New Orleans Saints: Kawaan Baker could be a draft-day steal

With the departure of Hall of Fame quarterback Drew Brees, the New Orleans Saints will be entering a new era this upcoming season. In order for the Saints to sustain success, head coach Sean Payton will need to utilize the exciting new talents and a player who is intriguing to fans is Kawaan Baker.

If the Saints want to reach the Super Bowl, there will need to be draft picks that provide immediate impact for the team. Fortunately, it looks like the Saints found several players in this year’s draft who can do that for them. One of the potential steals of this draft was a player New Orleans found in the seventh round.

The Saints drafted wide receiver Kawaan Baker out of South Alabama University in round seven and he could be a really good player for them. Baker possesses a wide range of skills that will definitely draw the attention of the Saints coaching staff, specifically Payton. Lance Zierlein of NFL.com mentioned that Baker has “explosive athleticism” and that will fit nicely in the Saints’ offense.

During his time at South Alabama, Baker hauled in 1,829 yards receiving, 16 touchdowns with an average of 14 yards per reception. At 6’1″ and 210 pounds, Baker displayed electrifying playmaking ability using speed and athleticism to find the end zone.

The New Orleans Saints might have found a talented receiver in Kawaan Baker.

Last season, the Saints offense struggled to find consistency in the wide receiver group, especially with the injury to All-Pro receiver Michael Thomas that kept him on the sidelines for nearly the entire season. Should that happen again, Baker can become an integral piece of the Saints offense due to his routine ability to create separation and produce yards after the catch.

In his final year at South Alabama, Baker caught 70% of his catches with 51 receptions. The versatile playmaker also displayed the ability to create plays in special teams as a kick returner. As the Saints maneuver a change at quarterback, it is essential that there are offensive weapons to aid Jamies Winston and/or Taysom Hill.

Over the Sean Payton era, the New Orleans Saints staff have consistently managed to find great talent in the later rounds of the draft. These players include Marques Colson, Zach Strief, and Thomas Morestead.

If the Saints want to remain elite NFC contenders, Payton must utilize the new additions on the roster, and hopefully, he realizes what he has with Baker and gets him out on the field. This kid could be the steal of the draft.