NOLA Saints 7-Round Mock Draft: Offense biggest priority

The NOLA Saints are still in playoff position as of this writing but fans are still talking about what the team could do in the 2022 NFL Draft.

This team has a lot of areas to address in the offseason and a lot of those areas are on the offensive side of the ball. Wide receiver is obviously a big one and could be the direction NOLA goes in during the first round.

I’d almost argue, however, that the offensive line is a bigger need for the team right now. Terron Armstead is slated to hit free agency, Andrus Peat is coming off an injury and overall inconsistent, and Cesar Ruiz is terrible. That makes the offensive line a major area of concern in the 2022 offseason and if a decent lineman is there for the taking when New Orleans is on the clock, it’d be hard for them to pass on whoever it is.

That’s where we’ll begin in my most recent mock draft, which was simulated on The Draft Network.

Round 1: Pick 15 – Charles Cross, OT (Mississippi State)

I mentioned in the introduction how the Saints could lose Armstead to free agency. It’s a very real possibility, as the long-time NOLA left tackle is on the wrong side of 30 and going to be expensive if the Saints want to keep him in the black and gold.

Considering their financial struggles, keeping Armstead doesn’t seem like a good investment at this point.

Enter, Charles Cross.

Per The Draft Network, Cross has more than 20 starts at left tackle and is a starting-caliber option at the position. If the Saints move on from Armstead in free agency, they need to find another left tackle option in the draft and Cross is the perfect replacement option.