautman is still very raw as he is a former walk-on quarterback from the FCS level. He may need a red-shirt season to adjust to the NFL.

5. Harrison Bryant, Florida Atlantic, 6-5, 243 pounds

Bryant is an extremely long receiver that can pluck the ball out of the sky with the best of them. He is an excellent receiver that checks practically every box needed to thrive in the NFL. Bryant, unlike Trautman, is not a great blocker and this is the only box he fails to check.

3rd Round

6. Albert Okwuegbunam, Missouri, 6-6, 258 pounds

Okwuegbunam is excellent at tracking the ball and has the athleticism to make teams pay when he works up the seam. He also has an extremely large frame that helps him box out defenders fighting for the ball. Okwuegbunam, like Bryant above, still needs a ton of work as a blocker.

7. Jared Pinkney, Vanderbilt, 6-4, 257 pounds

Pinkney had a fantastic junior campaign with 50 receptions for 774 yards and seven touchdowns. He looks like the prototypical NFL tight end and has the frame to put on even more weight. After a sensational junior season, Pinkney had a rough 2019, where production took a huge dip with only 20 receptions for 233 yards.

8. Thaddeus Moss, LSU, 6-2, 250 pounds

Moss plays like a player with NFL bloodlines as he is already a fairly technically refined prospect. The son of Randy Moss had an explosive season for the Tigers, but flew a bit under the radar due to the high powered offense. Moss is not the athlete that some others on the list are.

9. Colby Parkinson, Stanford, 6-7. 252 pounds

Parkinson is arguably the most athletic tight end in this class and lives up to the TEU stereotype of a long 50-50 ball threat. He is extremely crisp in his routes, especially on the underneath. Even though Parkinson is an elite athlete, he does lack the top end speed most teams prefer.

10. Cheyenne O’Grady, Arkansas, 6-4, 253 pounds

O’Grady has an insane amount of untapped potential as evidenced by his former five-star recruiting ranking. He was able to snag 63 receptions for nine touchdowns during his last two seasons. His combination of size and speed will be extremely enticing to teams looking for a capable in-line tight end.

O’Grady was never able to reach his full potential due to being suspended multiple times and that will warrant deeper investigation. He also may require a red-shirt season. There have been comparisons made between him and former Philadelphia Eagles player, Scott Orndoff. As far as physical profile goes it is spot on, but O’Grady does offer a much higher ceiling.

11. Jacob Breeland, Oregon, 6-5, 252 pounds

Breeland was having a phenomenal season before injuries hit him. He is a clean receiver with solid route-running ability and ideal ball skills. He is also able to create separation. Breeland would be much higher on this list, but a knee injury robbed him of the second half of the season and that injury warrants deeper investigation.

4th Round

12. Devin Asiasi, UCLA, 6-3, 257 pounds: Explodes off the line of scrimmage and weight needs monitoring at the next level as he has a propensity to gain negative weight.

13. Stephen Sullivan, LSU, 6-5, 248 pounds: Had 12 receptions for 130 yards last season and is extremely raw. Had a fantastic Senior Bowl week and a highlight-reel touchdown against SE Louisiana as a junior. Comparisons have been made between him and Darren Waller of the Las Vegas Raiders and he could certainly exceed those expectations.

14. Mitchell Wilcox, South Florida, 6-3, 247 pounds: Versatile receiver who played in the slot and split out wide, but he is not a good blocker.

5th Round

15. Charlie Taumoepeau, Portland St, 6-2, 240 pounds: Raw with H-Back ability, but not an ideal tight end, especially due to his lack of blocking ability.

16. Josiah Deguara, Cincinnati, 6-2, 242 pounds: Ability to contribute in a number of ways, but is not the best athlete. Also has H-back ability.

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17. Dalton Keene, Virginia Tech, 6-4, 253 pounds: Unique upside and able to block effectively, but lacks ideal speed.

6th Round

18. Sean McKeon, Michigan, 6-5, 242 pounds: Solid blocker, but was not an extremely productive receiver.

19. Ahmad Wagner, Kentucky, 6-5, 234 pounds: Giant frame that he uses effectively to box out defenders, but rough route runner.

7th Round

20. Kyle Markway, South Carolina, 6-4, 250 pounds: Best blocker in the class with a physical mentality. Not a productive receiver and not athletic enough to become one.

21. Joey Magnifico, Memphis, 6-4, 240 pounds: Raw prospect that saw few opportunities in college.

22. Nate Wieting, Iowa, 6-4, 244 pounds: Another intriguing upside prospect, but the former walk-on has a few injury concerns.

23. Eli Wolf, Georgia, 6-4, 245 pounds: One of the viral workout videos that was recently released showed Wolf running a 4.43 forty, but that’s hard to see on film.

24. Dominick Wood-Anderson, Tennessee, 6-4, 261 pounds: Fairly raw former quarterback with good size, but inconsistent tape.

25. Tyler Mabry, Maryland, 6-4, 248 pounds: Grad-transfer from Buffalo failed to build on his solid junior campaign.

26. Farrod Green, Mississippi St., 6-3, 245 pounds: Raw prospect who was expected to breakout in 2019 and never did.

Priority Free agent

27. Parker Houston, San Diego St., 6-2, 250 pounds

28. Charlie Woerner, Georgia, 6-5, 244 pounds

29. Noah Togiai, Oregon St., 6-4, 246 pounds

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