Tag: first round

Top photos of Alabama stars on the red carpet at 2024 NFL draft

Check out the top photos of Alabama stars arriving at the 2024 NFL draft, waiting for their names to be called and their NFL careers to begin.

Former Alabama Crimson Tide football players are ready to have their names called, their professional careers begin and their lives changed forever. The first round of the 2024 NFL draft will likely see a handful of former Alabama and Nick Saban products enter the league.

Both sides of the ball are likely to be represented this evening, with offensive lineman JC Latham being the only offensive prospect with a first-round projection. For the defense, linebacker Dallas Turner and cornerback Terrion Arnold and Kool-Aid McKinstry are expected to be off the board before the end of the night.

As is tradition, these players arrive at the draft dressed their best, which is expected at such a monumental occasion in their lives.

Top images from Alabama Crimson Tide football stars on the 2024 NFL draft red carpet

Live break down of the first round of 2024 NFL draft

Packers Wire breaks down the first round of the 2024 NFL draft live on Thursday night.

The Green Bay Packers have the 25th overall pick in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft.

Plenty of picks will be made before No. 25 that impact Matt LaFleur’s team in 2024 and beyond.

Follow along with Packers Wire as we break down the first round, from the Chicago Bears’ pick at No. 1 overall to the selection of the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs at No. 32 late on Thursday night:

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— The Bears have their new quarterback. It’s Caleb Williams of USC. The Packers will see Williams and the new-look Bears twice next year. If Williams is good right away, the Bears will be tough. And Williams vs. Jordan Love could be a terrific quarterback rivalry.

— Jayden Daniels, the Heisman Trophy winner, lands with the Washington Commanders at No. 2 overall. The Packers are not scheduled to play the Commanders in 2024.

— Well, well, well. No trade up to No. 3 for the Minnesota Vikings. The New England Patriots (and former Packers executive Eliot Wolf) held firm and took North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye. The big three quarterbacks are off the board 1-2-3.

— Ohio State receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. to the Arizona Cardinals. The Packers will host Harrison and the Cardinals during the 2024 regular season.

— The best offensive tackle is off the board: The Los Angeles Chargers took Notre Dame’s Joe Alt, who was widely expected to be the top offensive lineman selected.

— The Giants bypass a quarterback and get LSU receiver Malik Nabers. No Packers-Giants matchup in 2024. J.J. McCarthy remains available for the Vikings.

— The Titans, who host the Packers this season, take offensive lineman JC Latham. Protection for second-year quarterback Will Levis.

— The first shocker! The Falcons, who signed Kirk Cousins to a new mega deal, took Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. at No. 8. Atlanta now has the present and the future at the game’s most important position. Penix going in the top 10 all but guarantees at least five quarterbacks will be picked before the Packers come on the clock.

— The Bears paired Caleb Williams with Washington receiver Rome Odunze. Chicago’s offensive transformation is nearly complete — Williams, Odunze, D’Andre Swift and Keenan Allen. Plus D.J. Moore and Cole Kmet.

— TRADE! The Vikings moved up to No. 10 and selected Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy. In the end, the Vikings didn’t have to give up much to get their quarterback. There will be two new top-10 quarterback entering the NFC North in 2024.

— Two notes here: Five quarterbacks in the first 10 picks for the first time ever. And 10 offensive players in the first 10 picks for the first time ever. History!

— Former Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers gets some big-time offensive line help: The Jets took Penn State’s Olu Fashanu at No. 11 overall.

— Another quarterback! The Broncos took Bo Nix at No. 12. Good news for the Packers, who aren’t in the quarterback market.

— The Raiders selected tight end Brock Bowers at No. 13. Bowers is great, but the Packers likely weren’t in the tight end market either.

— A start of a run on offensive linemen? The Saints got Oregon State’s Taliese Fuaga at No. 14. The Packers host the Saints in 2024.

— The first defensive player! And it’s a pass-rusher for the Colts. UCLA’s Laiatu Latu goes to Indy at No. 15. The Packers also host the Colts in 2024.

— Back-to-back defenders. The Seahawks picked Texas defensive lineman Byron Murphy at No. 16. The Packers go to Seattle in the regular season.

— Another Vikings trade! Minnesota gave up a bunch of value to move up to No. 17 and get Dallas Turner, the edge rusher from Alabama. J.J. McCarthy and Dallas Turner in the first round for the Vikings, who now have very little draft capital remaining in 2024 and 2025.

