FoF 2021 Saints Mock Draft

Here I go again. Another attempt by me to influence the decision makers on Airline Dr. Before I get started on this year's draft, let's take a look at how the Saints and I did in 2020. I choose Patrick Queen, Saints chose Cesar Ruiz. Queen finished 3rd for DROY, Ruiz almost got Brees killed. I win. The Saints traded up for Zach Baun, then did a Bum Phillips and traded the rest of the draft to pick Adam Trautman. They were not done, the Saints decided to teach Panthers OC Joe Brady a lesson, traded back into the draft to pick Tommy Stevens, QB Miss St, because they knew Brady loved him. Well the Saints cut Stevens. Carolina picked him up. Brady got his man and a Saints draft pick. Shrewd. Very shrewd, Saints. I could've not made another pick and still won by default. However, to be fair, although Queen was my only pick to make a splash, the jury is still out on the rest, Trautmen looks to be a great pick.

Score: 1-1

Now on to '21

1. Zavan Collins LS, Tulsa 6'4 260lbs...The lack of value at CB in this spot dictates the pick for a LB, Smarts. size, speed, agility, hands, a LB with TE ball skills. Collins is Demario Davis 2.0. That's all I really need to say.

 

 2. Tutu Atwell WR Louisville, 5'7.165 4.2...speed speed speed, game-breaking speed with hands

and playmaking skills to go with it. Think Deonte Harris but faster.

 

3. Paulsen Adebo CB Stanford.6' 195lbs...Tall, long. hands, & physical. Good value at CB in this spot, what can I say, I like Pac 10 DBs. 

 

3.Spencer Brown OT UNI 6'9'' 320lbs...Big agile, long arms. Bends well for his height. Saints love drafting OLs.  They do it every year. Tore up the Senior Bowl

 

4. Alim McNeil DT NCST 6'2' 320lbs...Is it me or is NCST DLU?. McNeil fills the void left by Malcom Brown.

6. Demetrius Taylor Edge App St 6'1' 290lbs...recruited as a LB, edge rusher in a NTs body. So what, the kid can play. 

7. Robert Rochel CB Central Arkansas 6' 195...nice small school DB with ball skills and an incredible vertical leap worth a shot in the 7th.

 

7. Michael Strachan WR Charleston 6'5" 230...welcome back Marques Colsten? Small school WR. Raw but workable skills. Nice hands. Big physical receiver. Another 7th round flyer.

OK. Those are my picks and I'm sticking with them. Check with me in three years to see how I did.

My 2020 Saints Mock Draft

Here we go:

1st rd.
Patrick Queen LB LSU 6'1" 230lbs 4.5 40

Great instincts and IQ. Made the on field calls and got the d-line aligned up. Great at translating film study to the field. Explosive. Nose for the football.  Excellent in pass coverage. I remember a LB with the same traits. His name was Jonathon Vilma. Take him and don't look back.





3rd rd.
Bradley Anae Edge Utah  6'3" 260 lbs

Excellent initial burst. Explosive first step. Good hands usage. Maintains discipline on the edge against the run. Agile. Can bend off the edge. Makes plays in space. 13 sacks in senior year. 14 tackles for loss. Never quits on a play. Intense. Too good to pass up at this spot.



4th rd
Ke'Shawn Vaughn. Vanderbilt 5'9" 214 4.5 40

For some reason Sean Payton lacked confidence in a very productive Latavius Murray last season. He practically ignored him in the play-off loss to the Vikings despite averaging 5+ yards per carry. Something is up with that. Could be some lockeroom stuff going on there. Mark Ingram's gameday intensity was missed badly. Enter Mr.Vaughn. I do mean Mr. Considered by many scouts as the most underrated RB in the draft, he played on an awful offense in Nashville. Great vision and decision making. Low center of gravity and feet. He forced 54 missed tackles. Get this, per PFF. he rushed for 1,028 yards, 743 came AFTER contact! Against SEC defenses!  Alas what would make him most appealing to Payton is his extremely smooth and natural pass receiving skills and YAC. The best screen RB in college football last year. Hands down.  Also excelled in pass protection, another box checked for Payton. Love love love this pick here. Just watch his tape.





5th rd.
Quez Watkins WR USM 6'0" 185lbs 4.35 40

In another year, Watkins doesn't get past the 3rd round. But because of the incredible depth of WRs here he is in the 5th. Speed speed speed. Ran the second fasted 40 at the combine behind Henry Ruggs. Watkins could be the stretch the field guy, think Devery Henderson, Robert Meechem, Tedd Ginn Jr. Smooth route runner who can break without losing stride. Creates separation. Battles for contested balls. Adjust body to the ball in flight and goes up to get it. Doesn't drop passes. Good balance and vision makes him dangerous after the catch. Has to work on his blocking which CJ will take care of. Not a bad risk in the 5th round.



6th rd  Reggie Robinson ll CB Tulsa 6'1" 202lbs 4.4 40

RR2 opened scouts' eyes with his 40 time at the combine. Four pics and a fumble recovery in his senior year shows his playmaking ability. Robinson also blocked a kick in each season he played. Has size, length and ball skills. Also physical as he enjoys laying a hit. WIll be a special teams guy that can fill in at nickel and maybe some at safety. Nice safe pick here.

k 

I'm so ready!

My One and Only 2018 Saints Mock Draft

Here is my 2018 Saints mock draft. I use CBS Sports prospect list as my guide and YouTube as my eyes. So without further adieu, here's my picks with links to each player's highlight tape. Enjoy!

1. # 27 Mike Gesicki TE Penn St. 6’6”250lbs. 4.55 40
Fast. Excellent hands. Huge catch radius. Big physical target for Drew Brees across the middle, up the seam and in the red zone. His only knock is run blocking ability but he was this the TE for Saquon Barkley, the drafts #1 running back from Penn State. Saints need a TE, he's the best remaining at 27. I almost went WR at this spot but the recent signing of Cam Meredith ended that...for now 
https://youtu.be/PTCvHVahkdM 

3.  #91 Jaleel Scott WR New Mexico St. 6‘6“ 215 pounds 4.5 40.
A big physical fast enough WR who will go up and get the balI in traffic.I know what you’re thinking, where’s the edge rusher? Well this is the case of the best player and perhaps the best WR with the best hands in the draft sitting there at 91. You can’t not pick him. Brandon Coleman size Odell Beckham hands(if you don’t believe me check out his video. check out what was called the best catch in college football last season). Excellent feet. Great feel for the sidelines and laser concentration. Imagine him as a book end to Michael Thomas. This offense goes from unstoppable to whatever notch is above unstoppable. Some services have him projected lower. Just watch his video. https://youtu.be/6RWoGdVHmug


4. #127 Shaquem Griffen  OLB UCF 6’1” 230 pounds 4.3 40.
OK you wanted an edge rusher here’s your edge rusher A 230 lb wrecking machine who explodes out the blocks like a rocket. Ferocious motor that never stops moving. A great athlete, you can line him up anywhere. Did I mention he runs a 4.38 40? Yeah that means he can get the Christian McCaffrey‘s of the world coming out of the backfield. Also can be used as the old Roman Harper/Kenny Vaccaro hybrid rushing safety. Imagine a 230 lb faster Kenny Vaccaro blitzing. 
https://youtu.be/DPu-se3xXok


