The New Orleans Saints need to add another wide receiver to the mix, and they may opt to address the first round. Kellen Moore is likely to want to build the supporting cast around Tyler Shough early. Jordyn Tyson, Carnell Tate and Makai Lemon are popular first round names, but Bleacher Report's Alex Ballentine sees the latter as a nightmare situation.
Lemon does feel like the least likely of the trio for the Saints to pick, but there's a big gap between least likely and nightmare. Ballentine added there will be defensive options on the board who are also safer prospects. He urges the Saints to go in that direction rather than Lemon.
"Kellen Moore is going to want weapons for Tyler Shough and Lemon is a YAC monster. However, Lemon's size (5'11", 192) and lack of top-end speed might make him more of a chain-mover than a do-it-all weapon," Ballentine wrote.
Makai Lemon is a tricky evaluation for the Saints
The dilemma when it comes to Lemon is he’s an ideal candidate for the Saints offense on paper. More than just a wide receiver, the Saints need a receiver who can run after the catch. There’s some talent in the room but no one that truly checks that box. Yards after the catch is Lemon’s specialty.Â
On the other hand, Lemon isn’t viewed as a player with many elite traits. Additionally, he’s viewed as a strictly slot receiver on the next level. Those aspects of the evaluation make it a hard sell in the top-10.Â
That early in the draft you want a player who’s capable of being your top guy. Lemon is a good player, but in some ways his future feels limited to fitting a role for the Saints. You don't get picked in the top-10 because you can fit the role. There’s value in the role, but there’s other players later in the draft who can fill that role and still let you grab an impact player at 8.
KC Concepcion could fall to the second round. Chris Bell is another option at 42 that packs a punch in the YAC department, both literally and figuratively. It’s a little different than other twitchy guys but equally effective. Germie Bernard is another one of those YAC prospects. Zachariah Branch could even be on the board in Round 3 if you waited. Later in the draft you could look at Aaron Anderson and Zavion Thomas as late round prospects.
The point is the list is long. Lemon would be an understandable pick due to position, but the Saints have to see more than just a YAC guy if they're going to spend their first rounder on him.
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