andrewschoppe'S MOCK DRAFT
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Saints Atypical Draft Beyond Needs

  • andrewschoppe DRAFTING FOR THE
    Saints
Draft Selections
Ashton Jeanty Head Shot
PICK: 9 RND: 1 (NO)
Ashton Jeanty
RB Boise State
Kenneth Grant Head Shot
PICK: 40 RND: 2 (NO)
Kenneth Grant
DT Michigan
Donovan Jackson Head Shot
PICK: 71 RND: 3 (NO)
Donovan Jackson
OT Ohio State
Dani Dennis-Sutton Head Shot
PICK: 90 RND: 3 (NO)
Dani Dennis-Sutton
DE-EDGE Penn State
Xavier Watts Head Shot
PICK: 111 RND: 4 (NO)
Xavier Watts
S Notre Dame
Connor Colby Head Shot
PICK: 128 RND: 4 (NO)
Connor Colby
OG Iowa
Collin Oliver Head Shot
PICK: 183 RND: 6 (NO)
Collin Oliver
LB-EDGE Oklahoma State
Jamon Dumas-Johnson Head Shot
PICK: 253 RND: 7 (NO)
Jamon Dumas-Johnson
LB Kentucky
Seth McLaughlin Head Shot
PICK: 254 RND: 7 (NO)
Seth McLaughlin
C Ohio State
Draft Picks Received
Seth McLaughlin Head Shot
PICK: 254 RND: 7 (SF)
Seth McLaughlin
C Ohio State
No Pick Head Shot
PICK: RND: 6 (SF)
NEXT YEAR (2026)
 
Draft Picks Traded
No Pick Head Shot
PICK: RND: 6 (ATL)
NEXT YEAR (2026)
 
Draft Grade — Saints
Overall B-
ValueB NeedB TradesB- FutureB-
The Saints did the meat-and-potatoes work well: B-.

There is conviction, and then there is this. The Saints took Collin Oliver a full 104 picks ahead of where the board had him, an overdraft steep enough that it colors the whole weekend. Nothing here to lose sleep over; call it a B-.

The Watts pick alone nudges the whole weekend up a notch. They will regret leaving cornerback for another day if the season turns on it. They left with edge rusher solved and the rest of the wish list mostly ticked off.

Almost all the early capital went to that side of the ball.

All told, a draft that does its job without fuss, and there is real value in that.

Pick Analysis
Pick9 Rnd1 Ashton Jeanty
Ashton Jeanty at the 9th pick is a sensible buy, a touch better than market for the running back. A real hole, addressed with a reasonable pick.
Pick40 Rnd2 Kenneth Grant
Value with a capital V on Kenneth Grant in Round 2, Pick 8, a genuine coup. It fills a real need, too.
Pick71 Rnd3 Donovan Jackson
They paid a round early for Donovan Jackson in pick 71, more than the board wanted. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.
Pick90 Rnd3 Dani Dennis-Sutton
This one needs a full-page explanation: Dani Dennis-Sutton in No. 90, miles early. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.
Pick111 Rnd4 Xavier Watts
They robbed the room for Xavier Watts here, a fall nobody at the table saw coming. It adds depth where they could use a little.
Pick128 Rnd4 Connor Colby
Connor Colby at the 128th overall pick is an overdraft of the loud, memorable kind. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
Pick183 Rnd6 Collin Oliver
A swing that ignored the value entirely, Collin Oliver well ahead of where he belonged. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
Pick253 Rnd7 Jamon Dumas-Johnson
Jamon Dumas-Johnson at slot 253 is the steal of the weekend, a first-round talent at a bargain-bin price. Useful body for a position without much behind the starter.
Pick254 Rnd7 Seth McLaughlin
Steal is underselling it; Seth McLaughlin at the 254th overall pick is a heist with the alarm still ringing. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.