5. #147 Parry Nickerson CB Tulane 6’ 180 lbs 4.32.
The Saints cannot believe their good fortune. A legit cover corner with tremendous speed sitting there in round five. There’s an old saying “when it’s that cheap you get it”. Nickerson may be the steal of the draft. He has cover speed, recover speed, closing speed and return after int speed. Excellent at tracking the ball down in passing lanes Good tackler in run support. He could overtake Ken Crowley as starter by midseason. 
https://youtu.be/XRputbeHdZE

5.#164 Kendrick Norton. DT Miami 6’4” 314.
May be wishful thinking that he drops to 164 but CBS has him rated exactly there. His tape shows he benefited from lining up next to RJ McIntosh. But also someone willing to take pressure off the main guy. Hey you’re not getting another Ndumakin Suh. Just another Tyeler Davison. Norton fits that mold. A sold NFL space heater with some athletic ability who doesn’t have to be the man just a solid part of a rotation.
 https://youtu.be/JABmZ7u0HSI


6. #189 Mike White QB WKY. 6’4” 215 5.0 40 
Classic drop back passer with some mobility. Good footwork in the pocket. Keeps his head downfield when scrambling. Decent(not great) NFL arm. But quick release and pinpoint accuracy negate any arm concerns. Throws the seam and fade as a good as any QB you’ll see. Understands his limitations as sideline throws in college we’re mostly to the short side. Has to prove he can make that sideline throw from NFL hashes or pro DC's will take his favorite throws away. Scouting services are all over the place on White anywhere from 4th to UFA. I think a damn sold pick if available here in the 6th.
https://youtu.be/x7qaIrDFSWM


6. #201 Troy Fumagali TE Wisconson 6'4" 250. 4.75 40
First off, I love Wiscy players, they're always prepared well for the next level. Prototype NFL TE  Great hands. Gets open.Can run block.Pulls the ball in quickly in traffic. Projected anywhere from 4-6 round so I'm hoping, no praying, he's here in the 6th. Could fall due to leg injury his senior year and Saints can afford the risk here. He and Gesicki could be the Saints future at TE. On tape, looks like a player Bill Belichick and the Patriots would pick. May be a log jam at TE but BPA at this point
 https://youtu.be/3ad5jmUjHrY


7. #245 Rick Leonard OT FSU 6'7" 310
Converted DE at FSU. Was Defensive Player of the Year in Maryland as HS senior. Switched to offense his college junior year then became starter as a senior at FSU. Athletic and quick, can stay with fast DE's. Gets to second level quickly, played in pro style offense under Jimbo Fisher. Looked at as developmental player at this stage but has potential to develop into quality NFL OLmen ala Zach Strief. 
https://youtu.be/2PZFZYoI2R8?t=87


Wow! Two TE's? Yes, the Saints were woefully average at that position last season.

Also a WR, LB, CB, QB, OT and DT.

That's a nice mix.

We All Got Fooled Again

Meet the new Saints, same as the old Saints.

It's oooonly deeeefense wasteland.

I could go on and on. But what's the point. Saints fans have been singing this tune for three consecutive 7-9 seasons. Based on Monday's performance against the Vikings, 7-9 now looks more like glory days.

Boy how preseason doeth fool the faithful soul. The Saints defense went on a sack feeding frenzy. Seventeen! Lead the league. In the preseason. Saints DBs were like flypaper to opposing WRs, in the preseason. Other teams barely scored against the Saints D. In. The. Preseason.

I have to admit. I was fooled. I knew damn well it was only preseason. Preseason never says anything about a team. But there I was. Convincing myself this one was different. After all, the defense had been just as bad in the preseason as regular season during those 7-9 years. So when this preseason defense was outstanding, I figured Saints fans were set.

Like a song stuck on an old record player, Saints fans heard the same scratchy beat over and over and over.

Minnesota 3 plays TD. Minn 5 plays TD. Saints burn timeouts. Defense fails. Minnesota 95 yards, TD. Game over.

It's not like the Saints made them work for it. Time after time like that broken record WRs were running free. Wide open. Not a fluer de lis in sight. A makeshift OL was protecting QB Sam Bradford for an eternity at a time. A rookie running back was breaking a Vikings all-time franchise record.

I like to think I see things a little before others. Go out on a limb a little. Risk looking foolish.

So here I go again

The Sean Payton/ Drew Brees era is officially over. Some will think I'm late to this party but might I guide you to my blog back in 2015. The beginning of the end of SP/DB era.

Though I'm kindof an analysts, I'm actually more of a fan first. As a fan I sometimes lead with my heart. Have to force myself to not see things as I wish they are but see them as they really are. I usually win this self-conflict. I didn't this preseason.

But now, like the little boy in that movie, I see a dead football team. They don know they're dead. They run around, practice and show up for games as if they aren't.  But they are so Bruce Willis.

I feel like the wife in that movie. Keep holding on. Waiting for the Saints to give me some sign. Something I can hold onto. Some sign of life. But nothing. Just subtle reminders of an offense that once was. An OLine that protected its QB. A defense that for a fleeting moment, created turnovers and remember-me shots. But those memories are faded and out of focus as death becomes clearer.

I know its just the first game. I told myself that too. Then I looked at the schedule. New England, at Carolina, Miami in England, a bye then home for Detroit and in Green Bay. That's 1-5 BEFORE Atlanta and a much improved Tampa twice.

"But Miami, the Jets, Rams and Bills are all winnable."

Yeah, that's what their fans are saying about the Saints.

Face it. folks. After this off-season. All the focus on getting a fast start. All the preparation in mini-camps, OTAs, training camp and pre-season. Monday night happened.

It's over.

Like the wife in that movie, we'll one day look at old videos with fondness of a great team as the ring drops, rolls on the floor and stops at the end of this season.

Saints Camp '17

Things I'm watching:

1. Defensive Tackle

Nick Fairly will he missed. Big time. There isn't a more talented player on the DL. Sheldon Rankins is close. He looked good when he came back from injury last season. But we'll see if he benefitted from Fairly lining up next to him or the other way around. Third year DT Tyler Davidson has quietly become maybe the most consistent inside linemen. Second year DT David Onymata is a gifted athlete at 6'4" 300lbs but he is still raw. He was going to be a specialist this season. Now he's forced into a larger role. At perhaps the most important position on the defense, his development may determine the entire defense's improvement.

*Keep an eye on Justin Zimmer
.
1a.O-Line.

When healthy this OL is top 5 in the NFL. Anchored by C Max Unger. Bookended by Terron Armstead and Zach Strief. Together with former #1 draft choice Andreas Peat at LG and FA pick up, G Larry Warford, I'd put the OL against any in the league, However. Unger may not be ready for the season opener and Armstead is out until at least mid season. The Saints are now forced to move rookie Ryan Ramczyk in for Armstead and find a center to fill in until Unger returns. That sucks. 
*Keep an eye on Ramczyk, I'm hearing he's been the best thing about camp to date.

3. Defensvie End
Cam Jordan is established as an All Pro type defensive end. Who will be the guy on the other side? The list of candidates run deep. Edge rusher Alex Okafor looks the be the guy now but my guess is rookie 3rd round draft choice Trey Hendrickson, who's making noise, will eventually take over.

*Keep an eye on Mitch Loewen. Solid player keeps hanging around.

