With the draft officially over, Sports Events Guide will be conducting its annual draft review series for all 32 teams. Today, the New Orleans Saints selections will be examined. The Saints ended up with only five picks by the weekend’s end, hoping they’ve hit on each one of them. In their quest to return to perennial playoff form, here are the draftees below:
1st Round, 12th Overall: DT Sheldon Rankins (Louisville)
2nd Round, 47th Overall: WR Michael Thomas (Ohio State)
2nd Round, 61st Overall, S Vonn Bell (Ohio State) *
4th Round, 120th Overall, DT David Onyemata (Canada) **
7th Round, 237th Overall, RB Daniel Lasco (California)
* = Denotes draft pick acquired from Patriots
** = Denotes draft pick acquired from Redskins
Saints 2016 Draft Grade: 6.5/10
New Orleans Saints 2016 NFL Draft Review
The Best Player: Sheldon Rankins is easily the best player of this draft class. Considered the best at his position, Rankins will be an immediate upgrade along the Saints defensive front. His quickness off the snap is coupled with a high motor that helps him cause havoc consistently. Versatile enough to play in multiple defensive sets, he will cause mismatches for any offensive linemen guarding him. Ranking 31st against the run in 2015, Rankins’ presence will be needed pronto. Plus, the Saints can use a high-character guy who will help them forget about the troubled Junior Galette. This acquisition was simply a home-run grab for New Orleans.
The Head-Scratcher: Although the Saints traditionally have a running game by committee, the Daniel Lasco selection in the seventh round was mind-boggling. He did have a stellar junior year, rushing for 1,115 yards and 12 touchdowns on 210 carriers in 2014 before enduring an injury-plagued campaign last season. Though Lasco displays the ability to make quick cuts and move upfield swiftly on film, running back should not have been on the Saints radar, especially since their backfield is already crowded with Mark Ingram, C.J. Spiller and Travaris Cadet (just to name a few). His early ceiling would be a special teams contributor, but nothing more.
The Surprise: Michael Thomas; No interior offensive lineman selected. I did have wide receiver as a “distant” need for the Saints–assuming they addressed their necessities first–but seeing Michael Thomas taken in the second round was an eye-opener. Despite being overshadowed by running back Ezekiel Elliott, Braxton Miller’s wideout transition, and the quarterback carousel of Cardale Jones and J.T. Barrett, Thomas remained consistent and reliable. Tallying 110 receptions for 1,580 yards and 18 touchdowns since 2014, he can be trusted by any signal-caller. Lacking breakaway speed at 6’3’’ and 209 pounds, analysts project him to be the next Marques Colston. With that said, however, Thomas will be competing for playing time with Brandin Cooks, Willie Snead, and Brandon Coleman. This Buckeye has talent, but the Saints should’ve waited on a pass-catcher.
Perhaps the biggest disappointment was the Saints failing to grab an offensive guard. Losing six-time Pro Bowler Jahri Evans should’ve quickened them in finding his replacement. As stressed in their off-season needs piece, drafting LSU’s Vadal Alexander made perfect sense, but they opted for a different approach. Hopefully they can strike gold in undrafted or veteran free agency.
The Steal: Vonn Bell’s the steal of the class because he’s “the best cover safety in the draft,” according to ESPN draft analyst Todd McShay. Boasting a 5’11″, 199-pound frame, Bell’s flexibility allows him to play both safety and cornerback for any NFL team. His ballhawking ability and overall range will make quarterbacks think twice about throwing in his vicinity. Greatest case scenario, he will replace Jairus Byrd to fulfill the Darren Sharper role from the 2009 championship squad. With the safety spot being arguably the worst position in the NFC South, Bell can become an impact player in the near future. Although critics suggest he’s not the best in run support, he can make the stops when called upon.
Most Likely to Turn Heads in Training Camp: This superlative is a tiebreaker between Rankins and Bell. The linking themes are “pure ability” and “big-play capability.” With the exception of a few seasons, poor defense has been the running theme in New Orleans. Desperately needing to improve, the organization snagged the two perfect players to be building blocks. The multifaceted aspects of their games will give the Saints options against their opposition. Being a first-round selection, Sheldon Rankins will catch eyes with his explosiveness right away. Although he may not start initially, Vonn Bell’s skillset will make it impossible for him to remain as a benchwarmer.
The Rest: This leaves us with David Oneymata, who didn’t even know what a football was five years ago. While showing great arm usage and explosion off the ball in Canada, the 6’4’’, 300-pound tackle is vastly inexperienced in this game. Also, New Orleans surrendered a lot (a fifth-round pick this year and a fifth-rounder in 2017) for a project player who was a projected sixth-rounder. The only thing that kept Oneymata from being a “head-scratcher” was his position being a need for the Saints. Despite the cautionary signs, he has the potential to develop into the next Akiem Hicks, even if it’s just in stints.
The Bottom Line: The Saints got off to an auspicious start, but they tailed off a bit with the Thomas pick. Rebounding quickly with the Bell selection, the Oneymata and Lasco choosings weren’t transcending. The draft is all about acquiring team needs, and it would’ve been ideal for New Orleans to address the offensive line. Overall, their draft was far from excellent, yet slightly above average.
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