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The NFL is committed to moving forwards into the 2020 season despite the coronavirus pandemic, so the rest of their operations are continuing to prepare for the future. Scouts are busy connecting with college coaches to gather information on possible opt-outs and early entrants for the 2021 NFL Draft, and mock draft season is officially upon us.
In his first 2021 mock draft, ESPN’s Todd McShay has the Saints making a big addition to the wide receivers room: Oklahoma Sooners prospect Charleston Rambo. Here’s what he wrote of the selection:
One more receiver for the mock, making it eight total, or 25% of the Day 1 picks. But hey, the class is good, and even after that loaded 2020 class, there are still a lot of teams in need. New Orleans, which had only four picks in 2020, is on that list. Beyond Michael Thomas, who do the Saints have? Emmanuel Sanders will be 34 years old at draft time, and Tre’Quan Smith still hasn’t made the jump. Rambo broke out a bit for Oklahoma in 2019, with 43 catches for 743 yards and five scores despite being a secondary option to CeeDee Lamb.
Rambo played second fiddle to Lamb last season, but with Oklahoma’s leading wideout off to the NFL (and, annoyingly, joining the Dallas Cowboys) Rambo is set up for a monstrous 2020 season. If the Big-12 does end up playing, that is.
Pro Football Focus had Rambo with the best yards per target in FBS on in-breaking routes (21.6), noting his high potential for explosive plays with 16 gains of 15-plus yards. He’s an exciting prospect, and should definitely be on the Saints’ radar. But whether he ends up landing in the first round depends on a lot of factors outside his control.
It would make sense for the Saints to add another receiver early, though. Thomas is the only sure thing in the receiving corps, as McShay said; but both Sanders and Smith will be entering the final year of their contracts, leaving a long-term vacancy in the lineup. The Saints rarely wait for draft day to fill critical roster needs, but a difficult 2021 salary cap outlook might force their hand.
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