3. Defensive Backs

Jairus Byrd is out. Praise the lord. What's left is athletic, young and promising.  We just don't know if they can play. Strong safety Kenny Vacccaro is entering a contract year, he'll be fine. But will soph safety Vonn Bell step in or 2nd round pick Marcus Williams get the nod at the other safety spot? I hear Williams has been smart and athletic, he's getting alot of attention. I'm also hearing P.J. Williams and Ken Crawley are looking good at CB. Know who's name I'm not hearing? #1 draft pick Marshawn Lattimore. I'm concerned he hasn't taken over as starter yet. Don't believe the "experts" that hyped this guy during the draft that he'll be fine with some seasoning or perhaps he'd be a nickel  DB. No! That is not acceptable. A player rated as the #1 DB in the draft, taken with the 10th pick, should walk in and start from day one. Period. So far he's been unremarkable. Maybe he'll earn the top spot by the season opener. I'll wait and see. Remember, players of need at D-line were still on the board when Lattimore was selected.

*Keep an eye on UFA CB Arthur Maulet. Not big not fast but always around the ball.

4. Running Back.

Tim Hightower is out. Future first ballot HoF'er Adrian Peterson is in. It's said that carries will be split between Peterson and Mark Ingram. I'm not so sure about that. Let's face it, a healthy AP is far superior to Ingram. It's no contest. If he's health he'll be the guy. Rookie Alvin Kamara is very intriguing. He's already drawing high praise and lofty comparisons from HC Sean Payton. He's dynamic out of the backfield and will benefit from running against defenses battered by Ingram and AP. I look forward to his debut season.

*Keep an eye on Kamara. Some say he's the Bush/Sproles type. He's not. He's Pierre Thomas with more speed. I'll take that.

5. Head Coach.

This looks to to be a crossroads season for Sean Payton. Reports are he's been salty since camp began. He should be. Seems he realized the luxury of Greenbriar soften his boys up.  Maybe. Or maybe he's embarrassed about the last three seasons. Perhaps. Or maybe (just a hunch) he knows this will be his final season with the Saints. Before you call me crazy, read on. Not a single person will stomach another 7-9 season.  Not Drew Brees, not Tom Benson, Mickey Loomis, the fans or Payton himself. If that happens, he's out. Also, let's say the Saints make the playoffs from a very tough NFC South, his stock will once again skyrocket. I believe he'll parlay that into an opportunity elsewhere. He's been looking for a way out the door for the last two years. One way or another he may get his wish.

*Keep your eye on  8-8 or 9-7. That's the only thing that brings him back next season

My Saints Draft Grades

Here are my Saints draft grades

Marshon Lattimore  CB Ohio State. Full disclosure. I wanted an explosive offensive player here. I've stated my reasons why ad nauseam. To those of you who think I'm crazy, we just disagree. Having stated that, this could be an A+ pic if he can stay healthy. I have two reservations about Lattimore. 1. The dude is high maintenance. Because of his chronic hamstring injuries, he requires a special diet, training regime and practice routine. It's said he may require extra care from an NFL medical staff just to keep him healthy. Uhhh, that's before he even takes the field. BTW, when you see "chronic" in a diagnosis, That means it doesn't go away. Big. Red. Flag.  2. Scouts reported that he played exclusively right side CB at OSU. On the boundary. If true, this would indicate that coaches were trying to "hide" him. What I love about Lattimore, and why I think Saints coaches fell in love with him, is his elite play-making skills. He can catch the ball, he can break on the ball, he's fast enough to keep pace with any receiver or cover ground to get to the ball in flight. Again, he makes the catch. Too often Saints DBs have been unable to finish. Offenses had too many chances at redemption. The Saints D ain't got no time for that. Considering his elite ball skills, Lattimore can be a quality NFL starter. Maybe even a pro bowler. But his high maintenance and history of hammies, could make this another lost Saints #1 draft choice. "Scouting" services had him rated as high as the #4 prospect in the draft. Please. That's Deion Sanders territory. Ten teams don't pass on a talent like that. Lattimore is no Deion Sanders. But then again, who is. Big risk/reward. B-

Ryan Ramczyc OT. Wisconsin.  6'6" 310 former D3 player who transferred to Wisconsin and turned into an All Big Ten and All American player. He is an agile lineman with an attitude. I like that in a OL. LSU fans will remember how he dominated Arden Key, Lewis Neal and company in the season opener. As a tackle he checks all the boxes. Quick to the second level. Long arms for leverage. Exhibits great technique and toughness(Played through a hip injury). Athletic. Excels in both run and pass blocking. Interestingly, he played left tackle for the Badgers. Maybe the Saints have become exhausted by Terron Armstead's constant string of hangnail injuries. He's become unreliable. But, Ramczyc has an injury concern of his own. He had hip surgery January 5th. Probably why he fell to 32. Dominant LT's usually don't make it out of the top ten. He may not be ready for OTA's or slight chance, the season. The Saints said they would've loved an edge rusher at 32 but value wasn't there. To be clear, yes there were edge rushers available at 11 and 32. Just not good enough for the Saints, they say. We'll see how this plays out. Hip notwithstanding, once he's cleared to play, he'll be a legit NFL starting tackle. For a long long time. Added bonus, the Saints own his 5th year option. Now that's value. I know they needed that edge guy but. B+

Marcus Williams S Utah 6'1" 202 First team All-Conference in 2015 and academic all conference (4.0 GPA). A nice sized free safety with with speed and range. Finds the ball quickly and moves fluidly to trace it in flight. He is a legit centerfielder with good football instincts. But his best feature is that he is a play-maker. That's two defensive play-makers in the first three picks. Ya think the Saints saw that as a need? Will aide Lattimore with over the top coverage. The knock on Williams is his slender build which can be corrected in the weight room. He also tends to absorb hits instead of taking it to ball carriers. Lastly, and most critical, at times he followed QBs eyes and can be manipulated. QBs love playing safeties they can easily manipulate. This, too, can be corrected. Athletic, speed, range and playmaking skills. Correctable flaws. Good value in 2nd round. B+

Alvin Kamara RB Tennessee 5'11" 212. Kamara was in everybody's top five at RB. This team has not been the same since they let Darren Sproles get away. They haven't made the playoffs since. Three straight 7-9 seasons. The Saints need that element back in their offense. The two running backs in this draft closest to Sproles were Christian McCaffrey and Alvin Kamara. The Saints didn't get a chance to select McCaffrey so they made sure they got in position to select Kamara. This returns the X factor to the offense. This to me is a homerun pick. First round talent in the third round. Kamara has size, speed, quickness, agility. He's a major threat in the passing game. He has enough size to run between the tackles. He has good balance and vision. Looking at Kamara's tape, he's a Sproles/Pierre Thomas hybrid. He has the slippery running style of Thomas and the speedy quickness and pass catching ability of Sproles. On the negative side. Kamara came at a high price. Next year's #2. I don't mind the 7 because, well, Saints, draft. But the second round has been pretty good to the Saints(See Mike Thomas). Kamara also has a lighter resume than you may want. But 6.5 yards per carry. I'm in. Grade: A

Alex Anzalone LB UF 6'3" 240. For all the anti-LSU conspiracies, this one is the clincher. Would the Saints have taken Leonard Fournette if they had the chance? We'll never know. They say they would've taken Duke Riley in the third round but the Falcons got there first. Ok, you passed on him earlier in the third round but hey, benefit of the doubt, right? But selecting Anzalone with Kendall Beckwith sitting right there in your backyard ends all doubt. Anzalone's resume reads like a hospital chart. Broken arm. Separated shoulder. Dislocated shoulder. Every season lost to injury. And it's not like shoulder separations never return. They're like ankle sprains. One leads to another which leads to another. The ligaments surrounding the joint stretch and become more and more lax. They start separating during everyday movements like reaching for a glass, muchless straining for leverage, tackling and all other football moves. There's only two reasons I can think why they choose Anzalone: 1. He looks like Clay Matthews 2. He didn't play at LSU. It certainly can't be what they saw on the field. Maybe Beckwith's ACL injury could be why the Saints passed(that would be a first), but that didn't matter to Tampa Bay, who gladly snapped him up the very next pic. Knowing this crew, Saints war room probably broke out into laughter. "Silly Tampa Bay, choosing another LSU LB! Ha ha ha!" Yeah ok. Anzalone is athletic and was productive in limited playing time. C-

