Saints’ 2022 NFL Draft Picks: Who New Orleans Took Each Round

New Orleans has several areas it can address in this year’s draft, including at wide receiver and defensive line.

The 2021 season was an up-and-down campaign for the Saints in their first year of the post-Drew Brees era. After New Orleans started 5–2, quarterback Jameis Winston went down with a torn ACL and things spiraled out of control for five weeks. The team’s defense—along quarterback Taysom Hill—responded over the final five weeks as New Orleans went 4–1 and almost reached the playoffs had the 49ers loss in the final week.

After the season’s end, longtime coach Sean Payton retired and now Dennis Allen is preparing for his first draft as head coach after previously serving as the defensive coordinator. For now, Winston remains as QB1 for New Orleans. The Saints have several areas—the offensive line (with the loss of Terron Armstead in free agency), wide receiver defensive line and safety positions—that they can address in this year’s NFL draft.

While Michael Thomas is set to return this season, adding another weapon at the receiver position would take some of the load off his and Alvin Kamara’s receiving duties. After a recent trade with the Eagles, New Orleans added another first-round pick this season in exchange for several future Day 1 and 2 picks.

The Saints’ draft began in the first round with the No. 11 pick after a trade with the Commanders. Initially, New Orleans held the No. 16 pick. In addition to moving up, the Saints sent Washington their third-round and fourth-round selections. 

Here is how the Saints draft have turned out thus far (to be updated throughout the NFL draft):

• Round 1, Pick No. 11 (from Commanders): Chris Olave, WR, Ohio State
• Round 1, Pick No. 19 (from Eagles): Trevor Penning, OT, Northern Iowa
• Round 2, Pick No. 49: Alontae Taylor, S, Tennessee
• Round 5, Pick No. 161: D’Marco Jackson, LB, Appalachian State
• Round 6, Pick No. 194 (from Colts via Eagles): Jordan Jackson, DT, Air Force

The 2022 NFL draft begins with the first round on Thursday, April 28 at 8 p.m. ET. The second and third rounds take place on Friday, beginning at 7 p.m. Rounds four through seven take place on Saturday, beginning at noon. 

• Saints News Network: Saints’ GM Mickey Loomis Talks Pre-Draft 

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