— The first potential Packers pick off the board? Georgia offensive tackle Amarius Mims goes to the Cincinnati Bengals at No. 18.

— The Rams, with their first first-round pick since Jared Goff, took edge rusher Jared Verse out of Florida State. The Packers will go to Los Angeles to play Verse and the Rams in 2024.

— The Steelers took offensive lineman Troy Fautanu, a college offensive tackle who might move inside to guard at the next level. Would have been a possible Packers option.

— The Packers types are finally coming off the board. Penn State edge rusher Chop Robinson goes to the Dolphins at No. 21. Green Bay welcomes Miami to Lambeau Field in 2024.

— Week 1 in Brazil? New Eagles cornerback Quinyon Mitchell, who fell to the No. 22 pick. Big pick for Philly. The rookie corner will face Jordan Love in his regular season opener.

— The Jaguars took a receiver, Brian Thomas Jr. out of LSU. The Packers will see him in Jacksonville in 2024. Green Bay is now two picks away.

— The Cowboys traded down, allowing the Lions to jump the Packers and take cornerback Terrion Arnold at No. 24. Big move for the reigning NFC North champs. The Packers are on the clock.

— The Packers get Arizona offensive lineman Jordan Morgan at No. 25. More analysis to follow.

— The Buccaneers took Duke’s Graham Barton at No. 26. It’ll be interesting to compare the careers of Morgan and Barton over the next few seasons.

— The Cardinals selected Darius Robinson, a defensive lineman out of Missouri, at No. 27.

— The Super Bowl champion Chiefs traded up to No. 28 to take Texas receiver Xavier Worthy, the fastest player in the draft class. Tyreek Hill 2.0?

— Offensive tackle Tyler Guyton, a popular mock draft pick for the Packers, went to Mike McCarthy and the Cowboys at No. 29.

— Clemson cornerback Nate Wiggins is a Raven. He came off the board at No. 30.

— The 49ers prepping for life without Brandon Aiyuk? The pick at No. 31 overall was Florida receiver Ricky Pearsall.

— The Panthers finished off the first round by trading up to No. 32 and taking South Carolina receiver Xavier Legette, who visited Green Bay pre-draft.

Report: Commanders to be aggressive with potential move back into 1st round

Do the Commanders have a target in mind?

The Washington Commanders have two pressing needs going into the first round of the 2024 NFL draft: Quarterback and offensive tackle. Washington is expected to pick its quarterback at No. 2 overall.

The Commanders next go on the clock at No. 36 overall and also hold the Bears’ second-round pick at No. 40. Washington will likely target an offensive tackle with one of its second-round picks unless there is a trade back into the first round.

ESPN draft analyst Jordan Reid called the Commanders moving back into the first round the “worst-kept secret” in the draft. NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah believes the Commanders will move back into the first round, even projecting a trade in his final mock draft, leading them to select Georgia OT Amarius Mims.

Ryan Fowler of Bleacher Report and The Draft Network had the following to say about the Commanders on Thursday:

Guyton is a 6-foot-8, 322-pound prospect who began his career at TCU before transferring to Oklahoma, where he spent the past two years. Guyton started five games in 2022, four at right tackle and one at left tackle. In 2023, he started nine games at right tackle.

Here is NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein’s scouting report on Guyton:

Ascending tackle prospect with the traits and tape to project a bright future as a high-level pass protector in the league. Guyton has battled injuries and had limited reps coming over from TCU after the 2021 season, but his flashes have been complemented by increasing consistency. He plays with a high center of gravity and needs to get stronger, but leveraged hand strikes can help overcome those concerns. He should continue to get better as a run blocker but might never shine in that department. Guyton’s value comes with his pass protection, as he has the length, feet and body control to become a human roadblock. He should become a talented starter at either tackle position.

How Saints fans can watch Round 1 of the 2024 NFL draft

How New Orleans Saints fans can watch Round 1 of the 2024 NFL draft: Time, channel, and what to look for

The 2024 NFL draft is officially upon us as the first round is set to kick off on Thursday night at 7 p.m. CT. The New Orleans Saints are currently scheduled to pick at No. 14 overall, and the majority of expert mock drafts have them taking an offensive tackle in Round 1.

With the rest of their selections, there are a few key positions that the Saints should look to target: defensive tackle, wide receiver, safety and more offensive linemen. Other positional needs that maybe aren’t as pressing but can definitely be added to are nickel, tight end and pass rusher specifically in the middle to later rounds.

