It’s another week in the New Orleans Saints offseason, and we’ve got another mock draft. The latest projection comes from Luke Easterling over at Draft Wire, who assembled a three-round look at the 2023 NFL draft complete with trades and compensatory picks.
And he has the Saints reloading their depth in the trenches along both the offensive and defensive lines, while also investing in a quarterback with sky-high potential. New Orleans would need a busy free agency period to pair with this haul to really excite the fanbase, but all of these moves line up with what we’ve seen from the team before. Let’s break down each pick:
Round 1, Pick 29: OG O'Cyrus Torrence, Florida
Torrence has been a popular pick to the Saints in the first round, and he’d make a lot of sense as either an Andrus Peat replacement or a Cesar Ruiz succession plan should New Orleans not pick up his fifth-year option for 2024. Torrence is the top interior lineman in the draft class and he could stabilize the lineup right away. That’s going to help the Saints improve on the ground and in the air by offering better protection up front.
Round 2, Pick 40: DT Mazi Smith, Michigan
Defensive tackle is a major need for this team, and Smith is a good prospect. He doesn’t give ground in run defense and he’s consistently pressured quarterbacks from the interior the last two years. And he’s young (he’ll turn 22 in June), making him an ideal building-block as the Saints rebuild up front.
Round 3, Pick 71: QB Hendon Hooker, Tennessee
Hooker is kind of divisive as a prospect — there’s no questioning his production and his skills as a passer, but he may already be maxed out as a 25-year-old. And though he expects to be ready for training camp, a mid-November knee injury is going to keep teams from checking every box on their scouting reports. But he’s talented enough to justify risking a third-round pick.
