The New Orleans Saints traded up in the third round of the 2020 NFL Draft, giving up their third-round pick in 2020 (88th overall) and a third rounder in 2021 so that they could acquire the 74th overall pick from the Cleveland Browns.
And they used that pick on Wisconsin Badgers linebacker Zack Baun. Baun started 27 of the 39 games he played in college, peaking as a senior with 12.5 sacks and 19.5 tackles for loss. He has a solid athletic profile at 6-foot-2 and 238 pounds, boasting a 78 1/4-inch wingspan and a 4.65-second time in the 40 yard dash.
Baun’s addition addresses the biggest position of need for New Orleans, giving them someone to rely on while projected starters Alex Anzalone and Kiko Alonso return from season-ending injuries. He’s done his best work while playing up at the line of scrimmage, making him a natural fit for the strongside linebacker duties handled by A.J. Klein last season.
