2024 NFL draft: Saints sending top evaluators to LSU pro day

As always, the Saints are well-represented at LSU’s pro day. Will they pick any Tigers in the 2024 NFL draft?

As always seems to be the case, the New Orleans Saints were well-represented at LSU’s pro day on Wednesday. But will this be the year they pick any Tigers in the 2024 NFL draft? Few players have gone through Baton Rouge to New Orleans when turning pro, and many of them haven’t done so until they already impressed playing for other teams — guys like Tyrann Mathieu and Foster Moreau.

Since Mickey Loomis was hired as general manager back in 2002, the Saints have drafted just three players out of LSU: wide receiver Devery Henderson (second round, 2004), defensive tackle Al Woods (fourth round, 2010), and offensive lineman Will Clapp (seventh round, 2018). Having so few draft picks come out of a recruiting powerhouse in their own backyard has perplexed Saints fans, but Loomis has always explained it as being the luck of the draw.

Loomis was in attendance on Wednesday, per NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill, as were his top lieutenants: assistant general manager Jeff Ireland, the team’s college scouting department head; assistant general manager Khai Harley, who oversees football operations; and Michael Parenton, who leads the pro scouting department. So was head coach Dennis Allen, first-year offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, and quarterbacks coach Andrew Janocko. Who could they be scouting?

LSU boasts a ton of top-100 talent this year. In addition to quarterback Jayden Daniels, a likely top-four pick, wide receivers Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr. are seen as first-round talents. Defensive linemen Maason Smith and Mekhi Wingo might be picked on the second day of the draft, too, as second- or third-round picks. Three or four other Tigers could hear their names called during the event’s final rounds of selections. Maybe one of them ends up staying in Louisiana.

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Quick Saints takeaways from Jeff Ireland’s Senior Bowl interview

Quick Saints takeaways on Trevor Penning, the 2023 draft class, Tulane QB Michael Pratt, and more Broncos departures from Jeff Ireland’s Senior Bowl interview:

There are few events more important to the New Orleans Saints’ pre-draft process than the annual Senior Bowl, where coaches and scouts get an opportunity to meet with dozens of draft prospects and see them go through their paces at three days of practices.

Local media caught up with Saints assistant general manager and vice president of college personnel Jeff Ireland this week, who shared his take on a number of topics including players already on the roster and those he’s looking to add. You can find his full media availability session here, but we highlighted some key takeaways:

Sean Payton’s Broncos poaching more staff from the Saints

Sean Payton’s Broncos are poaching more staff from the Saints. NOF reports that the Broncos are hiring Jeff Ireland’s right-hand man:

This hurts: NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill reports that Sean Payton’s Denver Broncos are hiring more staff away from the Saints, this time poaching Jeff Ireland’s right-hand man.

Cody Rager spent nine years in New Orleans as a West Coast area scout before being bumped up to the national level, and he was promoted in 2021 to work as assistant college scouting director. He’s now leaving for a new role in Denver’s front office.

Payton took a number of longtime Saints assistants with him to the Broncos last offseason. Rager is just the latest departure, but he’s an impactful loss. With the roster getting older and the team short on draft picks, New Orleans needs all the help it can get in evaluating this year’s prospects to add the right players to the team. Hopefully they can find a capable replacement already on staff.

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Chargers conclude interview with Jeff Ireland for general manager opening

Jeff Ireland has experience as a general manager.

The Chargers on Wednesday confirmed they have interviewed Jeff Ireland for their general manager position.

Ireland finished his ninth season as the Saints’ vice president and assistant general manager for college personnel.

Before joining New Orleans, Ireland served as the general manager of the Dolphins from 2008 to 2013.

His time in the professional ranks began in 1997 when he was an area scout for the Chiefs. That role was held until the Cowboys brought him in 2001 as a national scout. Ireland spent his last three seasons as the Dallas’ vice president of college and pro scouting.

Ireland served as a National Football Scouting Combine area scout from 1994 to 1996 and helped coach special teams at North Texas from 1992 to 1993.

Ireland played football at the collegiate level as a kicker for Baylor from 1988 to 1991.

