Here's my Saints mock for 2015. Keep in mind this isn't a prediction of who I think Saints will pick, rather who I think the Saints should pick. Last season, no one on my list was picked by the Saints, but, all were picked by one team or another and all earned a spot on their team's opening day final 53 including: one starter, Xavier Su'a-Filo(Houston,my #1) three regulars, Donte Moncrief(Colts), Pierre Desir(Browns) and Jerick McKinnon(Vikings), and three special teamers.
If your keeping score, that's me 7, Saints 4(and that includes Stanley Jean-Batiste and Khairi Fortt, I mean, really...)To be fair, the Saints had no 3rd round pick as they gave it up to move up in round one for Brandon Cooks.
This season the Saints cannot afford for me to best them again. Hey, I go to one sight, view the list of players, look at their videos and pick. The Saints have a team of scouts attending games, looking at miles of video tape, doing background checks, interviews, attending pro days, combines, bringing in players for visits and having meeting after meeting after meeting.
Then they go to Las Vegas the weekend before the draft. Just saying.
Here I go. My only rule. No trades.
Round 1. Pick #13: La'ell Collins OT, LSU 6'4" 305lbs. Collins is my pick now and has always been at 13, he moves to guard and stays there for 10+ seasons. He brings a road grinders mentality with a tackle's athleticism. Mean, tough, versatile and strong. Collins dominated SEC defensive lineman the last two seasons at left tackle. Insert him at left guard between to pro bowl center Max Unger and rising star Terron Armstead and watch the offense soar again. He can also bounce outside to play tackle if needed.
Round 1. Pick #31: Dorial Green-Beckham WR, Oklahoma 6'5" 237lbs 4.5. I know what you're saying. "Defense! The Saints need defense!" I just don't see the value at 13 and 31 for going defense. Green is a huge target at WR. Sean Payton loves huge targets at WR. Drew Brees loves huge targets at WR. One coach at OU stated that DGB was held out of some practices because he was embarrassing the DBs too much. With size comparable to Jimmy Graham and more speed, he is what Graham could only claim to be. A legit wide receiver. Admittedly, this is a bit of a gamble. Green has baggage. But he is a top ten talent sitting there at 31. Somebody is picking him. I'll take a shot.
Round 2. Pick #44: Bernardrick McKinney ILB, Mississippi State 6'4" 254lbs. 4.5 Instinctive, versatile, hard hitting, sure tackling and big LB with speed. Can rush off the edge in passing situations. Athletic with a 34" vertical leap. With Akiem Hicks in a contract year and John Jenkins 100% healthy, those two look to have rebound seasons in '15. McKinney will have the freedom to read the gaps, take on and shed blockers, roam laterally to make plays and use his speed to close in on ball barriers. Line him up on the same side as Cam Jordan on passing downs and make the opposing OL choose who to block. A RB won't be able to block him with a head of steam. First round talent.
Round 3. Pick #75 Trey Flowers DE, Arkansas 6'2" 266lbs. Love this kid. Some guys are just ballers. Flowers is one of them. He may not possess ideal size for a DE but has long arms and strength gives him the ability to grab ball carriers and get them to the ground. His elite quickness allows him to close on the QB in a hurry. His good balance prevents him from being juked by mobile QBs. Doesn't over commit and lose contain. Can flat beat out Junior Galette if given a fair chance. However, if Galette and Cam Jordan rebound from subpar years, Flowers will flourish in the DLine rotation. But, do not sell Flowers short. He is determined to become an NFL starter and has the skills to do it. His rookie season will prepare him to take over the starting DE spot.
Round 3. Pick #78 Jaquiski Tartt SS, Samford 6'1" 221lbs 4.5. Intense. High Energy. Hard hitting safety with a nose for the ball and a punishing tackler. Can locate and close on the ball in flight. Explodes on receiver as ball arrives, jarring it loose. Played basketball in high school then switched to football as a senior. That;s why he wasn't recruited by the big schools. Will become Rob Ryan's favorite player and Saints fans will love him. Compares favorably to Sammy Knight, but faster. While Kenny Vaccarro continues to look for someone to lead him, Tartt's natural leadership skills will prove invaluable in the locker room. A third round steal.
Round 5. Pick# 148 Lorenzo Doss CB, Tulane 5'10" 182lbs 4.47. Payton turns to his friend and former pupil for the ball hawking interception machine from Willow Street. The former high school WR possesses great ball skills and is a playmaker. Though smaller in stature to the NFL's larger WR, Doss could step into the 3rd CB spot immediately to guard slot receivers. Has a reputation of being a tough, hard working football player willing to play hurt and through pain. The Saints could definitely use someone like that.
Round 5. Pick #154 Lynden Trail DE, Norfolk St. 6'7" 270. Intriguing, talented and fluid athlete. The former wide receiver played gunner on punt team. Played deep safety in Hail Mary situations. Played some TE in goal line situations and at Senior Bowl. Displayed good, soft hands. Excels in pass rushing. Long arms and strong hands reach the QB as he carries O-linemen with him. Gets lost in the crowd in the run game. Will excel on 3rd down passing situations and at 6'7" will make a good field goal middle rusher.
Round 6. Pick #186 Darren Waller WR, Georgia Tech 6'6" 240lbs. 4.47 Another big WR. Waller played in the wishbone type offense running the triple option 90% of the time at Tech, therefore he is a solid blocker. After the failure of Stephen Hill which came after the success of Calvin Johnson, scouts have soured on Georgia Tech WRs. Waller's stock suffered because of this. Though not a polished route runner, his size and speed combination make him to hard to pass up at #186. Plus, he will learn route running under Brees, Payton and new WR coach John Morton's tutelage. Morton recently helped San Francisco's Anquan Bolden reach 1000 yards receiving in each the 2013 and 2014 seasons. His first since 2009.
Round 7. Pick #230 Jarmarcus "J.J." Nelson WR UAB 5'10" 160lbs 4.28 Speed speed speed, Meet Michael Lewis the 2nd. Nelson may never be a big time WR but his return skills are off the charts. JJ returned four kickoffs for touchdowns for the Blazers. He will bring the return game back to it's glorious past of the Lewis and Mel Grey eras. I can just hear the thundering chant from the dome crowd, "JJ...JJ...JJ!!!" as he lines up to return a kick.
So those are my picks and I'm sticking with them.
Enjoy the draft!
