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Mock Draft Monday: Penn State Lineman Still Most Popular Pick for New Orleans Saints

Penn State's Olu Fashanu continues to be the most popular selection for the Saints among all the mock draft picks.

John Hendrix

Nov 4, 2023; College Park, Maryland, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions offensive lineman Olumuyiwa
Nov 4, 2023; College Park, Maryland, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions offensive lineman Olumuyiwa / Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
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We're another day closer to the NFL Draft, which means the mock madness is only going to intensify from here on out. For the Saints, they'll have the No. 14 pick to work with for the first round, but staying put remains to be seen. Their needs feel pretty glaring on the surface, but arguments could be made for a few different positions.

We looked at the previous mock draft picks from various outlets last week, and not much has changed from a prevailing choice of Penn State's Olu Fashanu. Let's take a look from the past several days.

Mock Draft Madness Monday - The Saints Pick Is?

The Saints offensive line does need some attention, with the tackle spots being the most concerning for New Orleans. Ryan Ramczyk's outlook is questionable and the verdict is out on Trevor Penning. As we've pointed out plenty, the Saints plan to keep Penning at left tackle going into training camp, but the spot won't just be given to him.

From a depth perspective, players like Oli Udoh and Landon Young could fill the void right now, as well as the possibility of veteran James Hurst kicking outside. Is this the right move and should New Orleans bank on these facts? Definitely not, because the reality is they'd be one injury away from being in a familiar boat.

Olu Fashanu provides a lot of upside and stability to a position of need, and at the end of it all, he's someone who has played against the proper competition and could be a starter for years to come. Fashanu going to the Saints is hardly set in stone, because no one honestly knows how everything will play out. That's part of why the draft is always fun. For now, offensive line fits the bill, and Fashanu makes a ton of sense.

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John Hendrix
JOHN HENDRIX

I officially started covering the New Orleans Saints & other NFL topics in 2011. My work has been featured on various outlets over the years. I worked closely with Skyhorse Publishing in Fall 2018 to update the book, Tales From the New Orleans Saints Sidelines, which filled in all Saints material from the 2013-2017 seasons. Prior to joining Saints News Network, I served as the Managing Editor of SB Nation's Canal Street Chronicles for 3.5 years, and before that with FanSided's Who Dat Dish as the Managing Editor for several years. I have also had experiences of being a freelance Saints reporter for The Sun Herald in Biloxi, MS and a contributing writer for WDSU, a local NBC TV station in New Orleans. I have appeared on a vast amount of TV and Radio shows, both nationally and locally. For tips, comments, or suggestions, please contact me at johnhendrix@saintsnews.net

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