CBS Sports interestingly says Saints 2006 draft class was best since 2000

The New Orleans Saints have had some terrific draft classes over the last 20 years, but according to CBS Sports, the 2006 one was of the bunch.

It’s tough to peg one of the Saints draft classes over the last 20 years as the best. While the 2006 draft class was one of the best, it may not have been the one I would’ve chosen. However, it was the one that CBS Sports’ Bryan DeArdo went with.

This class has something most franchises may not have in their entire history, an elite seventh-round pick. Well, they had two of them.

The team drafted Marquese Colston in the seventh round along with Zach Striefand.

While Striefand turned into a top-tier starter for over half a decade, Colston set the bar even higher as his career ended with him leading the franchise in catches, yards, and touchdowns. Well, that is until Michael Thomas gets through this mega-contract he just signed.

That was just the seventh round though. Roman Harper, Jahri Evans, and Reggie Bush were all three also taken in the draft. Bush is the most common name and was a key in the 2009 championship.

However, Evans, who saw four straight All-Pro appearances during his career, was an underrated part of this draft. For now, this is, on paper, the best class. However, let the 2017 draft class develop. They will compete with this one as the best of the decade.

As many remember, that 2017 class included Alvin Kamara, Marshon Lattimore, Ryan Ramczyk, and Marcus Williams. Wow, what a list. Kamara is a three-time Pro Bowl, Lattimore and Ramczyk are two of their positions best, and Williams is one of the elite up-and-coming safties.

While it’s not overly deep although Alex Anzalone and Trey Hendrickson were drafted in the last few rounds, the draft has the potential to have a few of the franchises most impactful players.

That said, it’s a close call, but for now, it’s easily that dynamic 2006 class that helped bring a title to the Big Easy just a few years later.