What are the New Orleans Saints going to do in this year’s NFL draft? They have just two picks in the first three rounds (slotting in at Nos. 24 and 88) but plenty of roster needs, ranging from a starting left guard and number-two wide receiver, to a potential quarterback of the future. It also wouldn’t be a shock if they added talent on defense at linebacker or cornerback.
ESPN draft expert Mel Kiper released his first 2020 mock draft, and he projects the Saints to select Utah State quarterback Jordan Love. Love turned in a solid week of practice ahead of the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala., showcasing his big arm and ability to throw with anticipation. Just 21, he would be a great option to develop while Drew Brees chases one more Supr Bowl title:
So you probably see Love’s stat line — 20 touchdown passes, 17 interceptions — and think this pick doesn’t make sense, but you need to know the context around this Utah State team. Love lost his top five pass-catchers from his breakout 2018 (32 TDs, six INTs), along with a few starters along the offensive line. The Aggies just didn’t have the offensive talent around him to compete. At 6-foot-4, 225 pounds, Love can make every throw, and NFL teams are high on his talent. He could be a first-round pick with a strong pre-draft process, which started in Mobile, Alabama, at the Senior Bowl. As for the Saints, this pick is all about projection. There’s no guarantee that 41-year-old Drew Brees will return in 2020, and Teddy Bridgewater is also a free agent. Love could develop for a year or two behind a bridge quarterback. New Orleans, by the way, doesn’t have a second-round pick, so it needs to hit here.
Now, whether Love will be available so late in the first round is anyone’s guess. It’s a very fluid situation behind LSU phenom Joe Burrow, the consensus number-one prospect, and some combination of Love, Alabama star Tua Tagovailoa, Oregon senior Justin Herbert, and Oklahoma passer Jalen Hurts is expected to fill out the top-five behind him, with other prospects like Jacob Eason and Jake Fromm in the mix. Don’t be surprised if the Saints end up making a bold trade to go get their next quarterback.
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