When the New Orleans Saints are called to the podium in late April, there will almost certainly be some shiny skill position players still on the board.
There’s Tetaiora McMillan, the physically dominant 6’5” receiver out of Arizona. Tyler Warren, the bruising tight end who flat out decimated Big 10 defenses while at Penn State. And of course, we’re all familiar with Ashton Jeanty’s outstanding resume.
The Saints should probably take none of them.
I know. It sucks. Everyone and their mother (including my own) prefer shiny new weapons on offense to block-eating defensive tackles or left guards who specialize in run blocking. But right now, the Saints just can’t afford to make a sexy selection in the first round. Not with the state of this roster, and not with the advantages of this draft class.
Like it or not, the Saints need to take a player who bolsters the trenches. Which side of the line? Where? Doesn’t matter — take your pick.
Erik McCoy and Taliese Fuaga are excellent building blocks on the offensive line, but the Saints lack high-quality starters elsewhere. Cesar Ruiz has been maddeningly inconsistent. Trevor Penning made a jump in year three, but is still far from a sure thing. I’d argue that Lucas Patrick is excellent for his pay grade, but far from a high-end starter.
It’s time to plug some holes, and there’s no better place to start than the offensive line.
Will Campbell (OT, LSU) and Kelvin Banks Jr. (OT, Texas) are strong prospects. Banks’ stock has slipped in recent weeks due to concerns about size and IQ, but he held up consistently against very high-level players in the SEC. Will Campbell has a great punch and excellent bend. Both have holes in their game – but, as many analysts have pointed out, both have the profile to slide over to guard if they struggle outside – and boy, do the Saints need help at guard. And, as a bonus, if you’re not sold on Trevor Penning’s growth at tackle in year three, taking one of those guys gives you the flexibility to move him around the line.
Not adding a top prospect on the offensive line likely means the Saints will trot out the same starters from last season – a far from ideal scenario. Ideally, the Saints find a player who anchors the offensive line and keeps the eventual young quarterback of the future on their feet.
Okay, let’s say the top-graded offensive lineman are already off the board at 9. What then?
Mason Graham. Not there? Mike Green (big, big fan by the way). Not there? Jalon Walker. And if somehow none of those guys are there, there’s a small army of excellent defensive tackles projected just a smidge lower, many of whom will be strong starters at the next level. The Saints could certainly use one of those guys given how leaky the run defense has become.
Sure, there are some exceptions. There are a handful of guys with first round grades who didn’t put up high sack numbers at the college level, which fans will be wary of (understandably, given how Marcus Davenport and Payton Turner panned out). For example, I don’t love James Pearce Jr. (DE, Tennessee) or Shemar Stewart (DE, Texas A&M). And if Will Johnson (CB, Michigan) is there, he’s tough to pass on.
But my point stands; there will be an excellent trench player available at ninth overall. The Saints need to keep it simple.
This game is won in the trenches – just ask new head coach Kellen Moore, whose tenure with the Eagles ended to the tune of six sacks in a Super Bowl (without a single freaking blitz!) and some shine on his finger.
Will I be mad if I’m watching Tyler Warren or Tetaiora McMillan alongside Chris Olave next year? No. But it’s high time the Saints refocus on winning at the line of scrimmage. This is an excellent draft to do so. Hedge your bets and stack the line.
And hey — if you read this far, thanks! This isn’t my job or anything, but I love when people read my stuff. I’ll be releasing some brief draft profiles of players that I really like, and that I hope the Saints take in April. So if you liked this article, keep an eye out for that!
SheauxSports 
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