Saints Mock Draft: NOLA finds their WR and QB of the future
Crimson Tide . Emil Ekiyor. 153. player. 829. . Offensive Guard
Round 5: Pick 153 – Emil Ekiyor, OG (Alabama)
One of the most appealing things about Emil Ekiyor is his versatility. While he mostly played right guard at Alabama, Ekiyor can play just about anywhere along the o-line.
Fortunately for the Saints, they have a need at right guard with Cesar Ruiz not living up to the first-round hype. Ruiz is still under contract for two more seasons but he’s on a rookie deal so moving on from him in year three isn’t a terrible decision.
Alabama is known for putting a solid offensive line together and Ekiyor is another example of that. If he was available this late in the draft, that’d be an incredible steal for the Saints.
Round 6: Pick 189 – Cory Durden, DT (North Carolina State)
New Orleans won’t lose much talent on the defensive line this offseason but they could certainly use depth there. Cory Durden out of North Carolina State could give this d-line a nice boost.
The Wolfpack defensive tackle totaled 31 tackles and 3.5 sacks through nine games this season. He was with Florida State for three years before that and had five sacks in the 2019 season. He’s not starter material, at least not from day one, but he could easily work his way into a rotational role for the Saints.