2019 NFL Draft: NFC South Draft Grades
New Orleans Saints: B-
- 2nd round, Pick 48: Erik McCoy, C (Texas A&M)
- 4th round, Pick 105: Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, S (Florida)
- 6th round, Pick 177: Saquan Hampton, S (Rutgers)
- 7th round, Pick 231: Alize Mack, TE (Notre Dame)
- 7th round, Pick 244: Kaden Elliss, LB (Idaho)
Key offseason roster additions/changes:
- Jared Cook (TE)
- Teddy Bridgewater (QB) – resigned
- Latavius Murray (RB)
- Malcolm Brown (DT)
The first thing here is glaringly obvious, there are only 5 picks and only one of those picks in the top 100. Well, when you trade up for Marcus Davenport in last year’s draft and trade for Eli Apple midseason, these types of situations arise.
That being said, with the limited amount of capital that they had entering the 2019 NFL Draft, I think the Saints leave filling a massive hole at the center position from the retirement of Max Unger. Erick McCoy is a starter in this league, so job well done there.
I also think general manager Mickey Loomis and head coach Sean Payton played a solid game of risk and reward with back to back picks there at 105 & 177 with CGJ out of Florida and Saquan Hampton from Rutgers. Both have their obvious questions marks, CGJ’s being the inconsistency at Florida and the lack of a true position, whereas Hampton will merely have to stay healthy. He was productive in college, when on the field.
With limited capital here and problem areas addressed at RB2, tight end and interior defensive line in free agency, overall good job here by New Orleans.