NFL Mock Draft Simulator 5.0: Final Saints 7-Round Selections

Our final mock draft for the Saints has them addressing positions of need and coming away with several key impact players who will contribute on Day 1.

Draft day is finally here! All of the mock drafts, visits, and overall thoughts will all come to fruition soon. The Saints will be working the phone lines, as Mickey Loomis revealed on Wednesday afternoon during his pre-draft press conference. New Orleans probably won't be players in the top-half of the first round, but will obviously see what teams will want to trade back and get their guy.

Well, here's my one and only Saints mock draft of the year. There are some caveats when looking at this mock draft. For starters, there were no trades made. Everyone should fully anticipate the Saints moving up, and to suggest that they'll come away with eight picks would be a little farfetched. Also, keep in mind that most selections are made based off of the needs of the roster. With that being said, let's dive in.

Round 1, 29th Overall: Bryan Bresee, DT, Clemson

Dec 30, 2022; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Clemson Tigers defensive tackle Bryan Bresee (11) sacks Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Joe Milton III (7) during the first half of the 2022 Orange Bowl at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

The chatter surrounding Calijah Kancey is certainly interesting, and players like Jahmyr Gibbs, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, and Dalton Kincaid may not be around when the Saints pick, and it will most certainly require them to trade up. 

Taking Bryan Bresee just makes the most sense, especially with New Orleans needing to address the defensive tackle spot. He's a force on the interior at getting after the quarterback, which is something the defense could absolutely use. There's just a lot of things to like about his game. The only real issue is the medical side, but anyone drafting him will have done their due diligence. Bresee will instantly make the defense better.

Round 2, 40th Overall: Drew Sanders, LB, Arkansas

Sep 10, 2022; Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks linebacker Drew Sanders (42) pursues South Carolina Gamecocks quarterback Spencer Rattler (7) during the second half at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium. Arkansas won 44-30. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports

The Saints linebacker group needs to find their next Kaden Elliss. For me, Drew Sanders is that guy. He's someone that can get after the passer and it would allow the defense to keep working things like they did last year with Pete Werner. You look at how productive New Orleans has been with getting sacks from this spot, and not having someone like that certainly leaves a lot to the imagination. Michael Hodges would be able to help coach and develop the shortcomings in Sanders' game, and I'll take that bet every day. 

Round 3, 71st Overall: A.T. Perry, WR, Wake Forest

Nov 19, 2022; Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA; Wake Forest Demon Deacons wide receiver A.T. Perry (9) makes a catch against Syracuse Orange defensive back Darian Chestnut (0) to score during the first half at Truist Field. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports

Getting Michael Thomas would be tremendous, but regardless, wide receiver is an absolute need here for the Saints offense. Luckily, the draft has some real studs out there that could help. A.T. Perry is probably my most favorite one to watch. He has tremendous upside and is going to shine at the next level with great coaching. He's a natural receiver who has a strong route tree, and this physical weapon would only compliment what the Saints have with Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed. 

Round 4, 115th Overall: Roschon Johnson, RB, Texas

Nov 25, 2022; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns running back Roschon Johnson (2) runs for yards during the first half against the Baylor Bears at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-USA TODAY Sports

All of the attention is on Bijan Robinson, and deservedly so. His teammate Roschon Johnson is going to be a great consolation prize for a team. Mickey Loomis said on Wednesday that the Alvin Kamara situation won't affect how they approach the running back spot. Loomis also said back at the Combine that the middle rounds make the most sense. Speaking of the Combine, Johnson made the most of his time there, helping put concerns aside about his athleticism. He has a certain explosiveness that would really hit home with the Saints offense.

Round 5, 146th Overall: YaYa Diaby, EDGE, Louisville

Oct 1, 2022; Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA; Louisville Cardinals defensive lineman YaYa Diaby (6) reacts after a play during the first half against the Boston College Eagles at Alumni Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports

Another position the Saints will need to address in this draft is at defensive end. We've touched on the reasons why, and adding a player to the rotation like YaYa Diaby would work. There's a lot of physical traits Diaby has, and the biggest thing he'll need to polish up is being a more balanced player on the edge. He can get after the passer, but the run defense needs some improvement. Of course, if you look at the prototypes the Saints like at this position, he is a bit undersized. Still, Diaby can get after the quarterback and flourish under Todd Grantham.

Round 5, 165th Overall: Jake Haener, QB, Fresno State

Feb 4, 2023; Mobile, AL, USA;National quarterback Jake Haener of Fresno State (9) throws during the second half of the Senior Bowl college football game at Hancock Whitney Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vasha Hunt-USA TODAY Sports

Let me reiterate that I'm not a fan of drafting a quarterback on Day 1 or Day 2, but I'm open to it on Day 3. There's a lot praise being thrown at Jake Haener, who some have said "has a little Drew Brees in him." Now, that's not the reason to draft him, but here's how I see it if the Saints do draft a quarterback. Jameis Winston is a solid insurance policy to Derek Carr. 

There's little to no reason to have someone in waiting for several years while Carr is clearly the guy. If for some reason New Orleans drafts a quarterback during the draft, then it may help spell out a little more of what Taysom Hill will bring to the table on his role. Now, if said quarterback that gets drafted comes in and does a strong job and Winston shines in training camp and the preseason, perhaps a quarterback-needy team will be looking to acquire his services.

Haener isn't going to be a starter for any team that drafts him. He has a very strong arm and does a lot of exceptional things as a quarterback. However, he needs to work on some of the decision-making and be able to navigate the pocket pressure. Ronald Curry would make a strong pairing for his future outlook.

Round 7, 227th Overall: McClendon Curtis, IOL, Chattanooga

Feb 1, 2023; Mobile, AL, USA; National offensive lineman McClendon Curtis of UT-Chattanooga (52) practices with National defensive lineman Keion White of Georgia Tech (6) during the second day of Senior Bowl week at Hancock Whitney Stadium in Mobile. Mandatory Credit: Vasha Hunt-USA TODAY Sports

Interior lineman is not necessarily the strongest need for the Saints, but it's one that could get muddied really quickly with injury. McClendon Curtis is going to be a project for any team that drafts him, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. The Saints were a team that Curtis had met with and reportedly had an exceptional meeting with them. The physical traits are there for the prospect, and it'll be important for coaching to help unlock the true potential that Curtis could have.

Round 7, 257th Overall: Kaevon Merriweather, S, Iowa

Iowa defensive back Kaevon Merriweather (26) lines up during a NCAA Big Ten Conference football game against Northwestern, Saturday, Oct. 29, 2022, at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. 221029 Northwestern Iowa Fb 061 Jpg

The Saints may or may not make this pick, and at this point in the draft, going with someone who you wouldn't want to risk competing with for an undrafted rookie contract would be who'd you try to grab here. As far as Kaevon Merriweather, there's leadership qualities that are desirable for any locker room, something the Saints do value. He's more of a hard-nosed type of safety who gets the job done. He didn't have the strongest showing at the Senior Bowl, and there are things that he will need to work on improving at the next level to make an NFL roster, but Iowa's produced some good talent at the position, so he'll know what it takes to do it.