The New Orleans Saints are heading into the 2024 NFL Draft with some key roster needs.
This offseason, the Saints have one of the worst cap situations in the league. Thus, the draft is going to be of high importance; higher than most years.
There are a few spots you could argue are most important within the roster, but how do the Saints address them all?
In our latest mock draft, New Orleans finds it useful to trade back twice in the first round and obtain some significant value.
The Saints make two first-round trades to acquire additional 2024 draft capital in this mock
When on the clock for the first time, the Cincinnati Bengals are interested in moving up. It's an easy decision to move back four spots when the Saints obtain a third rounder in addition.
Next, the Saints receive a call from Buffalo, who want to come up 10 spots. The Bills then trade a second and fourth-round pick to the Saints in exchange for no. 18 and a fifth rounder.
Now picking in the back of the first round (as they would hopefully be on the regular) the Saints go after a starting offensive tackle in Oklahoma's Tyler Guyton. Last year, the health of Ryan Ramczyk was an issue, and Trevor Penning hasn't looked as good as the Saints had hoped in his first two seasons.
Guyton comes in as someone who could start from Day 1, depending on which spot the Saints feel is most vulnerable. At 6-foot-7 and 328 pounds, Guyton has ideal size for the position. He is a natural athlete with a fairly lean frame, but don't count that as his being short on strength. Guyton is plenty powerful for his height.
The athleticism paired with a strong anchor to handle bull rushers gives Guyton an all-around build to be a starter in the NFL. He'll come in right away and fix a position needing some depth.
The defensive end position is a spot the Saints desperately need some help at. Cameron Jordan isn't the guy he once was in terms of being a top-notch pass rusher. He is still effective in many instances, but he's not the every-down type of impact player the Saints once saw in him. Jordan is a stout run defender, and Carl Granderson is a solid pass rusher. But, it's time to start building this area back up for when Jordan ultimately fades.
Penn State's Chop Robinson is a great find here in the second round, as he's been mocked in the late first round by many experts as well. The 6-foot-3, 245-pound Robinson possesses a lightning-quick first step off the line of scrimmage. If you read up on what people are saying about him, that's one common factor you'll see mentioned by all. He fires off the line of scrimmage.
Robinson has that dog in him, too. He's a nasty, physical player with a high motor. You won't find him giving up on a rep. Whether it's his pursuit of the quarterback or pursuit of a ball carrier, he's not going to stop until the whistle blows.
Robinson also has the versatility to drop into coverage at times, when needed. He'll bring a huge lift to this position in New Orleans.
The Saints would ideally like to find a slot cornerback this offseason, and Wake Forest's Caelen Carson has the versatility to play both inside and outside. Thus, they have found their next slot corner.
The six-foot Carson has a long, lean frame which is full of quick-twitch athletic ability. His footwork is one of the things that makes him so successful. It's also what will make him great in the slot. Being able to quickly react and get to where he needs to be is what he does best. He's also extremely physical, which will help against tight ends on occasion.
The Saints also need help at guard, and in the third round, they find a possible starter in Boston College's Christian Mahogany. At 6-foot-3, 322 pounds, Mahogany packs a punch. He's always looking to finish opposing linemen, which can also be a detriment to his game at times. He'll need to learn a bit more patience, but Mahogany has what you want in a starting guard.
He's a strong player with a firm base. He's going to move mountains in the run game and is formidable in pass blocking situations.
This next pick won't have to travel far. Defensive lineman Mekhi Wingo goes from LSU straight to the Saints' building. And, if there's ever a doubt, you are typically just fine selecting a defender from the Tigers defense.
With their fourth pick out of five, the Saints build the trenches. It's a beautiful sight to see. Wingo is only 6-foot-1, 295 pounds, but he definitely plays bigger. He's a strong, dense frame that can handle one-on-one blocks perfectly fine. He has a high ceiling as an interior pass rusher and also plays the run well. If he can continue improving technique to make up for lack of size, Wingo will have a lengthy career in the NFL.
Tight end has been a weird position for the Saints for quite some time. Whether it's been Juwan Johnson, Taysom Hill, Foster Moreau or even an aged Jimmy Graham, the Saints don't have any consistency here.
In the fifth round, they take their chance on Penn State tight end Theo Johnson. The 6-foot-6 tight end offers the Saints a phenomenal run blocker, for starters. However, he has great hands and a knack for picking up yards after the catch. His route running won't blow you away, but if you get him the ball, he'll pick up yardage after the fact.
Later in the fifth round, the Saints go with the best player available and take another shot on a quarterback with Tennessee's Joe Milton. This will probably result in the Saints allowing Jameis Winston to leave and watch what happens between Milton and Jake Haener during training camp.
Milton has a little bit more rushing upside and a cannon arm. Last year for Tennessee, he threw for over 2,800 yards, 20 touchdowns and just five interceptions while adding 300 rushing yards and seven scores.
The Saints go back to the trenches and back to the SEC here with their next pick, selecting Auburn defensive tackle Marcus Harris. Not as undersized as Wingo, at 6-foot-3, Harris actually weighs in around the same at 295 pounds. He's got a strong upper body with the ability to fire off the line quickly, knocking back opposing linemen frequently.
Because of his size, he'll have to adjust to NFL double teams. Those might be an issue. But, as a sole run defender or one-on-one pass rusher, Harris will provide good situational depth for this Saints defensive front.
It is always fun to try your hand at selecting the son of an NFL great. And in the sixth round, the Saints do just that by selecting Frank Gore Jr. The Southern Miss product stands just 5-foot-7, 199 pounds, but he's a powerful, dynamic runner who can also excel in the passing game.
Gore, like his father, runs well through traffic with a compact build. He's a patient runner, too, seeing holes as they form and then hitting them in stride. He's a multi-purpose back the Saints could use in a variety of ways, including as a slot receiver.
With their final pick in the draft, New Orleans goes after a small school wide receiver to see if they can find a gem, here. A Shrine Bowl standout, David White Jr. continues to prove evaluators that he's worth looking at in this process. He stands 6-foot-2 and possesses excellent 50/50 ball skills. He can go up and get the tougher catches in one-on-one scenarios, and although he's from a lesser-known program in Western Carolina, White should make some noise throughout the summer.