The New Orleans Saints know a thing or two about drafting the trenches early, considering they've done it every year for the past decade.
But picking Kelvin Banks at No. 9, the third first-round offensive tackle in the past four drafts, paints an image of exactly what the Saints are trying to return to, as Bobby Hebert broke down on WWL Radio's Draft Fest coverage.
“Even when we had Drew Brees, you know what we took for granted? Our offensive line was always kicking ass," Hebert told Deuce McAllister, Mike Detillier, Mike Hoss and Steve Geller.
"We had a top three offensive line, I’m going back with Terron Armstead and all that, you know, going way back. Our offensive line, we were dominant. No matter who we had at center, guard, tackle, and then when you don’t have that there’s, oh, we’re not the same and that’s what they’re trying to get back to.”
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As exciting as a top wide receiver or running back or tight end might be, the Saints clearly have no interest in settling for anything short of those glory days along the offensive line, even as they shift into a new head coaching era.
In fact, the addition of Kellen Moore may have simply increased the urgency to keep building in the trenches.
“The Saints they ran up to the board," McAllister said. "We talked to them today, they talked about establishing the line of scrimmage, whether it’s offense or defense and they have done so with this pick.”
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Banks, a 20-year-old and three-year starter out of Texas, was the third tackle off the board, but a player who came into the season as the top-rated OT prospect in many publications. The Saints clearly liked what they saw, and they'll pair him with last year's first-round pick in Taliese Fuaga.
The next question the Saints have to answer is whether they intend to move Fuaga back to the right side, where he starred in college at Oregon State, or keep him on the left. They'll also have to establish a future for Trevor Penning, who started last year at right tackle.
"Right now on paper, I think, in the future, 2 or 3 years to come and building on this year," Hebert continued, "we might have the best duo of tackles.”
The Saints held serve the rest of the round despite some buzz that they could potentially trade back into the first round to take a quarterback. They still own eight picks over the next two days, including No. 40 overall in the second round.