We’re moving into the offseason at full speed. The Super Bowl is behind us, putting a cap on the 2023 season, and the 2024 NFL draft order is set (at least in the first two rounds). So who are the New Orleans Saints picking in the latest round of mock drafts?
Remember, the goal isn’t necessarily to be right; it’s to explore different scenarios and get an idea of the players expected to be available when the Saints are on the clock. New Orleans likes to address their needs in free agency and go into the draft ready to pick the best players available, so their team needs in February are going to look different from the list we’ll be working with in April. Accuracy isn’t exactly the goal in these predictions.
With that in mind, here are some prospects that forecasters expect to be available once the Saints go on the clock:
Draft Wire
Read more here. Curt Popejoy upgraded the Saints’ pass rush with Florida State defensive end Jared Verse, but he points out they have options with this pick:
This is another prime spot for the fifth quarterback to come off the board or a trade back for the Saints. But if they can land an explosive edge defender like Jared Verse, they would just stay put.
ESPN
Read more here. Field Yates has the Saints spending their first-round pick on Oklahoma right tackle Tyler Guyton. He’s dabbled on the left side before at TCU but primarily focused on lining up at right tackle with the Sooners. Yates writes:
The Saints might need to replace two offensive tackles this offseason, as longtime stalwart Ryan Ramczyk has dealt with a knee injury that could force him into retirement and Trevor Penning has struggled since being taken in the first round just two years ago. Guyton oozes upside with excellent quickness and the potential to anchor either tackle spot for a long time. He has allowed one sack over 29 career games (15 starts).
NFL.com
Read more here. Chad Reuter likes the Saints to pick Washington wide receiver Rome Odunze as a replacement for Michael Thomas. Odunze is a physical playmaker who can win on contested catches and make plays with the ball in his hands. From Reuter:
The Saints might decide it is time to move on from Michael Thomas after the veteran missed significant time due to injury again in 2023. Odunze, Chris Olave and A.T. Perry would be a strong trio for Derek Carr to find downfield.
Reuter’s mock draft explored all three rounds. While the Saints don’t have a third-round pick, Reuter has them picking Michigan right guard Zak Zinter in the second round.
The Ringer
Read more here. Benjamin Solak has the Saints picking Alabama right tackle JC Latham, who may lack the movement skills to play in Klint Kubiak’s zone-blocking scheme. The combine is going to big for him. Solak says:
The Saints’ tackle situation could be good enough, if you trust in the development of Trevor Penning at left tackle and the health of Ryan Ramczyk at right tackle. I like Latham as a good hedge bet. He is a tackle in the NFL by my eyes, but might have a future at guard, where the Saints have some insecurity with Andrus Peat approaching free agency. New Orleans has used tackle-sized bodies at guard before, and with the injury concerns of Ramczyk, Penning, and guard Cesar Ruiz, having a talented swing player is to their benefit.
CBS Sports
Read more here. Garrett Podell predicts the Saints to address their pass rush by targeting UCLA defensive end Laiatu Latu. Medical checks on the combine will be big for him (he transferred from Washington after a neck injury) but there’s no arguing with his production:
Laiatu Latu racked up the hardware at UCLA last season: he was named a unanimous All-American and the 2023 Ted Hendricks Award winner (the best defensive end in college football). He led the FBS in quarterback pressure rate (21.4%) in 2023, and his 23.5 sacks across the last two seasons are also the most in college football. His 96.3 Pro Football Focus defensive grade is the highest by an FBS in the past 10 seasons. The big question with Latu is how his medical testing goes. He missed two seasons with a neck injury in 2020 and 2021. New Orleans would be a great spot for him to learn and develop alongside Cameron Jordan.
Yahoo! Sports
Read more here. Charles McDonald and Nate Tice have the Saints keeping a local standout in Louisiana: LSU wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr., who broke out in a big way with 68 catches for 1,177 yards and 17 touchdowns:
If the Saints are going to double down on having Derek Carr as their quarterback, they’re going to need weapons to make that happen. Thomas is another explosive, downfield threat who should fit well next to Chris Olave.
The Sporting News
Read more here. Vinnie Iyer has the Saints targeting Oregon State right tackle Taliese Fuaga, writing:
The Saints need to work on their offensive line, specifically at tackle. Trevor Penning isn’t an answer on the left side, and right tackle Ryan Ramczyk is constantly banged up. Fuaga is a complete blocker who can get the job done in both the running and passing games.
The 33rd Team
Read more here. Connor Livesay also has the Saints picking Guyton, envisioning him as a Trevor Penning replacement. What’s concerning is that Guyton’s scouting report carries many of the same concerns Penning had coming out of school as an inexperienced blocker with high-end athleticism. Curiously, Livesay has New Orleans picking Houston left tackle in the second round:
An unpopular selection in last week’s mock draft was the New Orleans Saints selection of Tyler Guyton with the 14th overall pick. Guyton did not dominate the Senior Bowl as many expected, but he played a quality left tackle after playing primarily on the right side at Oklahoma.
The Saints have a long-term option at right tackle in Ryan Ramczyk, so finding their left tackle is the priority, likely knocking out Taliese Fuaga, JC Latham and Amarius Mims.
Guyton is a bit rough around the edges, but it shouldn’t surprise anyone if Guyton makes big leaps after a year or two in the league. He has rare traits at the tackle position.