There’s a sense of urgency within the organization and the fan base to hit big on this year’s class. You can tune in to ESPN, ABC and NFL Network when the draft starts on Thursday, April 25 from Detroit. Here’s the full schedule for the event:

Day 1: Round 1

When it starts: Thursday, April 25 at 7 p.m. CT

Where the Saints are picking: No. 14

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This is when Saints are expected to make 2024 draft pick Thursday

This is the time the Saints are expected to make their first-round pick in the 2024 draft on Thursday night — unless they make a surprise trade:

We’re in for a fun environment with the 2024 NFL draft kicking off from Detroit on Thursday night, but when will the New Orleans Saints go on the clock? The Saints are scheduled to pick at No. 14 on Day 1 and currently hold eight additional picks between Days 2 and 3, but we’ll keep all eyes on Round 1.

Last year’s 14th overall selection was announced at 8:50 p.m. CT when the Pittsburgh Steelers selected offensive tackle Broderick Jones out of Georgia. Coincidentally, with the glaring weakness that the Saints have at the offensive tackle position, it is likely that they will also look to select an offensive tackle with that same 14th selection. Unless they make a trade.

This year’s draft will be broadcast on ABC, ESPN, and NFL Network, as well as the NFL+ streaming service. The Chicago Bears will get us started by making the first pick at 7 p.m. CT, so be sure to tune in before the fireworks start.

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2024 NFL mock draft: Four QBs go at the top, OT run shakes up first round

The 2024 NFL draft starts tomorrow and there feels like there is more up in the air than normal in this class. It’s not that no one knows mostly which players should go in the first round, but there a lot of ways the board can fall. A lot of it is …

The 2024 NFL draft starts tomorrow and there feels like there is more up in the air than normal in this class. It’s not that no one knows mostly which players should go in the first round, but there a lot of ways the board can fall.

A lot of it is riding on how the quarterback dominoes and how the offensive tackle class end up falling. There are a lot of tackles and wide receivers, and people have them rated completely differently.

Here is our final full first round mock draft, featuring some surprising trade action:

There’s not much to say about Williams at this point that hasn’t been said before. This pick has been suspected for a while and has been pretty much confirmed ever since the Bears traded away Justin Fields.

This is where things start to get interesting and competitive. Here, we have the Commanders going with Maye because of his arm talent. He has the makings of a classic franchise quarterback.

The Patriots end up with the more exciting player in Daniels. The Heisman winner made himself a lot of money at LSU this season as he wasn’t a first-round player entering the year. He is a dynamic runner and has a lot of potential as a thrower. The arm strength is there, the doubters will point to processing and consistent accuracy.

TRADE

Arizona Cardinals receive: 2024 Round 1, Picks 11 and 23

Minnesota Vikings receive: 2024 Round 1, Pick 4

This is the type of pick that can scare a fan base. He probably has the tools to succeed at the next level, but never really got to show it in college. The Vikings desperately need another quarterback though, so they cash in on their two first rounders and hope that it works out.

Harrison is one of the best and safest wide receiver prospects that we have seen in a long time. The Chargers luck out that the Cardinals decided to trade out in this mock and end up with a franchise guy for Justin Herbert.

We considered having the Giants trade up for a quarterback earlier, but instead they sit still and give Daniel Jones a weapon. Nabers dominated at LSU in a stacked offense, becoming the career receiving yards leader at a school with plenty of legacy at the position.

Alt is your prototypical franchise left tackle. He’s young and has a great size/athleticism combination. He’s the type of player that you draft and then don’t have to worry about for a long time.

Turner is the most exciting, and first selected, defender in this draft. Some believe him to be better than his former teammate and reigning Defensive Rookie of the Year Will Anderson. He’s ultra fast and was incredibly productive in college.

TRADE

Chicago Bears receive: 2024 Round 1, Pick 15 and 2024 Round 3, Pick 82

Indianapolis Colts receive: 2024 Round 1, Pick 9

Odunze would be very intriguing for the Bears here, but instead they pick up another Day 2 selection in this draft and move down a couple of spots.

The Colts grab another piece for their offense and build out a wide receiver room that now holds two talented big-bodied players in Odunze and Michael Pittman.

Fuaga is the best right tackle prospect in this draft class. He’s a bit of a jack of all trades at tackle, good at pretty much everything you would ask for. He’s a mauler but also has brains and athleticism.

