An apology to my fellow Saints fans and a draft assessment

I would like to take this time to apologize to anyone I may have offended or pissed off over the course of the three days of the draft. I'm a very passionate football fan and a very arrogant (and ignorant) person at times and it can show through my posts. Now that I'm 1. calm 2. sober and 3. not watching the draft, I should be good to go

So once again, sorry, and thanks for putting up with me.





That being said, I put some thought into our draft and came away with a positive feeling (a far cry from how I was on day two) and would like to express those thoughts and feelings here and now:

Marshon Lattimore - Great pick. Will be an instant contributor at CB. No qualms with this at all but I hope he can stay healthy. He's one of the best if not the best CB from this class and will lock down one potential target for opposing offenses.

Grade: A

Ryan Ramczyk - Great talent. Maybe not exactly what the Saints were in dire need for in 2017, but should develop into an outstanding tackle. I think Ramczyk is the guy at RT when looking into the future and will develop into something special. He may need some work for when blocking against powerful DL but he's pretty much plug and play right now in terms of pass protection. I was upset at the time of the pick because: 1. I wanted Malik McDowell so badly and 2. an offensive player that may or may not start seemed very short-sighted in the face of a defense which has been very bad.

I became a lot more confident in this pick when I thought about Armstead's injury concerns and Strief's age and contract. Having that guy on standby to come in when one of our guys goes down is an incredible luxury and considering how injuries seem to strike the Saints every year, having that guy ready to protect Drew Brees is incredible.

Grade: B+

Marcus Williams - I was okay with this pick at the time and it's grown on me even more. Williams is a pure safety net over the top whose job will be to stop deep routes. I don't expect him to put on a clinic in tackling or hitting but that will never be his responsibility so who cares? This is the guy who the Saints have needed for a while and who they thought they were going to get in Vonn Bell. I can see Williams starting immediately and the Saints playing a lot of 4-2-5 with three safeties the caliber of Vaccaro, Bell, and Williams

Grade: B+

Alvin Kamara - I was fine with this pick at the time as well but the luster of having a "satellite back" taken at such a high cost (through the trade) has worn off. I think Kamara can be an excellent back, especially in Payton's system, but I don't know if the ends will justify the means. Kamara is ridiculous at times on game film with his speed, burst, agility, elusiveness, etc and hopefully he can be the guy we've lacked in this offense.

Grade: B-

Alex "Analzone" Anzalone - I was seriously turned off by this pick when it was made due to his ridiculous injury history. I know that Anzalone has incredible athleticism (thanks, Florida fans) but hasn't been able to put it all together on the field due to constantly being injured. With his tangibles, he can definitely play in the NFL, but I don't know where he fits on the depth chart as of now. He's solid at a little bit of everything but not a master of anything as well. I can see him contributing on special teams as a rookie and slowly settling into a defined role by his sophomore season.

Grade: C

Trey Hendrickson - Our boy Trey fits all of the typical buzzwords: Lunch pail, gritty, etc, but he isn't just a white boy. Hendrickson, while not flashy, is the type of guy you can rely on when the going gets rough. He's not the most technically sound pass rusher by any means but he'll give great effort on nearly every play. At 6'4 and 260lbs, he has more than adequate size to play in the NFL and should give quality snaps when/if called upon.

The only possible negative about this pick (not the player) is the what if? which can easily be presented when looking at other talented players who were on the board when Trey was taken:

Kendell Beckwith
Vince Biegel
Dede Westbrook
Carl Lawson

In the end, it's the draft, there will always be a "what if" to ask. I expect Trey to be a contributor on special teams and give the occasional snap while he develops.

Grade: B-

Al-Quadin Muhammad - As interesting as his name and backstory is, Muhammad's potential as an NFL player may be a little disappointing. Muhammad is a decent enough athlete to play in the NFL but no one will be wowed by him. His technique is lacking in pretty much every area but it's obvious he understands the basic fundamentals of DE/edge play well enough to warrant a pick in the 6th round. Muhammad will be a guy who coaches can hope to "unlock" (and I don't doubt that he can become something nice), but he will need work (probably a lot) to get to that level.

As with Trey Hendrickson, there's going to be a "what if" with this pick. Some other names that were on the board when Muhammad went was:

Joey Ivie
Brad Kaaya
Ifeadi Odenigbo
Issac Rochell

Either way, the Saints drafted who they drafted and they're gonna run with who they have.

Grade: C+


Overall, I think this draft was very solid. 3 potential starters in Lattimore, Williams, and Ramczyk along with a very good running back in Kamara is solid. Muhammad, Hendrickson, and Anzalone are all guys who can develop into something but can definitely play special teams as well.

Without trying to be a monday morning QB too much, my grade on this draft is a solid B. I would've preferred some more defensive studs but the way the draft went allowed the Saints to get great "value".