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FanSided Expert Mock Draft: Saints Grab An Early Steal

By Ty Anania

Oct 8, 2016; Columbus, OH, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes safety Malik Hooker (24) returns the interception during the second half against the Indiana Hoosiers at Ohio Stadium. The Buckeyes won 38-17. Mandatory Credit: Joe Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 8, 2016; Columbus, OH, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes safety Malik Hooker (24) returns the interception during the second half against the Indiana Hoosiers at Ohio Stadium. The Buckeyes won 38-17. Mandatory Credit: Joe Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Saints may not have a 32nd pick. They may trade it away for Malcolm Butler. If that’s the case, drafting Hooker at 11 would be quite a risk. The Saints need pass rush to make this defense work. But they haven’t traded for Butler yet, and if they do, I expect it will be for less than the 32nd.

So, here’s our pick at 32.

Sep 17, 2016; Columbia, MO, USA; Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Jacob Eason (10) is sacked by Missouri Tigers defensive end Charles Harris (91) in the first half at Faurot Field. Mandatory Credit: John Rieger-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 17, 2016; Columbia, MO, USA; Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Jacob Eason (10) is sacked by Missouri Tigers defensive end Charles Harris (91) in the first half at Faurot Field. Mandatory Credit: John Rieger-USA TODAY Sports /

With the 32nd Pick in the NFL draft, the Saints select Charles Harris

Charles Harris. Some say he’ll go as the third defensive end off the board. Some even say he’ll go before Barnett. We don’t buy that, and if Taco Charlton was still on the board we’d have drafted him. He wasn’t, but Charles Harris was. We ran to the podium.

Charles Harris is one of those high-upside players. He’s got a lot going for him as a rusher. He’s got speed, strength, and bend. Most importantly though, and why we were so excited to land him at 32, he’s NFL ready. He’s got counter moves. He’s got easily the most beautiful spin move in the class. That’s a game changer along the edge, especially from the weakside.

I’m not sure he’d start right away in the base defense. But assuming Kikaha doesn’t return to form, and even if he does, he’d be the favorite in sub packages off the bat. And toward the end of the year, and certainly in year two, we expect he’d be a starting fixture on the defensive line.

Cam Jordan, Nick Fairley, Sheldon Rankins, Charles Harris. Not bad. Pair that with Delvin Breaux, Kenny Vaccaro, Vonn Bell, and Malik Hooker in the secondary. That’s not only a defense that can stay in the game and make it competitive enough for a Saints offense to keep up. That’s the sort of defense that can dominate with the right coordinator — which believe Dennis Allen is.

And that’s only the first round. Check out the FanSided draft. There’s great breakdown, and none of what we’ve written here is given in explanation in the article. So you’ve got a second take on each pick. Seriously, do yourself a favor. Check it out.

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