The Jets did sign some veteran tackles this offseason, but the Oregon State product ensures the position is taken care of for a long time.

Mitchell is the Dallas Turner of cornerbacks. He checks pretty much every box, especially after dominating the competition at the Senior Bowl.

Latu isn’t the popular pick to be the second edge defender taken in the draft, but he does scream Broncos. He has some medical questions, but has been healthy and ultra-productive for the last two years of his college career. He is pro-ready.

While Alt is the most sure-fire guy at tackle in this class, Fashanu might have the highest ceilings. He is ultra athletic and young, but can also step in on Day 1 to protect their quarterback. Another team finds their franchise tackle.

TRADE

New Orleans Saints receive: 2024 Round 1, Pick 18 and 2024 Round 3, Pick 80

Cincinnati Bengals receive: 2024 Round 1, Pick 14 and 2024 Round 5, Pick 175

The Bengals trade up to add more fire power to their offense and the Saints trade down to pick up a much-needed second Day 2 draft pick.

Browers is as much of a lock of a prospect that there can be, but tight end isn’t as valuable as other positions so he dropped a bit. In the right scheme, though, he can be very much worth trading up for.

Newton is an exciting pass rusher from the interior. A lot of people have the Bears doubling up on top offensive weapons, but here they secure one of the best players in the trenches to bolster their defense.

The Seahawks grab Verse and lock up one of their defensive end spots for years to come. He is as ready to compete in the NFL as you could ask for from a defender.

There is some disagreement on whether DeJean should play at cornerback or safety at the next level. The good news for the Jaguars is that they could use him at either position and just give him the best chance to succeed with his skill set.

The Saints are able to pick up another draft pick and still snag one of the draft’s top offensive tackles. He’s enough of an athlete to succeed wherever the Saints need him. That type of positional versatility is key when your line is in as bad of shape as the Saints’ is.

Murphy has an elite speed/strength combination that would make any defensive coordinator salivate. He is more of a run-first guy than Newton is, but should still have no issue getting to the quarterback.

Mims’ NFL career could end up going any number of ways. He has some medical red flags and is super raw, but if he pans out he will be a dominant offensive tackle for a long time.

TRADE

Miami Dolphins receive: 2024 Round 1, Pick 24 and 2024 Round 5, Pick 174

Dallas Cowboys receive: 2024 Round 1, Pick 21 and 2024 Round 6, Pick 198

Cowboys trade up for a great athlete to pair with Trevon Diggs. He also has some slot versatility that will let him roam around the defense and cover different types of receivers with success.

Wiggins showed off his elite speed at the NFL combine with his 4.28 40-yard dash. That alone might be good enough for him to go in the first round for some teams, but he also has the other tools to secure his spot. The Eagles lucked out with him falling this far.

The Cardinals bolstered their defense earlier and now the trade down allows them to go after the best interior offensive lineman available in the draft. He likely grades out best as a center, but does have some guard flexibility.

Barton could end up at any number of spots at the next level, which is perfect for a Dolphins team that doesn’t have a lot of lineman that they would characterize as franchise players. He’ll give them the chance to put him wherever they need him the most.

TRADE

Green Bay Packers receive: 2024 Round 1, Pick 28 and 2024 Round 4, Pick 133

Buffalo Bills receive: 2024 Round 1, Pick 25 and 2024 Round 5, Pick 169

The Bills take advantage of one of the drafts biggest slippers in this mock. Thomas has a great size and speed combo that led to him leading the country in touchdown catches. After trading away Stefon Diggs, Buffalo needs another top guy.

While he isn’t the best athlete at the position in the draft, he might just be the most pro-ready. He’s been starting in the SEC for three years, which is not something that Nick Saban took lightly during his time at Alabama.

Now the Cardinals, with their third selection in the first round, grab an exciting receiver. They were able to pick up an extra first round selection and still get someone that people believe could become a great WR1, albeit not to the same level as Harrison.

Latham is another one of these super young, super athletic offensive tackles but he is a little bit less ready for the next level than the other guys. The Packers could have him learn a little bit and cut down on the penalties. He’s pretty much everything you would want out of the mold of an offensive tackle, though.

Here is the first big shock of the first round. The Lions take the ultra-athlete edge rusher out of Penn State. Robinson wasn’t very productive in college, but it’s hard not to get excited about a 6’3, 254-pound guy that can run a 4.48.

Paul is another guy that could sneak into the first round based on how intriguing he is. He’s a mountain of a tackle at 6-foot-7, 331-pounds but does not sacrifice athleticism. It’s a bit of a swing as a lot of people like some of the more higher-floor guys left on the board, but it’s a swing that Baltimore can afford to take.

Speaking of the other offensive tackles, Guyton goes to San Francisco. He’s another very raw player that checks all of the physical boxes. He has only been playing the position since college, so the 49ers will have to give him some time to solidify.

It’s not the wide receiver that is expected to go here by many, but Franklin is a very intriguing guy that could easily slip into the first round. He’s tall, fast and runs very well.

What should the Steelers do in the 1st round in the 2024 NFL draft?

The Steelers should have plenty of options with their first-round pick.

A week from now, the first round of the 2024 NFL draft will be in the books and the Pittsburgh Steelers will have their newest player and hopefully, he is a game-changer. This pick will also show us what direction Pittsburgh is headed for the rest of the draft.

The Steelers currently hold the No. 20 pick in the first round and based on every mock draft we have seen or done, there should be several top options for the Steelers at positions of need on the board.

This could tempt the Steelers to trade down in the first round or even out of it entirely. If one of the six top quarterbacks falls to 20, that pick could be worth a fortune to the right team. But if you are the Steelers, you cannot afford to trade back so far as to miss out.

On the other side, the Steelers could view those options at 20 as second tier and want to go up and land an elite player at a position of need like wide receiver or offensive tackle. If that is the case it would be a matter of seeing how much the Steelers are willing to spend and how far up they want to go.

But maybe, just maybe the Steelers play it a little more conservatively and simply stay put and pick from whoever is on the board. With Omar Khan in charge, this seems unlikely but anything is possible.

Cast your vote and let us know what you think the Steelers should do in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft.

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Making the case for the Saints to draft a left tackle at No. 14

Should the New Orleans Saints draft a left tackle in the first round? Here’s the argument on why Trevor Penning shouldn’t stop them:

You never want to have much uncertainty about your left tackle spot, but that’s where the New Orleans Saints find themselves one week before the 2024 NFL draft. It’s a position that should be clearly in their crosshairs in the first round, where New Orleans is scheduled to pick at No. 14 overall. So should the right tackles available at the top of this draft class, but that’s a conversation for another day.

The Saints drafted Trevor Penning as a developmental prospect in 2022, but gave him little time to develop after he essentially redshirted his rookie year with injuries. Penning was benched six games into his career in 2023. It’s been two years but six or seven real games’ worth of experience hasn’t been enough for Penning to learn from. He instead has been relegated to watching from the sidelines. Not only was this a disservice to Penning, it’s also a disservice to the new offensive coaching staff inheriting him.

They will have to decide if Penning is the left tackle of the future with limited tape to judge from. Getting benched after six starts in 2023 is unfair, but it also speaks volumes to how the team viewed his performance. Based on how quickly the last offensive coaching staff gave up on Penning, pressing the reset button at the position is a valid way to go. In a strong offensive line class, Penning could be written off as a failed experiment in favor of a player with a higher ceiling.

Options will be available, including readymade starters like Olu Fashanu (Penn State) and Troy Fautanu (Washington). Drafting a left tackle with the 14th pick doesn’t have to spell the end of Penning, however. The Saints can move him inside to guard (where some believed he projected better coming out of the draft) or move him to right tackle, where they also have a major vulnerability. The possibility of converting Penning at guard or right tackle furthers the claim he shouldn’t keep you from drafting your franchise left tackle. It all comes back to one critical question: How much does the new staff believe in Trevor Penning?

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Is left tackle or right tackle a bigger need for Saints in 2024 draft?

Is left tackle or right tackle a bigger need for the Saints in the 2024 draft? Which position should the Saints address first?

The 2024 NFL draft is less than a month away, and the New Orleans Saints have more problems to address than draft picks to spend on them. And their top priority has to be getting the tackle spots right. Which leads us to the big question: which tackle spot is in worse shape?

Conventional wisdom would suggest the left tackle spot is a top priority; every team wants to protect their quarterback’s blind side, and the right-handed Derek Carr needs to know he can step up in the pocket with confidence. Last year, the Saints struggled to get rely on Trevor Penning before benching him after six games. Andrus Peat moved back to his college position after nearly a decade at left guard, and he did well enough, but the team hasn’t expressed much interest in re-signing him now that he’s a free agent.

