At what point should the Saints trade up for Justin Fields

Some players prior to the draft see their draft stock increase, and other, like Justin Fields, see it decrease.

Nothing has actually changed about the way Fields approaches the game nor his work ethic. Frankly, many scouts and analysts just don’t think he’s a top-three or even top-four quarterback in the draft.

If you look at his collegiate numbers, you’d think they were insane, but Fields was a dominant dual-threat quarterback. It’s a more difficult to transition to the NFL than a Mac Jones-like pocket passer. However, it’s far from impossible.

The New Orleans Saints need a long-term solution at quarterback, and if Justin Fields drops outside of the top ten, he’d be the perfect fit.

Then, you can look at the recent history of star Ohio State quarterbacks. Dwayne Haskins was a top-15 pick, and he didn’t work out for the Washington Football Team. Combine it all, and the Saints could have a chance at Fields.

There are far more players besides just Haskins that haven’t worked out from Columbus, Ohio, but the past shouldn’t necessarily predict the future. Fields was a stellar collegiate athlete and has a bright future ahead of him.

Earlier in the offseason, many mock drafts were placing Mac Jones at 28. There is no chance Fields falls that far, but if he drops out of the top seven, the Saints should look to make a move. Jones is being seen as high as No. 3.

As for Fields, he posted 2,100 and 22 touchdowns in a mere 8 games. The Big Ten’s issues getting the ball rolling for the football season was almost laughable.

That said, Fields also posted a career-high 70.2 percent completion percentage as well. At 6-foot-3, Fields has good height and is an elite athlete. The only question is if his ability to read plays and then make plays will be good enough at the next level.

Charley Casserly, an NFL.com analyst, has Fields going at No. 24. While that feels impossible, there are some out there that feel he’ll fall. If he somehow, someway gets past No. 10, the Saints need to be considering trading a few picks and securing their future star quarterback.

For now, it seems extremely unlikely, but if Fields falls, the Saints should become a major player.