Trey Hendrickson DE FAU. 6'5" 265. This and Kamara are my two favorites picks. Hendrickson is projected by many to add depth to the Saints DL. I'm here to tell you, he could start. He is pure energy and intensity. He doesn't tackle ball carriers, he pulverizes them. Imagine Kenny Vaccaro's motor at 270lbs with a 4.65 40 time. I seem to remember something about that in physics. What was it? Oh yeah, mass x velocity plus intensity equals injured QB. Grade A

Al-Quadin Muhammad  DE/OLB The U 6'3" 250.You may know Muhammad by his alias,Suspension-And Dismissal. This is what his college career is known for. Is he any good? Who cares. He's probably won't make it through an entire season to find out. This pick smells like Tevon Rooks pick. Only one round higher. Rooks. You may remember, is the OT selected a few years back in round seven who barely survived  OTA's. What makes the Muhammad pick most frustrating is all the players still on the board from great programs and didn't get in trouble. How about Jeremy Clark 6'3" 220 CB from Michigan? Or  Bucky Hodges a 6'6" 260 TE with 4.57 speed from VaTech? Or if you wanted DL, you had Jeremy Ledbetter DE Arkansas and D.J. Jones DT from right up the street at Ole Miss. my point is sure round six is where you can take a chance, go out on a limb. But man, make sure that limb doesn't snap. Grade F-

So the Saints potentially helped their secondary, got a legit OT, replaced Darren Sproles and found a hidden gem at DE. On the other hand, they again ignored LSU and wasted their lone pick of the final four rounds. That's four of six on the good side. Potentally. Remember the immortal words of Jim Mora about potential?

Overall grade: B

My 2017 Saints Mock Draft

Here's my 2017 Saints mock.

Don't look for a QB in my mock. The Saints just signed Chase Daniels to return as backup to Drew Brees. With immediate help needed at other positions, I wouldn't waste a pick on a QB. Besides, the 2018 draft is loaded with them.

So here we go:

Round 1, pick #11. Christian McCaffery, RB, Stanford. 5'11" 202lbs. I know, I know, "the Saints need an edge rusher!  Eleven is too high for McCaffery. Yeah I don't care. All I know is this guy, in this offense, would be nuclear. Fast. Elusive(48 forced missed tackles in '16), Explosive. Athletic. Great vision. Maintains speed off cuts. Excellent hands. Can take over a game. Great PR/KR.  The match-up(or mismatch) opportunities are too much for Sean Payton to resist. And he won't be there at 32.

Why no edge rusher? Meh. You can run away from, double-team or chip a good pass rusher. Also this draft has depth at DE/OLB.

But, to me, the big issue is this. In six of their nine losses in '16, the Saints lost by an average score of 21-16. However the offense averaged 29.3/game overall, 2nd in the NFL. Had they scored their average in just three of those losses, they're 10-6. They only needed 17 points to beat the Giants and Buc but sputtered. That means the O underachieved dramatically in those losses. Yet they were only one big play away from stealing a couple. I think McCaffey makes those big plays.

Round 1, pick #32 Charles Harris, DE Missouri 6'3" 255lbs Built of granite and possesses tremendous speed off the edge and a wicked spin move. Great motor. Can drop into coverage if needed.  Needs improvement against the run but right now the Saints need a pass rusher.

Round 2, pick #42.  T.J. Watt, OLB, Wisconsin 6'4" 252lbs. Long, strong and edge acceleration. Excellent football instincts. Works fast as a blitzer, sheds blocks and takes good angles. Good, physical tackler. 15.5 tackles for loss and 11.5 sacks in '16. Scott Fujita type. Always in the right place and makes that play you didn't think he could make.

Round 3 pick #76. Ahkello Witherspoon, CB, Colorado  6'3" 200lbs. A good cover corner with size. With the likes of Julio Jones, Kelvin Benjamin and Mike Evans in the NFC South, the Saints need a tall CB. Witherspoon has the ability to high point the ball and tighten that tall WR catch radius.

Round 3, pick #103 Trey Hendrickson, DE, Florida Atlantic 6'4" 265. One of the best small school prospects in the draft. Big and fast, 4.65 forty time. Can get the jump on OTs with his first step and put pressure on the QB opposite Cam Jordan. He and Harris can compete for that spot It'll push both to be better which could provide the Saints with good cheap labor for the next four years at an essential position.

Round 6, pick #196 Bug Howard, WR, North Carolina 6'4" 220lbs 4.6 Big receiver with sure hands. Just four drops in four years of college ball. Hell, that's a half for Brandon Coleman. That alone makes it worth the pick. He's also willing to go over the middle and presents a big target for Brees.

Round 7, pick #229 Jeremy Clark, CB, Michigan 6'3" 220lbs Coming off ACL injury his senior season. Another big DB to compete in a division stocked with big WRs. Nice combination of size and speed. He will be hotly pursued as an undrafted free agent so why not pick pull the trigger here. Tremendous upside and value at this spot.

Those are my picks and I'm sticking with them. The draft is just a month away. Then mini-camp. OTAs. Before you know it training camp.


Bring it on!

Things To Watch in Training Camp

Football is finally here!

Your New Orleans Saints begin training camp this week. The LSU Tigers and Tulane Green Wave begin fall camp in about two weeks.

Here are some of the things I'll be watching this Saints camp.
 

Offense:

Brees to Fleener

In my mind, the best FA pick up by the Saints was Coby Fleener, the big TE from the Colts. Fleener compares favorably to Jimmy Graham but he's no Kardashian. It'll be interesting to see if the chemistry builds. If it does and quickly, the Saints will have another big time weapon at TE.

At least one undrafted free agent WR will make the final 53.
Based on OTA's and mini-camp, RJ Harris looks to be the early favorite. The 6' speedster has already gained the trust of Brees. Jared Dangerfield is a sleeper. He's got the height at 6'3", weight 215 and speed 4.5 of a legit NFL WR. He has good hands as well. The problem both these players will face will be creating space. The one who quickly learns to get off the LOS cleanly, adjust their routes and block will have the inside track to play in September

.
O-Line
Since losing Carl Nicks, the OL has regressed yearly and Jhari Evans' brilliant career is now over. Let's face it, the season begins and ends at this position. So will last season's first round pick Andreas Peat take hold of RT or lose out to a aging by-the-second Zach Strief. There's been talk of moving Peat to guard. Personally I don't think he's the right body type. I think he's tackle or bust. Actually, Strief should be the one given a look at guard. He takes up plenty of space and can be the road grater needed for the running game. He also still possesses the ability to drop in pass protection. But at guard, he wouldn't have to worry about getting beat on the edge as he did against Tampa. You remember, the play the ended Brees consecutive starts streak. The competition at OG between Tim Lelito and Senio Kelemente has been unable to produce a consistent starter.  Neither can win it. Perhaps one of the rookie free agents will step in.

Defense.

