There's one thing you can bet on: If you're out watching the Senior Bowl in any season, there's a very good chance you're watching one or more of the Saints' draft picks.
Last week I broke down all 49 picks of Senior Bowl players the Saints have made dating back to 2000. In those 23 drafts, the Saints have picked at least one Senior Bowl player in 21 of them. They've selected multiple Senior Bowl players in 16 of those drafts.
And this year there's even more reason to think the Saints might fall in love with some of the prospects out in Mobile: They have four coaches in on the action.
Saints QBs coach and pass game coordinator Ronald Curry is the offensive coordinator for the National Team, giving him a great overall look at that group, while offensive assistant D.J. Moore coaches the QBs on that side. Meanwhile fellow assistants Declan Doyle and Cory Robinson will be coaching the TEs and safeties, respectively, on the American team.
That reality draws me back to this quote from Loomis after the 2022 draft, when he was asked about why this team so often finds itself drafting players out of the annual showcase in Mobile. Three of the 2022 picks (Trevor Penning, Alontae Taylor and D'Marco Jackson) fell into that category.
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"We just get more information, and the more you’re around players I think the more you end up liking them," Loomis said. "But it’s not a conscious thing by us. It’s not a box that we’re checking when we’re going through this process.”
If the team is looking for the most information possible, there might not be a better opportunity than having coaches on the field with the 125 prospects out at South Alabama University this week. The Saints don't have a first-round pick at present, so scouting the mid-round players as well as possible becomes all the more important.
So, with that in mind, here are three players I'm watching closely:
JAREN HALL, QB, BYU
- Age: 24
- Measurables: 6-1, 205 pounds
- 2022 stats: 248-376 (66%), 3,171 yards, 31 TDs, 6 INTs; 86 carries, 346 yards, 3 TDs
When your QBs coach is serving as the OC and you have an assistant working directly with the QBs, it stands to reason that you'll end up with a very good read on that group. The obvious top target in attendance would’ve been Kentucky's Will Levis, but he declined his invitation due to injury issues and we know plenty about him already. I'm also banking on the fact that he's gone by the time the Saints are on the clock at No. 40. If things change and the Saints end up with a higher pick that's in Levis territory, we'll have plenty of opportunities to get a closer look. His absence marks the first time in 7 years there has been a projected Round 1 QB among the Senior Bowl roster.
But of the quarterbacks that might be on the board at No. 71, or even possibly 112, and could be an intriguing developmental prospect, Hall is at the top of that list for me. There are two key things working against him from the jump in that at 6-1, he doesn't have the prototypical height you'd want to see at the QB position. Secondly, he's already 24 years old, an issue you'll find with many former BYU players. If you see him as a player who might need 2 or 3 years before he's ready to start, you're talking about him potentially being 27 by the time he reaches that level. Not ideal when, for example, Jameis Winston is still only 29 and feels like he's been in the league forever.
The Saints are familiar with former BYU Cougars (see Taysom Hill), and I don't think they'll hold the age against him if he checks their other boxes. What sets Hall apart is the athleticism we already know he possesses. I think what's important to show this week are mechanics, decision-making and accuracy. Can he throw on the run? Can he make the right decisions under duress? The Senior Bowl offense is never complicated. If you can't ace that, it's not a great sales pitch.
Other QBs I'll take a gander at: Max Duggan, TCU; Malik Cunningham, Louisville
Note: Hendon Hooker will be in attendance for interviews, but is not participating in drills/game. He'll be someone to keep an eye on later down the road.
NOTE: This has been updated to reflect Levis turning down his Senior Bowl invite
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LUKE MUSGRAVE, TE, OREGON STATE
- Age: 22
- Measurables: 6-6, 250 pounds
- 2022 stats: 11 catches, 169 yards (2 games)
OK, hear me out. I know that 2022 stat line doesn't jump off the page, but when you consider that 11 catches for 169 yards and a touchdown was a two-game total, it starts to sound a bit better. Musgrave will have to show he's recovered from the knee injury that limited him in his final year with the Beavers, and if he can, there's a lot to like in his skillset.
This is a guy with ideal size at the TE position but with WR hands and agility. The big question: Can he block? That's what he'll have to prove. But you watch the way he can move at his size and then you go see the way Travis Kelce has been a dominant force in the NFL for so long, and you can see a lot of similarities.
Something the Saints haven't had for some time is a big, physical TE who can be a force as a blocker and in the middle of the field. Is it possible the Saints could land him at a steep discount due to his limited showing in 2022? They'll be able to learn a lot with Declan Doyle up close and personal with the TEs group.
Other TEs I'll take a gander at: Will Mallory, Miami; Davis Allen, Clemson
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CHRISTOPHER SMITH, S, GEORGIA
- Age: 22
- Measurables: 5-11, 195 pounds
- 2022 stats: 60 tackles (43 solo), 1 forced fumble, 1 sack, 3 INTs, 5 passes defensed
Defensive back can be tough to get a read on in these showcase games because, for one thing, you're not really hitting or playing with the physicality that will be necessary for the position. And for another, you're not getting called for ticky-tack fouls that can be a game-changing nightmare once the yellow laundry starts flying.
Still, one major element I saw as lacking from the Saints 2022 defense was a true centerfielder. New Orleans had one in Marcus Williams, and while I think the duo of Tyrann Mathieu and Marcus Maye was solid when Maye was on the field, neither truly excelled at getting deep and being a top-down ballhawk. To me it's one of the biggest reasons this team struggled so mightily to get their hands on interceptions. Tips and overthrows, baby. You've got to be in position to cause and collect them. The Saints, too often, weren't.
And that's where I think Smith might be able to thrive. He doesn't have an ideal build as a tackler and might take some time to develop, but anyone who has been a Georgia Bulldog the past few seasons has the advantage of understanding what it means to have a championship pedigree. That's an advantage in my book. If he can showcase the abilities as a centerfielder I think this defense really needs to prioritize, I could see him being a target come draft day.
Oh, and yes, if you recognize the name, it might be because he's the one who returned the blocked LSU kick for a touchdown in the SEC Championship. Awareness grade: 12/10.
Other safeties I'll take a gander at: Jay Ward, LSU; Jordan Battle, S, Alabama
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As noted above, these players are all eye-targets of mine because at the end of the week, they'll be the players Saints coaches got the closest look at. Still, there's plenty of other Saints reps in attendance who will be keeping a close eye on other prospects, so I'll work my way around as well.
Traditionally the Saints haven't targeted the running back position at the Senior Bowl, in 23 years they've never drafted one, so that'll be position I'll watch and let the players pop on their own. I'll be watching for the players who make me sit up and ask, "who was that?"
Here are a few names at other positions who could be interesting to watch:
- LB Henry To'oto'o, Alabama
- WR Trey Palmer, Nebraska
- EDGE Andre Carter, Army
- DL Siaki Ika, Baylor
- IOL, John Michael Schmitz, Minnesota