Mickey Loomis shoots down rumor, says he isn’t stepping down as GM

Mickey Loomis shoots down rumor, says he isn’t stepping down or changing his title as Saints general manager and executive vice president:

Forget what you read on social media: Mickey Loomis isn’t going anywhere. The New Orleans Saints general manager and executive vice president was asked about a rumor going around in fan communities online that he would be moving to a different role in the organization, freeing up one of his top assistants to succeed him as general manager.

And Loomis dismissed it as just that: a rumor.

“Somebody just made that up,” Loomis said. “That’s never been discussed or talked about.”

Loomis added that he could wake up one day and feel differently about his place in the organization, but as of now the course is set. He’ll remain in place as the team’s top decision-maker both in title and in practice.

That’s all happening in the wake of interview requests from other teams hoping to poach talent from the Saints’ front office. Loomis acknowledged that assistant general managers Khai Harley and Jeff Ireland were sought out by the Carolina Panthers and Los Angeles Chargers, respectively, and he added that pro personnel director Michael Parenton is someone else he regards highly within their organization. Harley manages the salary cap, and Ireland covers the college scouting department, and there’s a chance both of them leave town in the near future.

That would be a mistake. Loomis might be the longest-tenured general manager in the league but he doesn’t have much to show for it without Sean Payton and Drew Brees. His Saints teams have gone a combined 44-54 from 2002 to 2005 and 2022 to 2023, before and after Payton was leading them. A lot was made of Loomis guiding the Saints to 200-plus career wins this season but Payton takes credit for 152 of them (and Super Bowl XLIV).

Losing talented executives like Ireland and Harley to protect Loomis’ job security is, well, laughable. But Loomis was all laughs at his end-of-year press conference on Wednesday. He isn’t going anywhere until he’s good and ready, and he took this opportunity to remind everyone watching that he’s in control here. Ownership won’t force him out, and he isn’t about to give up his title to benefit someone else. He wants to prove he can win without Payton. If that means standing by a coach like Dennis Allen, well — good luck.

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Jeff Ireland’s interview for the Chargers’ GM position is Wednesday

The Los Angeles Chargers requested permission to meet with Jeff Ireland for their open GM job a week ago, and the interview date has been set:

New Orleans Saints assistant general manager Jeff Ireland is set to interview for the Los Angeles Chargers’ vacant general manager position on Wednesday, per multiple reports. This would be a promotion for Ireland and a return to a position he once held with the Miami Dolphins. The Chargers requested the interview a week ago, and Josina Anderson first reported on Tuesday evening the interview will be Wednesday.

Ireland is the Saints’ assistant general manager and vice president of college scouting, so losing him would be big. He’s played a big part in evaluating college talent and finding diamonds in the rough like All-Pro return man Rashid Shaheed.

This isn’t the first time Ireland has interviewed for a general manager vacancy. In 2022, he interviewed with the Chicago Bears for the same position. If he accepts the position with the Chargers, Ireland would be the second Saints assistant general manager to be hired as another team’s general manager recently. Terry Fontenot was hired by the Atlanta Falcons in 2021.

Chargers request interview with Saints’ Jeff Ireland for open GM job

The Chargers requested an interview with the Saints’ Jeff Ireland concerning their open general manager job:

Could the New Orleans Saints lose both of Mickey Loomis’ top lieutenants? NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports that the Los Angeles Chargers have requested an interview with Jeff Ireland for their open general manager position; the Saints’ assistant general manager and vice president of college personnel has received several inquiries in recent years, but a job offer has yet to materialize. Ireland has ran his own team before as the Miami Dolphins general manager, though that stint ended without much success.

Still, there’s a good chance another team gives him a shot someday. That’s also true of New Orleans’ other assistant GM Khai Harley, their vice president of football operations who manages the team salary cap. Harley received an interview request from the Carolina Panthers as they also seek to hire a new general manager.

Which means there’s a real possibility that the Saints could lose each of their best internal candidates to replace Loomis someday in one offseason. Loomis is the longest-tenured general manager in the NFL and doesn’t appear to be ready to leave his post. If the Saints front office hemorrhages talent this offseason and he steps into a different role or retires in a few years, they could have a hard time replacing him.