CBS Sports
Read more here. Ryan Wilson predicts the Saints to pick Georgia tight end Brock Bowers, one of this year’s best pass catchers regardless of position:
The Saints could go wide receiver here, too, but Brock Bowers feels like stealing at No. 14; I’ll repeat what I wrote back on Dec. 4, in one of my previous mock drafts: “In the last 20 years, 19 tight ends have gone in the first round. Five of those were selected in the top 10 (Eric Ebron, 10th overall in 2014; TJ Hockenson, 8th overall in 2019; Kellen Winslow II and Vernon Davis, 6th overall in 2004 and 2006; and Kyle Pitts, 4th overall in 2021). The other 14 were drafted between No. 19 and No. 32. I mention this because I think Brock Bowers is special. In fact, he’s the No. 5 player on my big board. And maybe he’s different; he’ll be the tight end worth taking in the top 10.” For now, though, I have him going in the middle of the round to New Orleans.
Sports Illustrated
Read more here. Luke Easterling has another projection with the Saints picking Oregon State right tackle Taliese Fuaga. It’s unclear how many more years Ryan Ramczyk’s degenerative knee will allow him to play, so investing in a successor could make sense.
CBS Sports
Read more here. Josh Edwards likes the idea of Washington wide receiver Rome Odunze going to New Orleans:
Wide receiver is not the biggest need for this team, but Rome Odunze is one of the best talents available. Pairing Chris Olave and Odunze is a scenario worth getting excited about if you are a Saints fan.
The Athletic
Read more here. Nick Baumgardner starts his three-round mock draft with the Saints picking Washington left tackle Troy Fautanu. The Saints are, by all counts, going to give Trevor Penning another shot at earning the starting job but Fautanu is a better prospect now than when Penning was coming out of college. In the second round, Baumgardner has the Saints picking Fautanu’s Washington teammate in defensive end Bralen Trice:
The Saints could use offensive line help in a few spots — and Fautanu (6-4, 319) can play a few spots. A left tackle at Washington, he has enough length and more than enough athleticism to remain as a tackle in the NFL. But he also could be an effective guard. Either way, Fautanu comes with plenty of quickness and explosion.
This is yet another spot where QB can’t be ruled out.
Draft Network
Read more here. Damian Parson has the Saints with a big steal in Penn State left tackle Olu Fashanu. He was a consistent top-five projection throughout the season but has fallen a bit behind with more options emerging on the all-star game circuit.
Trevor Penning has not panned out and it is unclear if he will be given a chance to do so. Olu Fashanu has one of the highest ceilings in the OT class due to his freakishly athletic ability. He has everything needed to develop into a high-profile LT.
Pro Football Focus
Read more here. Trevor Sikkema also has the Saints landing Penn State left tackle Olumuyiwa Fashanu, which would be the steal of the draft. He checks almost every box teams look for in a prototypical offensive lineman.
With Derek Carr in New Orleans for at least another year (potentially two), the Saints need to take an honest look at their offensive tackle spot. They traded for Trevor Penning in 2022, and he has not been a starting-caliber option. Ryan Ramczyk is one of the best right tackles in the league, but the lack of cartilage in his knee is catching up to him, and he might not be in the league much longer.
Fashanu needs to get stronger, but he has all the tools to be a great pass protector in the NFL.
Tankathon
Read more here. Florida State defensive end Jared Verse continues to be a popular pick for the Saints.
Pro Football Network
Read more here. James Fragoza also has the Saints picking Florida State defensive end Jared Verse in his seven-round mock draft; in the second round, he has them selecting Miami defensive tackle Leonard Taylor III.
Will Anderson Jr. was in a tier of his last cycle, but so was Jared Verse right after him. Watch all of his sacks from last season, and you’ll see he’s not just a cleanup artist. He has a master’s degree in acceleration, exploding into and past offensive tackles. And he does an outstanding job turning that speed into power.
Pro Football Network
Read more here. Troy Catalina goes back to Oregon State right tackle Taliese Fuaga:
The Saints also need a tackle, and we see the position go back-to-back in this 2024 NFL Mock Draft. Derek Carr was fighting for his life in 2023, and adding Taliese Fuaga may allow him to breathe a little easier in the upcoming campaign.
Pro Football Network
Read more here. Anthony Miller has the Saints picking Alabama right tackle JC Latham, who might move to guard in the NFL:
New Orleans’ offense never really hit their stride this year, leaving change to be made. They will need to start on the line adding size to it with JC Latham a good option as a mauler with Alabama pedigree.
Analysis
We surveyed 18 different mock drafts published after the Super Bowl and found the Saints were linked to 10 unique prospects.
Florida State defensive end Jared Verse was the pick in three different mock drafts, more than any other prospect. But six players were picked in two mock drafts, and five of them were offensive linemen:
- Penn State LT Olumuyiwa Fashanu
- Washington LT Troy Fautanu
- Oregon State RT Taliese Fuaga
- Alabama RT JC Latham
- Oklahoma RT Tyler Guyton
- Washington WR Rome Odunze
Despite some speculation across the board that the Saints could target a quarterback as Derek Carr’s replacement, no one took the plunge to say which prospect would best fit them (or even be available). With Carr’s contract restructure on the horizon guaranteeing the next two years of his contract, the team’s plan has to be supporting him by fortifying his offensive line or getting him more weapons.