D-line.
We're being told by all the experts that Sheldon Rankins will be a beast at DT. He'd better be. The Saints biggest Achilles' heel was not the big pass play but giving up an NFL high 5 yards/carry last season. That's where all poor defenses begin. Plus, there were some solid DT's on the board when the saints chose him at 13. However, If he's good as advertised and veteran FA Nick Fairly plays to his potential, the interior DL will be in vastly improved and that yards/carry avg will drop considerably. So will the big plays.

LBs
Longtime Rams ILB James Laurenitis joins the Saints and will replace 2nd year man Stephone Anthony at MLB. Anthony moves outside to learn his second position in as many years. Is that a good or bad thing? We shall see. The Saints also brought in a couple of free agent LB's hoping to get younger and more athletic.  

The 504 CB Connection
If they stay healthy,this may be an NFL first. Two native sons starting at CB for their beloved home team. Keenon Lewis and Delvin Breaux. Each took their own paths to get here, but getting here makes them the best CB tandem in Saints history. But they have to stay healthy.

Will special be special?
We know Thomas Morestead answers half that question affirmatively. He's still a top five NFL punter. On the other hand, the Saints are still looking for the consistency at fg kicker they've lacked since the immortal Morten Anderson. Conner Barth seems to have the inside track over current kicker Kai Forbath but Sean Payton has made whiffing at this position an annual occurrence.

As with past Saints training camps, a keen eye will be on the draft picks. WR Michael Thomas turned heads in mini-camp and Vonn Bell showed he may belong. Will they convert that when ball in the fall is for real?

The man with no name.
There's always the guy who comes from nowhere to make a splash. Who will be next in the tradition of PT23, Delvin Breaux, Junior Gallette or Chris Ivory? I give you two names. Erik Harris, S and 7th rd pick from RB from Cal, Daniel Lasco.

I Love love love this time of year. Here's to a great camp and fun season.

 

Thank the good Lord, football is back!

My One and Only 2016 Saints Mock Draft

Here's my one and only Saints mock for 2016. It's not a prediction of who they will pick, but who I would pick if I were GM.

Last year, all of my picks made the final 53 active rosters. My First round selection was LSU's La'el Collins, before the investigation. The Saints selected tackle Andrus Peat from Stanford. Collins went undrafted, was signed by Dallas as a free agent and excelled. Peat is still looking for his roll on the offensive line.

As it turns out though, compared to previous years, the Saints 2015 draft was solid. Peat may turn out to be an outstanding NFL tackle. Their second pick of the first round was Stephone Anthony from Clemson. He looks like an all-out baller.

Let's jump in.

Round 1.Pick # 12. A'Shawn Robinson DT Alabama 6'4" 307. Robinson has been my guy all along. I've gone back and forth with other players, but the combination of need meeting value makes this the right pick for me. He can come in, be plugged in and start day 1. Nick Saban's defenses are great when they are great up front. Robinson anchored the best D-Line for Saban since his LSU line of Marcus Spears, Marquise Hill and Chad Lavalais. Robinson is like a bolder in the middle. He won't be moved easily. His ability to occupy blockers alone will upgrade the play of the linebackers behind him. His weakness is stamina and pass rush. This could take him off the field on 3rd and long. But he will be the main reason teams are in 3rd & long in the first place.

Round 2. Pick #47 Shilique Calhoun DE Michigan St. 6'4" 251. Calhoun could've turned pro after his junior season when he was named Big Ten D-linemen of the Year. Uhhh Joey Bosa was playing at the same time. That's high cotton. MSU is always good defensively although they get Big Blue and Ohio St's crumbs. Mark Dantonio is an excellent coach. He was mentored by legends Earl Bruce and  Jim Tressel. But it was MSU's new hire in 1995 that brought him in to coach that new coaches beloved position, DB, That coach was Nick Saban, I wrote all that to say this. Calhoun was the best player on a great defense coached by an excellent defensive HC. I like his stock. On the field, Calhoun has a relentlees motor with an explosive first step and long stride. He understands body positioning to transfer speed to power. Put Hau'oli Kikaha outside of him and Cam Jordan on the other side and watch the QBs go down.

Round 3. Pick #78 Sheldon Day DT Notre Dame 6'1" 293. Motor motor motor! Explosive. Quick. Great closer, ton of energy. Never. Stops. Compares to former Saints great La'Roi Glover. Not ideal size for a DT, but manages to get penetration to pressure the QB. Would be the ying to Robinson's yang. The two would feed off each other to force offenses to pick their poison as to who to double. I like, no, I love this pick in the 3rd round.

Round 4. Pick 112 Keyarris Garrett WR Tulsa 6'4" 220 Big framed WR with broad shoulders. Will be able to out physical DB's and run passed them as his long strides and fluid route running make him a deep threat as well. Garrett is the ideal WR for Sean Paytons's offense. Tall, long, physical and fast enough. He is known as a "hands" catcher, able to snatch the ball away from his body. He will fit right in with the Saints young receiving group.Wouldn't shock me if he is given jersey #12.

Round 5. Pick  #152 Sebastian Tretola  OG Arkansas 6'4" 314.Come on. The Arkie's 1.5 tons scheme? Where do I sign? Tretola was named the SEC's top O-linemen, the Jacobs Trophy, after giving up only .5 sacks in two full seasons. Considered an immovable object at guard. Moves very well for someone with his size. Shows mobility and ability to get out on screens. Screens? Hello! Is he not tailor made for Sean Payton?? This is where the Saints find their o-line gems. Well here he is, Saints fans. A fifth round steal.

Round 7. Pick #237 Austin Blythe C Iowa 6'2" 298. A four year starter on Iowa's O-line. Played both guard positions then ended up at center his senior year. Made 2nd team Big 10. Wins the battle of leverage with his short frame. Nasty, aggressive and power with great agility to seal off opponents creating lanes for teammates to exploit. Can understudy behind current starter Max Unger while coming off the bench to back up both guard positions. Blythe will be the next big Iowa offensive linemen produced by Kirk Ferentz.

Well these are my picks and I'm sticking to them. Heavy on the line of scrimmage which are big needs for the Saints and getting value as well.

The season will be here before we know it!
.

Grading the Saints 2016 Free Agent Class.

The Saints had a productive free agency period. Going after and signing some players in positions of need, focusing on defense but nailing maybe the best signing in the league on the offensive side of the ball. They covered most of my wish list except  guard and wide receiver, Here are my grades for the players they did sign.

James Laurinaitis , ILB, LA Rams. Laurinaitis was consistently good for the Rams since he arrived in St. Louis. He lead the team in tackles virtually every season. This is a good signing because he is a good, solid player. My one concern would be that he was playing behind one of the best defensive fronts in all the NFL and now could be playing behind one of the worst fronts in all the NFL. Inside linebackers rely so much on the interior defensive line for protection. Grade: B-.

