We’re just days away from Super Bowl LVII and the latest round of 2023 mock drafts from around the NFL’s orbit, so it’s a good time to recap which prospects are being linked to the New Orleans Saints.
They’re in an odd spot to draft a quarterback, which would address their top need, so experts are looking instead to improve the Saints defensive line and maybe bring in another wide receiver to work with Chris Olave. A couple of defensive backs are also drawing attention at the end of the first round.
Let’s run through the list now that the Senior Bowl and Shrine Bowl are behind us and the Super Bowl is just up ahead:
Draft Wire: Florida OL O'Cyrus Torrence
Luke Easterling is continuing to link the Saints to Florida Gators right guard O’Cyrus Torrence, who enjoyed a strong week of practices at the Senior Bowl. He’s also played left guard in college and would be a good fit for New Orleans. Additionally, this was a three-round mock draft in which Easterling has the Saints picking Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Hendon Hooker in the second round and another former Gator, defensive lineman Gervon Dexter Sr., in the third round.
Browns Wire: Iowa DE Lukas Van Ness
Cory Kinnan ran a two-round projection in which the Saints selected Iowa Hawkeyes defensive end Lukas Van Ness in the first round and Tennessee Vols wide receiver Jalin Hyatt in the second round. Van Ness is a toolsy pass rusher with long arms and consistent production off the edge, while Hyatt is a dangerous deep-threat who caught 15 touchdown passes last season.
College Sports Wire: Alabama S Brian Branch
Patrick Conn writes that the Saints should pick Alabama Crimson Tide defensive back Brian Branch. He would offer a high-end starter in the slot for the New Orleans defense while bringing positional flexibility as someone who can line up all over the secondary.
CBS Sports: Iowa DE Lukas Van Ness
Chris Trapasso also connects the Saints to Van Ness as a potential Marcus Davenport replacement; Davenport is one of the top pass rushers headed for free agency in March and the Saints may not be able to re-sign him.
The Athletic: Georgia TE Darnell Washington
Diante Lee sees untapped potential in Georgia Bulldogs tight end Darnell Washington, who boasts the largest catch radius of his peers in this draft class while offering immediate impact as a blocker.
NFL.com: Clemson Tigers DE Myles Murphy
Lance Zierlein has the Saints picking Clemson Tigers defensive end Myles Murphy with their top pick. He’s a big defensive end like the Saints have favored in the past, and he’s brought steady production as a run defender and pass rusher throughout his college career.
The Draft Network: Alabama RB Jahmyr Gibbs
Kyle Crabbs sees Alabama running back Jahmyr Gibbs as an option for the Saints at the end of the first round, adding a young runner who can spell Alvin Kamara as a rookie and maybe replace him as the starter next season.
The 33rd Team: Notre Dame TE Michael Mayer
The 33rd Team Scouting Dept. projects the Saints to add Notre Dame Fighting Irish tight end Michael Mayer, who can improve the offense in several phases as a trustworthy run-blocker and reliable pass-catcher. In the second round, they have New Orleans landing Army defensive end Andre Carter. He’s a big, productive force off the edge who has made a lot of plays for the Black Knights defense.
Pro Football Network: Tennessee QB Hendon Hooker
Ben Rolfe says the Saints shouldn’t wait to pick Hooker in the second round, instead slotting him to New Orleans at No. 29 overall. Hooker is recuperating from a mid-November knee injury but says his recovery timeline has him gaining clearance to practice at training camp for whichever team drafts him.
CBS Sports: Tennessee WR Jalin Hyatt
Ryan Wilson buys the hype on Hyatt, who broke out in a big way in 2022 while catching passes from Hooker. He would be another speedster from the same mold as Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed. Together, the three of them could really air out the Saints offense after it grew stale last season.
Vikings Wire: Boston College WR Zay Flowers
Tyler Forness projects a different receiver to land with the Saints in the first round: Boston College Eagles wideout Zay Flowers, an undersized technician who lined up in the slot on just 33% of his snaps. He’s dangerous before and after the catch with rare movement skills, though you have to wonder how much of it translates when he bulked up to 182 pounds for the Shrine Bowl.
Pro Football Network: Tennessee WR Jalin Hyatt
Ian Cummings has another first-round projection for Hyatt, whose big-play ability would be welcome in New Orleans. He caught 6 passes to gain 207 yards and score 5 touchdown receptions on the Alabama defense — in a single game. He’s special.
Drafttek: Alabama S Jordan Battle
Drafttek, meanwhile, says the Saints should draft Alabama defensive back Jordan Battle. He’s a disciplined player who doesn’t commit many penalties or miss many tackles on the back end, and could replace Marcus Maye or Tyrann Mathieu in the next year or two.
247sports: Mississippi State CB Emmanuel Forbes
Zack Pearson also looks to defensive back, this time choosing Mississippi State Bulldogs cornerback Emmanuel Forbes. New Orleans runs four-deep at corner with Marshon Lattimore, Alontae Taylor, Paulson Adebo, and Bradley Roby in the building, and Forbes hasn’t played the slot so he’d be buried on the depth chart unless a couple of those players move on.
NFL Draft Buzz: Pitt DT Calijah Yancey
Leo Sells has a lineman in mind: Pittsburgh Panthers defensive tackle Calijah Yancey. He’s undersized by NFL standards but moves with a lightning-quick first step, and the work he’s put into refining his hand-fighting techniques him a tough out for guards and centers.
Draft Countdown: Georgia DE Nolan Smith
Shane Hallam put together a three-round mock draft with the Saints landing Georgia pass rusher Nolan Smith early on. He brings a different body type than the Saints have valued at defensive end in the past (listed at just 235 pounds) and he’s coming off a season-ending pectoral muscle injury in 2022, but he’s been effective when healthy. Hallam later projects SMU Mustangs wide receiver Rashee Rice and Baylor Bears nose tackle Siaki Ika to New Orleans in rounds two and three, which would be a steal.
Nashville Tennessean: Baylor DT Siaki Ika
Nick Suss has Ika going to the Saints in the first frame, which would make a lot of sense. NFL teams have valued big-bodied playmakers like him more heavily in recent years and his game tape shows some similarities to high-risers like Jordan Davis and Vita Vea.
Fantasy Six Pack: Clemson DT Bryan Bresee
Keith Lott also goes with a trench player here in Clemson defensive tackle Bryan Bresee. He looks the part at 6-foot-5 and 300 pounds, but he’s run hot-and-cold during his college career and doesn’t have as strong a resume as some other prospects in this class.
