re: Who’s the worst draft choice in Saints history?

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The answer is Russell Erxleben

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Anyone who does not answer this does not know what they are talking about.

First round punter. Again, punter in the first round.

Punter.

11th overall selection.

He was drafted to kick and punt. His career stats as a placekicker: 4/8, long 38 yards.

He had a career 280 punts, average 40.8 yards per punt.

First round pick. 11th pick in the draft.

Sully, Molden, other guys are bad. Blunderfoot was the worst.

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A 2nd round pick is always a high draft pick. Just ask any NFL GM. I think you’re just arguing semantics here.

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No you are making too broad of a definition of “high”. Look at a draft value chart. The #6 pick is worth way more than #58. Only about 33% of 2nd rounders become solid starters. If the 58th pick busts out that sucks but it is not as bad a the 6th or 11th pick, picks drafted to be difference makers, busting out. SJB doesn’t make the top 10 of bad Saints picks let alone the “worst”.

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Johnathan Sullivan

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the correct answer

Ask Mike Ditka

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Shawn Knight

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This has gotta be up there

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The answer is Russell Erxleben


Anyone who does not answer this does not know what they are talking about.

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Thank you

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bstaceyau19

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Anyone that doesn't say Erxleben doesn't know Saints history

Easily Russell Erxleben. 1st Time a Kicker was drafted with a 1st Rd. Pick

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Anyone that doesn't say Erxleben doesn't know Saints history

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We spent two firsts on Sullivan, his selection is worse

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I’m rolling with Russell Erxleben and Ricky Williams (though Ricky Williams deserves some slack, as it’s not his fault that the Saints went all in with him like they did…he might not make the “worst choice” list had they just used a regular pick on him).

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Ricky as a draft choice was not bad. I'd probably say he was at worst meh and at best pretty good for us. However, the trade for Ricky was horrific and ended up costing us in the long run. It's easy to say we won the division in 2000 and our first playoff game, but the lack of rookie depth caused us to sign a bunch of older free agents to fill gaps. So, I say the initial trade was the worst, not the pick....and for the defenders of the trade, yes we got two firsts for Ricky from Miami when he was traded three years later. However, that transaction is a separate item that highlights Ricky not being a bust or worst choice.

With all that said, to the OPs main suggestion, Stanley Jean-Baptiste may have been a bad 2nd rounder, but honestly he isn't as bad as so many other picks over the years. Ditka's 2nd rounders were Rob Kelly, Jared Tomich and Cam Cleeland. Of the three, maybe Cleeland was the best but he wasn't exactly Jimmy Graham.

Haslett was a little better with Darren Howard, LeCharles Bentley, Jon Stinchcomb, and Devery Henderson...but also gave us Courtney Watson and Josh Bullocks. A lot of good picks, but the last two were real stinkers. Maybe you can argue they played more than SJB, but again its not exactly like a Erxleben, Sullivan, or Shawn Knight as been mentioned.