Craig Robertson, OLB, Cleveland Browns. Robinson is young, athletic, fast, aggressive. He's also raw, inexperienced and underproductive,. The Saints need young fast athletic linebackers. They haven't had many under Sean Payton until drafting Stephone Anthony, Hau'holi Ki'kaha and Davis Tull last season. The thought is they can team with Robinson and Lauranitis and perhaps draft a young, athletic, fast linebacker like a Dion Jones from LSU, then they could have a speedy, athletic group with just enough leadership and moxie to dramatically upgrade that position. Grade: B+

Nick Fairley DT, LA Rams. Nick Fairley's an enigma. At best, he immediately becomes the second best defensive linemen on the Saints team. At worst, he could be just another DL on an average team in an average rotation. We just don't know. One thing I do know is NFL teams do not let good defensive tackles get away. He's been often injured and  has not played up to his potential on a consistent basis. He signed with the Rams last season hoping to propel himself to the free agency market for a big time contract. However because of a rash injuries he was not able to be on the field enough to perform the way he expected. The Rams decided to let them test the free-agent market. But if Fairly can come in and upgrade the play of the interior defensive line it will be a huge impact on the on the defense as a whole. Grade: C+

Colby Fleener TE, Indianapolis Colts. Fleener is the catch of free agency for the Saints, no pun intended. He will be as close to Jimmy Graham without being that Jimmy Graham as possible. Some question the Colts letting him go if he is so good. He is coming off a down season. But as I see it, the quarterback situation with Andrew Luck being in and out of the lineup all season combined with a very bad offense of line had more of an impact on Fleener than Fleener himself. If a quarterback does not have enough time to allow a TE in to find the seem, it's going to be a very difficult day for the offense. Some question his ability to get open but remember, Drew Brees does not shy away from receivers who are not "open". With Fleener's catch radius and his ability to get down the field, Brees will make him an all-star. He, like Graham, also gives Brees a big target in the red zone. I have no concern whatsoever about his ability to excel in the Saints offense. Grade: A


Eric Harris S, Canadian Football League. This is an intriguing signing. Harris was Saints CB Delvon Breaux's teammate in the CFL. Last season Breaux turned out to be one of the Saints best defensive players. Harris played LB in Canada but at 6'3" 225lbs he projects as a safety with the Saints. That's a big safety. My guess is he'll be tried at strong safety to give Kenny Vacarro competition. He is said to have a nose for the football with good speed. The CFL is primarily a passing league so that may bode well for Harris in the passing game. Very intriguing. This will be one spot to keep an eye on in training camp for sure. Grade C+

Nate Stupar LB, Atlanta Falcons. Stupar was drafted by the Oakland Raiders in 2012. He played three full seasons then was cut before the 2015 season. Picked up by Atlanta off the waiver wire, he played mostly special teams. Interestingly enough, coming out of  Penn State, the former teammate of Saint LB Mike Mauti, was considered to be one of the potential sleepers of the 2012 draft. That didn't happen. Playing with the Raiders those three years and then with the Falcons last season, Stupar has been on some bad defenses. So I'll give him some slack for that. However at age to 28. it's getting late in the game for him if he's going to be a legit NFL LB. He's got his work cut out for him to even make the final 53. But linebacker has been a weak spot for the Saints defense for sometime. Maybe this can be one of those Saints finds like a Scott Shanle. Grade: C-

Josh Scobee K, Pittsburg Steelers. Scobee, 33, kicked for 11 years with the Jacksonville Jags then was traded to Pittsburg in 2015. Heinz Field is known to be one of the most difficult stadiums in the NFL for FG kickers. He had a subpar season as a result. Scobee has a strong, accurate leg and if he playing indoors for nine regular-season games, maybe he can rekindle his career. That's if he makes the team. He will have to compete with Kai Forbath the Saints current field-goal kicker. Forbath was signed last season after they released Zach Hocker. Hocker was the winner of the kicker sweepstakes last training camp, you may recall, he was picked over Dustin Hopkins. In true Saints fashion, the one they cut, Hopkins, went on to have a great season with the Redskins. The one they chose didn't make it to November. New Orleans has become the place kicker's come to die. I have no grade for this.

The position the Saints did not address that I feel is a big-time need is guard. This will now have to be addressed in the draft. I know that they need a defensive tackle. They will have to address the guard position no later than the 3rd round. No grade.

Overall I give the Saints 2016 free agency class a C+. Solid but with potential to be better. It could've been a strong B, but they failed to bring in two positions of need and paid for a 33 year old kicker.

Soon, the draft will be upon us. I'm a draft nerd, so I'll be watching the whole damn thing.

The off-season rolls on.

Qustions for LSU's 2016 Spring

The 2016 LSU Football Tigers season began in earnest this week when spring practice opened last Monday. As Les Miles prepares for his 12th season as head coach, here are some questions facing him.

Will new defensive coordinator Dave Aranda have an immediate impact?

 

Aranda comes from the University of Wisconsin where his defenses were consistently ranked in the top five. 

That's the good news.
 

The bad news is Wisconsin plays in the Big 10. But Aranda is universally considered one of the bright young minds in college football defense. He has the reputation to move guys around, put them in positions to be successful, run exotic blitzes and keep the opposing quarterback confused. He is switching to a 3-4 defensive alignment. This will be an interesting move since the weakest spot on the LSU defense has generally been considered the linebacker position. Having more of them on the field at one time could be a concern.

Will the offensive line be able to withstand the loss of two starters?

 

Veterans Vadal Alexander and Jerald Hawkins have to be replaced. LSU likes to rotate the offensive lineman during the season to get them experienced, so they should be good there. They were helped in a big way when senior Center Ethan Pocich decided to return. LSU recruits offensive lineman very well year  in and year out and it's a position of talented depth.

Will Leonard Fournette win the Heisman Trophy?

 

 It's my opinion that he should've won it last season. The quarterback play was inconsistent which contributed to a lackluster passing game. But Fournette still ran for 2000 yards. He absolutely dominated his opponents in the beginning of the season but heavy amounts of carries took it's toll toward the end of the season against Alabama. However, he finished off nicely with the big game against Texas Tech in the Texas Bowl. The running back position is also stockpiled with talented depth lead by sophomore sensation Darius Guice. In fact, though LSU signed one of the best running backs in the country, freshmen Devin White, the depth is so good at running back that White was immediately moved to linebacker to bolster that position.

Will LSU's yearly bumper crop of WR's ever payoff?

 

 LSU year in and year out recruits top wide receivers. The best. So much so that two from last year's team had to transfer due to the influx of talent. The problem is the offense has not produced a quality passer to complement their superior running game.

Which leads me to the next question. Will Brandon Harris finally become the top-notched SEC quarterback that LSU fans have been waiting to see since he was signed three years ago?

 

Everything else on the offense is set, great running backs, terrific why receivers, an outstanding offensive line. The one huge obstacle has been the play of the quarterback. This will be Harris' second season as a full-time starter. The hope of the coaching staff, teammates, fans and pundents everywhere is that the experience he received from starting every game last season will carryover to this season and make him a better qb.

If that happens and Dave Aranda can improve the defense and create turnovers, LSU will have an excellent chance to win the SEC West and make the college football playoffs.

Pre-Saints Free Agency 2016 Report

As we get to the start of the 2016 NFL free agency season, it's time to take a look at some of the Saints needs as I see them. It should be noted that these are my thoughts and I have no inside information on what the Saints are looking far.

Now every season at this time of year we hear the same story. The Saints are over the salary cap and have no wiggle room to bring in top dollar free agents. Well the Saints actually brought in high-priced free agents the last couple of seasons, S Jairus Byrd being one,  CB Brandon Browner being another. To this point neither have lived up to their contracts. In fact, Brown was released after only one season.

 

So let's dive in.

First on my list is a defensive lineman, preferably a defensive tackle. The middle of the line is where all great defenses start. If the middle is weak, the whole defense suffers. The Saints have some young talent there, but nothing to write home about.

 

My choice:

Malik Jackson DE/DT Denver Broncos. 26. He can play inside or outside on the defensive line and is coming off a Super Bowl championship. The Broncos had to shell out big money to keep DE/DT Derek Wolf(4 years $36 million) and put the franchise tag on Von Miller. They cannot afford to keep Jackson. He would start right away and have an immediate impact on the Saints DL.

