It’s been a little too normal for the New Orleans Saints to draft this high over the last few years. Since the bountygate 2012 season the Saints have had three 7-9 campaigns, with just one 11-5 season (in 2013) nestled in there. The biggest issue for New Orleans has been its defense and they’ve gone through the defensive coaches and players to prove it.
It appeared in the offseason the tough stretch was going to cause the Saints and head coach Sean Payton to consciously uncouple, but that didn’t happen because sometimes teams and coaches aren’t completely insane. NFL head coaching flame-out Dennis Allen is the defensive coordinator now after taking over for Rob Ryan after he was fired half-way through last season.
The Saints are going to be looking at defense again. They’ve actually worked the free agent market pretty well so far, adding key players but they’ve also killed their cap. Any more upgrades are coming through the draft. So here’s what I think the Saints should do in a Perfect Mock Draft.
To see every team’s Perfect Mock Draft click here.
Round 1, Pick 12 – Sheldon Rankins, DT, Louisville
2015: 58 tackles, 13 tackles for a loss, six sacks, one pass defended, one fumble recovery, 6-foot-1, 299 pounds
Rankins is an athletic defensive tackle that could play a two or three-technique in a 4-3 system of at defensive end in a 3-4 system. He’s strong, with quick feet and according to reports was completely unblockable at the senior bowl. He had a quick shuttle at the combine, posting a 4.59 and can bat down passes with a 34.5-inch vertical jump.
Round 2, Pick 47 – Joshua Perry, OLB, Ohio State
2015: 105 tackles, 7.5 for a loss, 3.5 sacks, four passes defended, 6-foot-4, 254 pounds
Perry is a tackling beast with good outside speed. He posted a 4.68 40 at the combine, but plays faster than that and his tackle stats prove it. This was actually a down season for Perry. He posted 124 tackles in 2014. By all accounts he’s a smart, heady player that takes coaching and my bet is he’ll be a day one starter in the NFL.
Round 3, Pick 78 – Will Redmond, CB, Mississippi State
2015: 20 tackles, two interceptions, one pass defended, 5-foot-11, 182 pounds
Redmond is coming off an ACL, but what he was able to to on the field for Mississippi State over his first two seasons has given him a third round grade. He’s fast enough to hang with any NFL receiver and did stellar work in the Southeastern Conference against future NFL talent. As a junior he had 51 tackles and three interceptions.
Round 4, Pick 112 – Maliek Collins, DT, Nebraska
2015: 29 tackles, seven for a loss, 2.5 sacks, one pass defended, 6-foot-2, 311 pounds
Two defensive tackles in the same draft? Why not? Collins is similar in size to Rankins, but maybe not the athlete. He does have good body control and feet, but will need to get stronger in the NFL. He’s a project, but one that should pay off toward the end of the season.
Round 5, Pick 152 – Tajae Sharpe, WR, Massachusetts
2015: 111 catches, 1,319 yards, five touchdowns, 6-foot-2, 194 pounds
Sharpe was the offense for UMass over the last two seasons and was unstoppable and owns every single receiving record at the school. He’s got good height and a decent enough vertical to go with it at 33.5 inches. His 4.55 speed isn’t going to run away from every defensive back, but he knows how to run routes, get open and catch the ball when it’s thrown to him.
Round 7, Pick 240 – Curt Maggitt, OLB, Tennessee
2015: Seven tackles, three for a loss, 6-foot-3, 247 pounds
Maggit was a hard luck story for most of his tenure at Tennessee, tearing his ACL in 2012, then hurt his hip last season that Tennessee coach Butch Jones called “freakish” on a punt safe play. When Maggitt did get to play, as he did in 2014, he was Tennessee’s defensive leader with 48 tackles, 15 for a loss, 11 sacks and one forced fumble. He lined up at outside linebacker and defensive end and could end up at either position as a pro. If Maggitt is healthy, he’s a day one NFL starter.
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