So they’re effectively jumping out of the plane without a parachute if Penning is the only option. What about the right side? When he signed a contract extension a few years ago, Ryan Ramczyk was as reliable as any right tackle in the NFL could to be. He rarely missed games and was at fault for sacks or penalties even less frequently. But a degenerative knee condition has proven tough to manage, and now everything is on the table. He could miss the entire 2023 season or be pushed into a medical retirement altogether. It’s a serious situation.

The saving grace: the Saints got serviceable play out of Ramczyk’s backups. Landon Young wasn’t a liability in a couple of starts before going down with his own injury. Cameron Erving closed out the season in relief duty, but like Peat he hasn’t been a priority to re-sign after hitting free agency. The Saints clearly have plans for addressing both positions, left and right, but we aren’t privy to them.

Which sets up the 2024 draft as, maybe, their big hope. Or their big gamble. By all accounts, it’s a very deep draft class along the offensive line. There are players with starting-quality grades projected to be picked in the second round. If the Saints are planning to draft an offensive tackle in the first frame at No. 14 overall, they’ll have plenty of options.

Left tackles like Olu Fashanu (Penn State) and Troy Fautanu (Washington) have been popular picks in mock drafts for New Orleans. So are right tackles including Taliese Fuaga (Oregon State) and JC Latham (Alabama), or inexperienced options like Amarius Mims (Georgia) and Tyler Guyton (Oklahoma). We shouldn’t overlook sleepers like left tackle Graham Barton (Duke), who also played center in college. Any of them, and likely several of them, might be in play in the first round when the Saints go on the clock.

Before news of Ramczyk’s too-slow recovery came out, a left tackle seemed most likely. The Saints could either kick off a training camp competition with Penning for that job or move one of the two inside to guard (pushing James Hurst down into the sixth man role, where he’s probably at his best). But now that there’s a real possibility Ramczyk will be unavailable this year, if not longer, the void at right tackle becomes too big to ignore.

There’s still a chance that things click for Penning with a new coaching staff and he makes the necessary growth and adjustments to develop into a starting-quality left tackle. Where you’d put those chances is on you. The Saints might view it as a bad right tackle being easier to work around than a bad left tackle — Carr can see the pressure coming his way and adjust to it accordingly, at least in theory.

The Saints could pick offensive tackles with each of their first two picks and few fans would have much right to complain; sure, there are other fires to put out, but none so dire as this. If the Saints can get a surefire starter in the first round (say, one of those pro-ready right tackles) and add a player who can at least push Penning in the second round (someone like BYU swing tackle Kingsley Suamataia, Houston left tackle Patrick Paul, or Arizona left tackle Jordan Morgan) then it just might work.

At the end of the day, the offense will go as far as the big men up front can lead them. It’s no understatement to say the season hinges on nailing these draft picks, keeping Carr upright, and paving the way for a better running game than the Saints have fielded in recent years.

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Saints scout sleeper first-round prospect at Duke pro day

All 32 NFL teams were in attendance at Duke’s pro day, including the Saints — who could view center Graham Barton as an answer to their problems at tackle or guard:

Here’s a name to keep in mind for the New Orleans Saints in the 2024 NFL draft: Graham Barton. All 32 NFL teams were represented at Duke’s pro day to clock the Duke offensive lineman as he went through his paces, per ESPN’s Jordan Reid, and he impressed with top marks in every category.

Barton played both left tackle and center in college, and pro scouts are confident he could line up at all five spots along the offensive line in the NFL. He certainly has the athleticism for it. After weighing in at 6-foot-5 and 311 pounds, Barton timed the 40-yard dash in just 4.84 seconds, per Duke’s official announcement (though Reid’s sources clocked him at 4.94 to 4.97). The school also said that he recorded a 4.43 in the short shuttle (Reid had him at 4.54 and 4.56 on his two attempts) and a 7.34 in the three-cone drill (Reid said 7.31 and 7.32), showing off high-end agility no matter how you slice it.

And while he may not be a common pick for the Saints in many mock drafts right now, Barton may not be much of a reach at No. 14. Some evaluators grade him as a top-15 prospect in the draft class. His versatility to play all five spots could help the Saints field their five best linemen whether he’s replacing Trevor Penning at left tackle, James Hurst at left guard, or Ryan Ramczyk at right tackle. He’s most often projected to stay at center in the NFL, but the Saints are known for moving guys around after turning pro (with mixed results).

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