Players the Saints Could Target On Day 2 of the Draft

The Saints will enter Friday evening with three picks to make. That can certainly change once the draft kicks off or even before it starts, but for the moment, New Orleans has the 40th overall pick in Round 2 and then picks 71 and 93 in the third round. There's still plenty of needs to address on the roster, and keeping those picks could help out with that. Here's a look at their needs and players that could be paired to the team when it's all said and done.

The Simple Case For Positions The Saints Need To Address

Defensive Line - It'll be interesting to see if the Saints stray from their typical prototypes here when it comes to the edge position. New Orleans has to get better at affecting the quarterback and stopping the run. Some of that comes from the interior, but something Brandon Staley said on Thursday afternoon was interesting.

“If you can’t stop the run, you can’t control the game," Staley said. His identity of the defense is team defense, saying that he wants to be a rugged point attack team. He mentioned that the defense needs to kill blocks and stressed the importance of tackling.

Defensive Back - Whether it be safety or corner, the Saints will need them to properly run Staley's new-look defense. The plan is for them to play a lot of nickel, and either position would be a smart addition for New Orleans.

Linebacker - Another underrated need the Saints have, as the depth behind Demario Davis and Pete Werner would be a reason to bring more into the equation. Special teams also matter.

Running back - An underrated need for New Orleans, as the depth behind Alvin Kamara is a bit questionable, and the workload for him has yet to be determined.

Pass catcher - It could be a tight end or receiver, and if it's for the slot or getting a big-bodied player, New Orleans can use upgrades for Kellen Moore's offense.

Quarterback - The uncertainty of Derek Carr's future is more than enough reason to address the position, even if the team isn't forthcoming on what the exact situation is.

Offensive Line - Building the trenches means investing more resources into a spot that breeds competition. Moore said that they want to get their best five players on the offensive line, and they know injuries have been a problem in the past.

Players The Saints Could Target On Day 2

Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado (6’2”, 212) - Game manager, keeps composure in the pocket, lots of confidence, can adapt and make things happen, strong accuracy, needs a little discipline in some areas to make him that guy.

TreVeyon Henderson, RB, Ohio State (5’10”, 202) - Has really nice speed to his game, and he reiterated that at the Combine (4.43). He can be a three-down back and can offer a little bit of everything. Good patience and vision as a runner.

Tre Harris, WR, Ole Miss (6’2”, 205) - Lafayette native who has size and speed to become a nice WR2. Put together a nice season to show off route-running and contested catch ability. Concerns about the lower body injury, but should be just fine.

Jalen Milroe, QB, Alabama (6’2”, 217) - Can navigate the pocket exceptionally well and avoid the opposition. Not the most accurate quarterback, but he has a strong arm and elite speed. Needs the right situation to develop better in all three areas of the field.

Trey Amos, CB, Ole Miss (6’1”, 195) - New Iberia native who moved from Sun Belt to SEC competition for the past two years, which didn’t faze him. Has strong instincts, agility, and can transition well. Needs to work on the run support.

Mason Taylor, TE, LSU (6’5”, 251) - Stellar traits with NFL bloodline (Jason Taylor). Strong hands and can block on the move or in space. I like him as an “F” tight end due to his versatility. That’s a player who can line up in various positions, whether it’s in the slot or a hybrid between TE/WR. Can catch and block, meaning he can be on the field just about every down.

Shavon Revel Jr., CB, East Carolina (6’2”, 194) - Coming off ACL injury, real first-round talent. Strong vision and has good length to be successful on the next level. Won’t shy away from contact and tackling, has good eye discipline, and can compete for a starting role.

Quinn Ewers, QB, Texas (6’2”, 214) - Proven winner, tough. Played hurt, won games at Bama and at Michigan. That’s the player he can be. 11-1 on the road, only loss as a freshman. Has arm talent and produced against pro-level competition. Very accurate in a variety of ways.

Elijah Arroyo, TE, Miami (6’5”, 250) - Main production came in 2024, had previously dealt with a knee injury that hurt his availability in 2022-2023. Has the ability in the receiving department and could be an asset there for a QB, good hands, but medicals are the biggest concern.

Tyler Shough, QB, Louisville (6'5", 219) - Lots of rumors about him being on the Saints' radar. Has some really good film and some not-so-good film out there, but has size and arm talent. There are throws he makes that you can see translating on the next level. A little bit older prospect (25),

Kyle McCord, QB, Syracuse (6’3”, 218) - Three years at Ohio State (2021-2023), good pocket passer who has a gunslinger mentality and has upside. Good arm talent with a nice set of fundamentals. Displays patience and football IQ when making decisions.

Jayden Higgins, WR, Iowa State (6’4”, 214) - One of the biggest wild cards of the draft, has first-round potential. Big wingspan and ideal ball skills. Uses strength to help create separation and could be really interesting as a slot option.

TJ Sanders, DT, South Carolina (6’4”, 297) - Hard to move around, brings power and pressure to the table, and could be a three-down lineman. Comes off the line with some authority.

Tate Ratledge, OL, Georgia (6’7”, 308) - Well-rounded prospect, think about a meat and potatoes player who will fit in well as a guard. Played tons of right guard, not afraid of a challenge, and won’t back down. Good mentality and tough.

Charles Grant, OL, William & Mary (6’5”, 311) - Thirty-six starts at left tackle. Really cool story about how he donated bone marrow in Spring 2023 to a 29-year-old with Hodgkin's lymphoma. Consistent on the line and has sound technique, was a former high school wrestler.

Deone Walker, DT, Kentucky (6'7", 331) - 330-plus pounds of mass. Able to disrupt the pocket and apply pressure to QBs. Put out better tape in 2023, but very disruptive and can be a nuisance on the next level.

Jack Bech, WR, TCU (6'1", 214) - Lafayette native who has a really inspiring back story (brother killed in NOLA terrorist attack). Awesome moment at the Senior Bowl for him. Super competitive, great ball skills, has physicality traits of being big and strong. Willing to do a little of everything.

Darien Porter, CB, Iowa State (6'4", 195) - Strength and length, former track star who was converted from wide receiver to defensive back. 9.99 RAS. Can play press and zone (Staley), a little older prospect (25).

Emery Jones Jr., OT, LSU (6'5", 315) - Plaquemine native who had 36 starts at RT. Has desirable traits for the next level, but could probably be better for the inside. Has a strong build, concerns about medical status from pro day (sling). He needs the right coach to help unlock his full potential.

Chandler Martin, LB, Memphis (5'11", 233) - A very physical inside linebacker who tackles well. Has an aggression level that you want to see from someone there, a tone-setter mentality. Will need to carve his way onto a roster with special teams, but could be a good rotational player.

Princely Umanmielen, EDGE, Ole Miss (6'4", 244) - Played four years at Florida before Ole Miss. Became First-Team All-SEC and finished T-10th in sacks (10.5). Uses his athleticism to help with sack production, more of a stand-up edge rusher.

David Walker, EDGE, Central Arkansas (6’2”, 260) - Underrated FCS prospect. Explosive. Had a ton of production, a very appealing prospect who answered a lot of questions at the Senior Bowl. Rotational edge in a 3-4.