It's a rarity, but the mock drafts got this one right: The Saints had a need at offensive tackle, and this was the perfect draft to address it.
That's what they wrote down the name Taliese Fuaga and sent it up to the podium at No. 14 in the NFL Draft, as WWL's Deuce McAllister explains.
“It's a need pick, not surprised by it," McAllister said. "You kind of heard some of the things they said earlier this offseason about Ryan Ramczyk and his knee, hadn’t recovered as they had hoped and you don’t know if he will be able to play. So to be able to get that player definitely helps them."
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The draft, though, did provide some temptations. The Saints bandied about some trade back options as the first round developed, but none came to fruition. It was also a draft that featured a record 13 consecutive offensive players going off the board before the Saints got on the clock, with TE Brock Bowers going a pick earlier to the Las Vegas Raiders.
If the Saints opted to, they could've had their pick of the top defensive players on the board. They instead opted to keep the offensive run going, with DE Laiatu Latu going off with the next pick.
"I thought maybe they would go somewhere else with some of the defensive players that were on the board, but they did not do it," McAllister continued. "You kind of stick to this is not only, kind of a now pick, but a future pick as well, because Ryan has had that issue with that wheel for the last couple years.”
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As the draft moves forward the Saints have plenty of options to add talent with another eight picks in their war chest, but only one more in the top 100 (pick 45 overall). If they don't move around -- a big if -- Deuce sees some clear needs they can address with that second round pick.
"If I had I had a need need at this point, it’s continue to add speed to that defense, and if it’s the right guy from the receiver standpoint, if he fits, you take him," McAllister said. "You probably never really replaced the 6-3, 6-4 type of receiver. That’s really what they need.”