Saints Mock Draft: Strengths & Weaknesses

0:00On April 23rd, ESPN analyst Jordan Reed dropped his final seven-round mock draft on April 20th, straight no trades. The New Orleans Saints landed eight picks total, mixing some homeruns with a few swings and misses. Overall, it's a solid haul that bolsters the defense and offense, but not every spot hits the mark perfectly. Kicking off strong in Round 1 at Pick 8, they grab LSU Cornerback Mansour Delane, a day-one starter type, though edge rushers and safeties. Might have been smarter targets. Round 2 brings edge rusher Gabe Joccas at Pick 42, pairing Nasty with Chase Young for that pass rush fire. Then Round 3 at Pick 73, Zachariah Branch slides in as a yards after catch beast to spark the offense. Fans are buzzing about the fit issues, especially doubling up on defensive backs later, with Hezekiah Masses at Pick 132, which feels off. When slot needs are already covered, still, it shows Reed eyeing depth in Brandon's daily scheme, even if priorities like wideouts and safeties linger.

1:03Later rounds deliver gyms, like defensive tackle Albert Regis at Pick 136 to clog the run and help Brian Brzee hunt quarterbacks. Round 5 steals include Gar Prospect Cage Casey at Pick 150 and Multi-Tool Eli Hydenreich at 172, eyeing Tasm Hill's air. Even Day 3 flyer Jeff Caldwell at Pick 190 brings raw speed. This mock gives the Saints real juice of front and playmaking pop, setting them up for a rebuild bounce. Keep an eye as the real draft shapes up. Football News, powered by AI. This is NFL News Today.