Next a playmaker at linebacker. Last season the Saints tried many exotic blitzes, schemes and alignments. They just were not able to generate a consistent pass rush from the edge LBers.There are some promising second year men from last season, Hau'oli Kikaha is one, Davis Tull who spent the season on injured reserve, is another. However more are needed.

 

My choice:

Tahir Whitehead, OLB, Detroit Lions. 27. Whitehead was inserted as a starting linebacker midway through the season and that's when the Lions defense started to play better. He's solid in coverage and run defense. His pass coverage skills could free up Kikaha to rush the passer exclusively.

Next, a guard. The Saints have never replaced Carl Nicks. Jhari Evans got old quick. The Saints have settled for undrafted free-agents, late round draft picks and overpaid free agents. None have worked with any consistency. All stop gap measures. They must find a guard to protect Drew Brees. It is essential that Brees gets protected up the middle so he is allowed to step up into the pocket, which is his comfort zone. Drew Brees with a good interior offensive line can play another four seasons, no problem. But he must have solid protection.

 

My choice:

Mike Harris, G, Minnesota Vikings. 27. Harris had a few starts at tackle for the Vikings but excelled when they move him inside to play guard. Playing next to C Max Unger would improve his game even further.

A solid pass receiving tightend would be next on my list. The Saints lost a tremendous play maker in Jimmy Graham when he was traded to the Seahawks. The locker room may be more content since his departure, but the production on the field has declined, and worse, there's no threat to the defense. Fan favorite Benjamin Watson has done a yeoman's job but is in his mid-30s, his time is short. He needs help. Josh Hill turned out not to be the answer. He is an average TE at best, ok receiving, below average blocking.

 

My choice:

Ladarius Green TE San Diego Chargers. 26. Green has been playing behind future Hall of Famer Antonio Gates since arriving into the NFL. The gifted athlete could be another Joe Horn type signing where the player is looking for an opportunity to step out of someone else's shadow and become a star.

And always always always, the Saints can use another playmaking WR. I just don't trust Brandon Coleman to be Marques Colston's heir apparent. Although similar in size, pass catching ability is not even close. Marques Colston, though he had a few drops throughout his career, is night and day, head and shoulders above Brandon Coleman, who has to work on improving his pass catching ability. Fact is, Colston can not be replaced right away. He was that once in a generation late round steal teams dream of landing. It will have to be done by committee.

 

My choices:

1.Marvin Jones WR, Cincinnati Bengals 26. Jones has improved each year. he had 65 catches for 815 yards in 2015.

2.Travis Benjamin WR Cleveland Browns 26.  Speed receiver that blossomed and proved he's more than just a deep threat in 2015.

Stay tuned, Saints fans. should be fun. Free agency season is always alive and active. It leads up to the draft in April. In the weeks leading up to the draft I'll be writing about the Saints needs and potential players they could land. I do my mock draft one week before the NFL draft. I only do one mock draft per season but I've done pretty well, so we'll see how it goes.

A Coach's Ego, the Deadliest of Sins

Well, I'm back. Since I took to tweeting during games, I assumed it was unnecessary to continue submitting blogs. Well after LSU's no-show against Alabama, what I have to say can't be said in 140 characters. Also, a friend suggested that I could do both. What a concept.

I get asked all the time, why does Les Miles refuse to change his approach?

While most would say his approach is successful. They point to his record, his players getting drafted and a BSC title. My usual response is that while he's a good man and a good coach, he lacks the skills to be an elite coach. He's unable to change his approach in times of crisis and also adjust to the modern game and athlete. That's why you see his teams have to fight and claw to beat teams of inferior talent. See EMU and WKU. See dominating Miss St and Florida only to hang on for dear life to the very end. For the most part, though, his teams do beat the teams they should beat.

As for the LSU-Bama game. Or lack thereof. Even when LSU was successful trying other things. Like play-action and going over the top, twice successful. Or read-option but reading the DT instead of the DE. Again, successful. Miles didn't stick with it. As if refusing to acknowledge not doing it his way works. Even as Alabama safeties were selling out to the line of scrimmage at the snap of the ball to get to Leonard Fournettte, Miles refused to change.

I would say that Nick Saban is in Les Miles head, but I'm not convinced there's a head there to get inside. No, this isn't a cheap shot(maybe it its) but rather a statement on the ego of a man named Leslie Miles.

Yes, I said ego. How else can you explain the least self analytical coach I've seen in my lifetime. Example. After two series against Bama, it was painfully obvious to the most basic observer that lining up in the I formation and pounding Fournette against their wall of granite wasn't going to work. It was also obvious that Saban knew exactly what LSU was going to do. But the Miles ego prevented him from changing his approach. As if doing so was an admission of weakness.

That's all ego. 100% pride.0% self analytical.

Now take Saban. Considered by many, the most egotistical coach in college football. He also believed in an I formation type approach. But what does he do? He constantly evolves.

In 2011 he loses to LSU in the famous 9-6 game because the Tigers used QB Jordan Jefferson's mobility to get to the edge just enough times to move the chains, possess the ball and control the clock. Saban analyzed himself, changed his approach and went out and dominated LSU in the 21-0 rematch, you remember, the BCS Championship game.

What did Miles do? He assumed all was well, what they did worked the first time and it will work again.

All ego. 100% pride. 0% self analytical.

Saban hasn't lost to Les Miles since. That's five straight and 7-3 overall. He also added another BCS championship. That makes 4-1 Saban. 5-0 if you count Miles' '07 team built by Saban.

In 2012 Saban starts losing to zone read, spread option, hurry-up no-huddle teams like Oklahoma or Auburn. So he changes his approach again. He starts recruiting leaner, quicker defensive lineman with better stamina. He brings in an offensive coordinator to adopt some of the principles that are beating him. Low and behold, an admission of a weakness!

That's non-ego. 100%  self analytical.

But for one season, Miles has had problems at quarterback. He keeps recruiting zone read, spread option QBs to play in his I formation, pro style offense. This takes at least one season to forget old mechanics and learn new ones. One season to play in games to gain practical experience. Then hopefully, by the third season, be ready to emerge as a viable SEC QB. That's if you get the right guy. If you don't, you're set back three seasons. See Jordan Jefferson and Anthony Jennings.

That's all ego. 100% pride. 0% self analytical.

Saban? He starts by recruiting QB's that fit his system. Uses the seniority approach. Wilson passes the torch McElroy who passes it to McCarron who passes it to Sims. All with success. But what about when those system QBs are not available? Saban goes the graduate with eligibility route. Brings him along and by season's end, he's playing championship ball within the system. In other words, Saban admits a weakness and adjusts his approach.

That's non-ego. 100% self analytical.

Miles? He had apportunities to go the graduate eligible route. One such opportunity was before the 2011 season. A QB graduated from NC State. Had a year of eligibility left. He was looking to play for a team with championship credentials. He gave Les Miles a call. Miles said thank you, but we're fine at QB. So that QB went to U of Wisconsin. In his one and only season, he lead them to the Big Ten Championship. Was named MVP of that championship game.

That QB? Future Super Bowl winning QB Russell Wilson. Miles, in effect, told him "no thanks, we have Jordan Jefferson".

That's all ego. 100% pride. 0% self analytical.

Rest assured, if you're a Les Miles true believer, your life will be fine until he rides into the sunset. He'll continue to get those eight, nine or ten win seasons and win some more Chick-fil-A bowls.