Saints salary cap expert Khai Harley to attend NFL General Manager Accelerator event

Saints salary cap expert Khai Harley is one of many candidates attending this year’s NFL Front Office and General Manager Accelerator event:

Khai Harley is the New Orleans Saints’ secret weapon. His official job title is listed as the assistant general manager and vice president of football administration, but Harley’s main role in the front office is navigating the salary cap. No one knows the NFL’s collective bargaining agreement better, and he works around the clock each year to find loopholes and clauses to exploit so the Saints can get the most bang for their buck.

And it’s put him on other teams’ radars. Harley is on track to run his own team someday, and his participation in key summits like the annual NFL Front Office and General Manager Accelerator event at league meetings in December will only help raise his profile around the NFL.

Harley was announced as one of dozens of candidates from many teams around the league who have been selected for this year’s Accelerator, which will give him opportunities to network with team owners and other executives before the next hiring cycle. The event also features seminars, mock interviews, and professional development workshops to help prepare future general managers.

Could Harley be the next man up in New Orleans? He shares the assistant general manager title with Jeff Ireland (who is also the team’s vice president of college personnel), a former general manager himself. Mickey Loomis runs the show and is the longest-tenured GM around the league, but it’s possible he could step up into an executive role in the years ahead. The Saints would be wise to hold onto Harley, but if Loomis isn’t ready to give up his seat he may go elsewhere in search of the right opportunity.

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Saints spotted scouting Florida State-Clemson matchup in CFB Week 4

The Saints were spotted scouting Florida State’s matchup with Clemson on Saturday. They’ve spent a lot of time around both programs recently:

The New Orleans Saints were spotted scouting Florida State’s matchup with Clemson this week, per ESPN’s Jordan Reid, who listed them among 11 NFL teams in attendance for Saturday’s game. They’ve spent a lot of time around both programs recently — Saints assistant general manager Jeff Ireland visited FSU’s campus two weeks ago, and of course the team’s top rookie draft pick Bryan Bresee comes from Clemson.

It makes sense to give the prospects in this game the attention they’re due. Florida State’s Jared Verse is one of the most exciting pass rushers eligible for the 2024 draft class, and his teammate Keon Coleman is making an argument to be picked in the first round at wide receiver. Coleman lined up often against Clemson cornerback Nate Wiggins, one of several first-round defensive prospects for the Tigers along with linebackers Barrett Carter and Jeremiah Trotter Jr.

All of this attention doesn’t mean the Saints will pick any of these players in the 2024 draft. It probably doesn’t mean anything. But it could mean something. We’ll keep it in mind when the offseason rolls around and the draft news cycle picks up.

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Saints assistant GM Jeff Ireland spotted scouting NFL prospects at Florida State

New Orleans Saints assistant general manager Jeff Ireland was spotted scouting NFL prospects at Florida State practice:

This feels noteworthy.  The Tallahassee Democrat’s Ehsan Kassim reported last week that New Orleans Saints college scouting director Jeff Ireland was in attendance at one of Florida State’s practices before their road game at Boston College (which they narrowly won 31-29). NFL scouts are on the road often this time of year, but it’s interesting to see an assistant general manager taking such a hands-on approach.

But FSU makes sense as somewhere to go looking for talent. Playmaking defensive end Jared Verse is a top-ten prospect (maybe top-five) in the 2024 draft class, and his teammate Keon Coleman is building momentum as a first-round prospect at wide receiver. Running back Trey Benson and wide receiver Johnny Wilson are also earning early-round buzz. Quarterback Jordan Travis has drawn high expectations, too.

There are mid-round prospects worth looking into like tight end Jaheim Bell, defensive linemen Fabien Lovett and Braden Fiske, and cornerback Fentrell Cypress, too. It’s too soon to draw any credible links between the Saints and players who might enter the 2024 draft, much less suggesting they’ll draft them just because Ireland stopped by campus one day in September. But it’s an interesting data point to keep in mind and maybe circle back to in the spring.

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