Top 15 draft picks in New Orleans Saints history

12. Michael Thomas

Drafted 47th overall in 2016

When the Saints selected Ohio State’s Michael Thomas in the second round of the 2016 NFL Draft, fans were stoked. The team needed a receiver for Drew Brees and they found a damn good one in round two.

Thomas immediately made his presence felt, grabbing 92 catches for 1,137 yards and nine touchdowns as a rookie. He continued to get better each year too, totaling 1,245 yards in year two, 1,405 yards in year three, and a whopping 1,725 yards in year four. That 2019 campaign from Thomas landed him the Offensive Player of the Year Award.

When Thomas was on the field in those first four years, Saints fans knew he could be relied on for a big play when the team needed it most and he typically came through.

While the 2020 and 2021 seasons were disappointments for the former second-round pick (injuries are to blame for that), it’s hard to deny just how dominant Thomas was in those first four years. That’s why he’s one of the best draft picks in Saints history.