Who Dat Dish
Fansided

Saints pick linebacker in latest 2021 NFL Mock Draft

By Matthew Beighle

TAMPA, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 23: Zaven Collins #23 of the Tulsa Golden Hurricane runs in a touchdown after intercepting a pass thrown by Noah Johnson #0 of the South Florida Bulls during the second half at Raymond James Stadium on October 23, 2020 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)
TAMPA, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 23: Zaven Collins #23 of the Tulsa Golden Hurricane runs in a touchdown after intercepting a pass thrown by Noah Johnson #0 of the South Florida Bulls during the second half at Raymond James Stadium on October 23, 2020 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

In the latest 2021 NFL Mock Draft by CBS Sports, the New Orleans Saints select this linebacker out of the University of Tulsa with their first pick.

The New Orleans Saints, preparing for the NFL Draft, are gathering information, presetting decisions, and looking at the overall landscape of the team. That is all in an effort to pick the most important player that they can when their name is called on draft night.

The Saints have all but released current linebacker Kwon Alexander. He was going to be the savior to come in and help Demario Davis at the position, but he ended up tearing his Achilles’ Tendon and having his season cut short.

That paired with the fact that he is owed $13 million with no dead cap hit to the team makes him the most cut-worthy player on a team that is desperately needing to cut salary. That could make linebacker a need for the team as they clearly aren’t loving the progress of third-round pick Zack Baun.

This is what Ryan Wilson from CBS Sports had to say about the Saints’ potential first-round draft pick in Collins.

“For the season, Collins had four sacks, four interceptions (including two pick-sixes), and two forced fumbles. At 6-foot-4, 260 pounds, he looks more like a defensive end but moves with the fluidity of the modern-day inside linebackers that have become so prevalent around the league.”

Out of 32 college games, Collins totaled 129 tackles, 25.0 of those tackles for a loss, 7.5 sacks, five interceptions, eight passes defended, three forced fumbles, and three fumble recoveries with two touchdowns in three years.

Collins could really be a player that walks into the Saints next season and starts. They don’t really have much of a choice. They can’t sign anyone in free agency due to how much over the cap space that they are this upcoming year.

Next. Top 30 players in Saints history. dark

Collins would be a cheap option that could play better than most of the free agents that they would sign anyway. This would be one of the best picks that the Saints could choose with their No. 28 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.

Home/Saints Draft