But if you're like me, and believe LSU can do even better. You know that won't happen under Miles. He'll continue to lose to Saban and blow at least one other winnable game per season. He'll continue to make easy games close and turn big leads into nail biters. He'll keep recruiting those square peg QBs for the round hole position.

And on 3rd and two? We all know what's coming next.

All ego. 100% pride. 0% self analytical.

Escape From Starkville

We've seen this movie before, We all know how it ends. LSU has a lead in the fourth quarter. The opposing teams' QB, who's been held in check all night, suddenly finds new life and leads his team on a surge for a comeback. It doesn't matter who the QB is, a fifth year senior or a true freshmen.

How do we know how it ends?

Because we know the director. Leslie Edwin Miles. He is the Hal Needham of football.

Needham, in case you don't remember, is the stuntman turned director who did Smokey and the Bandit. One of the greatest comedies of all time. Scored 81 on rottentomatoes.com. Then Needham did Smoky 2, Cannonball Run, and Cannonball 2. Successful box office all, but left their audience with the unsatisfied feeling they've seen this before. Combined they did not add up to 81 on rottentomatoes.

See where I'm going, folks?

I know I sound like one of those damn LSU fans who's never satisfied, but once, just once can we see how it would be if Leslie W. changed his script??

I'm not even saying stop running the ball to protect a lead. I'm just asking to run a different play!!

Take the MSU game for example. A game, in all fairness, should have been over by halftime if not for penalties. LSU stopped throwing and began running virtually the same play at the beginning of the 3rd quarter! I mean,come on!! No defense, I don't care who the coordinator is, can hold up to the pressure of stopping anybody if they're on the field 90% of the time. They are going to wear out.

Kevin Steele's gameplan worked for 3 1/2 quarters, but after being on the field so much, they wore down. He tried to apply pressure but his linemen were out of gas. His db's had good coverage but had no energy to make a play.

It doesn't help that Leslie is more conservative then Sarah Palin on steroids. Steele must go prevent to protect. Leaving underneath open to give up yards for clock. That's great strategy if you're up more than two scores. But in today's game with today's offenses, teams can march down the field with plenty enough time left on the clock.

LSU D-coordinators under Miles continues to use it. Bo Pellinin did it, John Chavis did it too. Now it looks like Kevin Steele will as well.

Chavis must feel like he died and went to heaven. No longer does he have to send his defense out on the field time after time after time to bail out his boss. Protect a two point fourth quarter lead because Miles has sent his offense to the locker room. He now has the luxury of dialing up any 4th quarter defense he chooses. He knows his head coach won't leave him hanging. He didn't walk, he sprinted to A&M.

Why?

Check out their director.

My One and Only Saints 2015 Mock Draft

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!

Graham Trade Signals Possible Paradigm Shift for Saints O

When last we saw each other, the first item on my Saints wish list for 2015 was a nasty OG to sure up the offensive line. One to help protect drew Brees up the middle and two to further enhance the running game which showed potential in the second half of 2014.

Well, the Saints went one better. They traded for Seattle All-Pro center Max Unger and a #1 draft pick in exchange for All-pro TE Jimmy Graham and a 4th rd draft pick.

Yes, the Saints got nasty on the O-line today. Unger is a no-nonsense, tough as nails leader who, at center who will upgrade the play of the entire unit. He is the type of gritty player the Saints have sorely lacked as of late.

Unfortunately, to get something you must give up something.

While Jimmy Graham will be missed as a receiving TE, his lack of blocking skills have made him expendable. Word is he's also become a bit of a diva since signing the big contract. As the Saints begin a paradigm shift in their offensive philosophy, a blocking TE will be needed more than a receiving TE.

Personally, I will miss pre-contract Jimmy Graham. He provided more highlights than can be counted. He was a match-up nightmare for opposing defenses. When the Saints needed a big play, Brees to Graham was among the most feared combinations in the NFL.

But in games that mattered most, Graham disappeared. He was exposed as being weak minded and surprisingly shut downable when matched up with a CB with size(Patriots' Aqib Talib) or a safety with speed(Ravens' Will Hill) or any defense named the Seahawks.

Back to Unger. This deal, to me, signals a shift in the Saints offensive philosophy. With the re-signing of Mark Ingram, continued development of Khiry Robinson and the farewell to Pierre Thomas, it appears Sean Payton has concluded that power is better than finesse. Look for the Saints to emphasize the power running game more in 2015.

Why the shift?

1. To protect the franchise. Even at 36, Drew Brees still drives the car. A better running game will keep the heat up the middle off him.

2. To protect the defense. A power running game keeps the clock running, the opponents offense off the field and best yet, keeps YOUR crappy defense off the field.

Whether Payton displays the discipline needed to stick with the running game remains to be seen. But it appears he's willing to give it try.

So a big welcome for Max Unger, a much needed force on the offensive line.

As for Saints fans mourning the loss of yet another Saints great moving on to another team, don't forget, the Saints won a Super Bowl before any of us ever heard of Jimmy Graham.

Losing the Win

Good news! Saints win their season finale!

Bad news. Saints win their season finale.

A season ending victory closes the year on a positive note. Players, coaches and fans can now look forward to next season without that lasting gut wrenching feeling a loss hits you with. A feeling which can only be tamed by the thought of an upcoming game and a chance at redemption. Winning the finale provides redemption, however so remotely, needed to carry you through the off season. After all, after today, the only team that will taste victory in their season finale will be the Super Bowl champion.

At least it's better than losing the season finale.

Or is it? .

It was once said that when you win, you never examine it as much. But a loss invites reflection and reformulating and a change of strategy. It hurts and bleeds. It follows you home and taunts you at the breakfast table.

I think this team could use an off season of taunting at the breakfast table. They need that nagging burn inside. They need to be pissed.  They need to be reminded of how poorly they played.

Winning today will deny them of that. They couldn't handle victory for a week. How are they going to handle it for eight months?

So now we turn to 2015. Coaching changes, salary cap issues, player personnel decisions will be addressed in the coming months. Free agency, the draft, will all be discussed.

Personally, I would like to see a nasty mean guard added to shore up the middle of the OLine. A talented pass rusher is always welcome. A playmaker in the secondary and a game changer at WR would also help.

One more important thing. Add smart, mature players. But with the influx of underclassmen coming in, that feat will be harder to accomplish. Most of these guys are more Johnny Football than Russell Wilson.

Which takes us to what to do about Drew. Some would suggest drafting a young QB to groom as Brees's successor. I say cross that bridge when you get to it. In forty plus years of watching the NFL I've seen "grooming the heir apparent " work three times. Danny White for Roger Staubach. Steve Young for Joe Montana and Aaron Rodgers for Brett Favre. Otherwise you have to ride out the QB you have hoping to get more good than bad from him and let the team pick up the rest.

Then you take the Colts route. The Colts have had three quarterback legends in my time. All three were eventually replaced by at least an equal if not a superior QB. None had the legend as their mentor. Johnny Unitas was gone when Bert Jones was drafted. Jones was gone long before Peyton Manning was drafted. Manning was gone when Andrew Luck became the first pick in the draft. If you're smart and have good scouts, when the time comes, that QB will be there.

So I'll just pass on drafting Brees's future replacement.

To sum up 2014. The Saints had a four game road winning streak concurrent with a five game home losing streak. If that don't some up 2014, nothing does. Good bye, Good riddance!

2015 can't get hear fast enough!