Jeremiyah Love was a common draft pick for the New Orleans Saints in many analysts' mock drafts. The pick up of Travis Etienne has forced draft experts into changing directions. Grabbing Love right after Etienne just doesn't feel likely. After the first wave of free agency, ESPN's Field Yates had the Saints picking Sonny Styles. Then, the Saints signed Kaden Elliss.
That's how quickly things can change. All of these mock drafts mean very little before free agency. It's here that teams fill as many needs as possible with veterans. Yates didn't have the Saints picking Love anyway, but his new pick didn't have a long shelf life.
Yates' mock draft is constantly updating. If you looked at it on Wednesday night, you'd see Makai Lemon as the selection. This is of no fault of Yates. Constantly releasing mock drafts in the midst of free agency signings, even if it's just the top 10 selections, requires constant alterations. The Saints are proof of that. He's not the only one who will change course. We're just able to see it in real time.
The Saints are moving too fast for mock drafts to keep up.
What's interesting about Yates' mock draft is even before free agency, he had New Orleans going with a receiver. That receiver just changed. Originally, Yates had the Saints picking Jordyn Tyson. Yates returned to the position he originally saw them selecting but changed his pick to Lemon.
The departure of Demario Davis made Yates switch his focus briefly. Once the Saints acquired Elliss, Yates went right back to his original selection. It's likely the last revision Yates will make at the moment. It's hard to see New Orleans picking up a free agent receiver that takes the position off the board in the first round.
The switch from Tyson to Lemon is interesting, but today is more about the position than the player. With the Saints bringing in a guard, running back and linebacker in free agency, wide receiver will be a commonly picked position for the Saints. Lemon was already starting to pick up some steam in that department anyway.
If it isn't a receiver, Caleb Downs will be a frequent pick in the mocks in which he falls to 8. That'll coincide with the loss of Alontae Taylor, and receiver will address a shallow room. Then again, maybe I'm giving too much finality to the Saints big offseason moves. They could make another move that shakes up predictions.
Right now, the Saints are setting themselves up to greatly to go best player available rather than need. Maybe that player ends up being a receiver or Downs. The best thing is the Saints are pigeonholed into needing a certain player to drop.