The New Orleans Saints draft class hasn’t lived up to the excitement they generated in April, but to call them a failed draft class is a bit of an exaggeration. That sentiment has popped up a bit online, and draft expert Justin Melo reinforced it when he called the class “lackluster.” Counterpoint: Jordyn Tyson hasn’t played yet, and that should count for a lot.
Melo ranked the Saints as the 26th best draft class so far this season, and that’s fair. The ranking isn't the issue, far from it. It's accurate to say most of the class has been ineffective, but the overall writing off of the class should be put on hold for a minute.
Tyson is one of the only draft picks, if not the only, who were supposed to make a large immediate impact this early. Melo points to injuries as an explanation for the lackluster nature of the class. It's hard to evaluate a class in just 5 games, and in the Saints' case, the judgement is being made without its top asset.
Saints rookies haven’t fallen as far below expectations as you may think
This isn’t shooting them bail but rather reminding watchers what the real expectations were for the class this early. When you think about it, this isn’t a class that was supposed to have a big impact five games into their rookie season.
The big blemish on the field is Christen Miller being a healthy scratch in Week 4. Melo pointed out that Miller "couldn't crack the rotation versus the Falcons," and it's a hard thing to defend. Miller played in Week 1 and played last week, so him sitting out was strange.
Miller also played well in limited snaps against Minnesota for what it's worth. Miller was supposed to be a part of the rotation along with Davon Godchaux, but other than Tyson, he's the only rookie who was viewed as a real Day 1 contributor.
Barion Brown, as a return specialist, has been overall net neutral. He gave the Saints a big boost before halftime that helped close the gap against the Ravens. It's the one splash play he's made this year, but it's important to remember those can be sporadic in the return game.
Bryce Lance has been ineffective this year, but he was supposed to be a player who had time to develop coming in from North Dakota State. There was a belief that he'd end up being the fifth wide receiver on depth chart this year. Tyson's injury and Ja'Lynn Polk's sudden retirement catapulted Lance's importance on the roster.
The 4th round pick hasn't risen to the occasion, and it's just proof of the fact that he always needed time to develop. Jeremiah Wright has sat on the bench because he was always supposed to sit for a year behind Cesar Ruiz.
Oscar Delp was a raw prospect with more athletic talent than production. There shouldn't be much surprise that he is just a blocker at this stage, though that may have just been a personal expectation. I was ok being alone on the Delp island early, but that expectation makes his current role less of a surprise.
Time still has to be the judge, but for those watching, throwing in the towel on the class already, or even starting to throw in the towel, is a bit of a rushed to judgement. The Saints picked a lot of players who needed to develop, so seeing them be largely developmental players shouldn't be a surprise.
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