The New Orleans Saints lost another game, and sadly, it really didn’t change much in the draft order. Like these past two seasons, the bad teams keep losing, and it’s keeping the Saints away from a single-digit pick, so in the bye week, the Saints are set to select at pick 10 in the NFL Draft.
Here are some players the Saints could select at 10.
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Looking at top guard options, Greg Johnson is the guy in the first round, although 10 may be a little bit of a reach, guard is becoming more and more important in today’s NFL, and the Saints need a starting RG. If they do not move on from Cesar Ruiz before the deadline, it’s going to happen in the offseason. Although I do like Jeremiah Wright, there’s no reason to believe he can start next season, and I don’t want the Saints to rely on that to happen.
The other caveat to this selection is the coaching staff. If Kellen Moore, this coaching staff, and the front office are still in place, I don’t want the Saints to make this selection. They have good offensive linemen that are regressing under them already, so I wouldn’t expect a rookie offensive lineman to have much success. However, it’s the perfect selection for a new coaching staff and GM who hopefully knows the trenches, and a new head coach who can elevate this rookie.
The caveat put in place for the Johnson pick should be here as well. The Saints haven’t done well lately at drafting defensive linemen. Doesn’t matter if it’s a defensive tackle or edge rusher, it doesn’t work out. So, if a new staff is put in place, Xavier Gilliam would be a really good option.
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He is incredibly athletic, extremely quick off the snap, can win against offensive linemen with power and different pass-rush moves, and is equally dominant against the run. Gilliam is a player you will see throughout any game blowing up plays in the backfield, but he also makes the right decisions and has a consistent impact when he’s not creating incredible moments. The Saints do not have a DT anywhere close to the player Gilliam is on their roster, and putting him next to Chase Young could really elevate this entire defense.
