Draft analyst predicts Saints will be able to land a dynamic receiver in second round

The New Orleans Saints have a pick in the first round (No. 12) and in the second round (No. 45), however, they don’t pick again after that until the fifth round. That means the Saints have to make their first two picks count. With several different needs, New Orleans must decide which needs it wants to address and with which prospects.

With offensive tackle and wide receiver being amongst the team’s top needs, many draft analysts believe the Saints will go in those directions in the first two rounds. That’s how Chad Reuter saw it in his recent four-round 2024 mock draft. In the first round, Reuter projects that New Orleans drafts Penn State tackle Olumuyiwa Fashanu. In the second round, Reuter had the Saints selecting Georgia receiver Ladd McConkey.

Saints select Olumuyiwa Fashanu and Ladd McConkey in recent mock draft

Many analysts have New Orleans taking Olumuyiwa Fashanu in the first round. Fashanu is one of the best tackles in a loaded tackle class, so he can definitely make a difference. The right tackle spot was already something the Saints needed to address, now left tackle may be a concern after the recent news about Ryan Ramczyk’s health. Drafting Fashanu is a great first step to solving that problem.

While that would be great, the selection that would probably get fans more excited is Ladd McConkey. The Georgia Bulldog is a part of the second tier of receivers in this class and he has some impressive film. Playing in 39 games at Georgia, McConkey caught 119 passes for 1,687 yards and 14 touchdowns. He also carried the ball 13 times for 216 yards and four touchdowns. He would be a great addition to New Orleans’ offense.

Interestingly enough, Reuter had South Carolina receiver Xavier Legette going a spot later to the Indianapolis Colts. Like McConkey, Legette has gained a lot of fans throughout the draft process. If both are available when New Orleans is on the clock in the second round, it’ll be interesting to see which direction the Saints go and how fans respond.

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