And we’re off. The New Orleans Saints have begun scheduling visits with prospects eligible to be picked in the 2023 NFL draft at their team facility in Metairie. Because teams are limited to just 30 of these private meetings, they’re often referred to as the “Top 30” visits each spring. Teams can host 2023 draft prospects at their headquarters from March 7 to April 19, which isn’t as much time as you’d think when 32 different franchises are fighting for time with the same players.
These meetings don’t necessarily mean that the Saints are going to pick a player. Sometimes it’s a smokescreen to disguise interest, or an interview looking for insight to a future opponent. And not all 30 of the visits the Saints are scheduling will be reported; left guard Andrus Peat made the trip to New Orleans before the 2015 draft, but it went unreported in the media before the Saints picked him in the first round.
Eventually, every team will have met with nearly every prospect in the draft at some point. So take these news updates with a grain of salt. Still, it’s exciting to see new names linked to the black and gold: