Top 50 New Orleans Saints of All-Time: No. 35-31

After a very exciting day of New Orleans Saints moves, what say we get back to our Top 50 list of the black and gold’s All-Time greatest? Let’s recap our list before we dive into No. 35-31.

50. Tracy Porter
49. Scott Fujita
48. John Carney
47. Dave Whitsell
46. Tommy Barnhardt
45. Tyrone Hughes
44. Thomas Morstead
43. Michael Lewis
42. Tom Dempsey
41. Joe Johnson
40. Fred McAfee
39. John Hill
38. Reggie Bush
37. Frank Warren
36. Jonathan Vilma

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35. Derland Moore (1973-1985)

Derland Moore is a great story of how hard work and perseverance can help you come out on top. Moore was a walk-on at Oklahoma, and his play netted him a second-round draft choice by the Saints in 1973. Although coaches came and went during the dark ages for the Saints, Moore was a constant. He played in 169 games over 13 seasons with the black and gold, earning a Pro Bowl selection in 1983 and ending up in the Saints Hall of Fame.

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34. Jim Wilks (1981-1993)

There's little to no question that the Dome Patrol drew the attention for the Saints back in the day, but Jim Wilks and the rest of the defensive linemen did their job. In 13 seasons with the Saints, Wilks tallied 45.5 sacks (ninth-most). The reason he pole vaulted partner in crime Frank Warren is simple: Wilks was 12th round pick! That's right, that used to be a thing. The expectations for Wilks were non-existent, but he endured and made a name for himself.

33. Aaron Brooks (2000-2005)

Aaron Brooks may be forever known for his backward pass, but he deserves to be on this list. Why? He helped lead the Saints to their first franchise playoff victory in the 2000 season. Brooks would beat the heavily favored St. Louis Rams twice, including the 31-28 playoff victory which saw him throw four touchdown passes. On May 24, 2014, Brooks was elected to the Saints Hall of Fame along with kicker John Carney.

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32. Jim Dombrowski (1986-1996)

Jim Dombrowski anchored the offensive line for 11 seasons, playing as a left tackle and left guard. As the team's 6th overall selection in 1986, Dombrowski played sparingly during his rookie season. However, that quickly changed in 1987. The Virginia product would play 151 games for the Saints, and start in 137. He was inducted into the Saints Hall of Fame in 2003.

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31. Will Smith (2004-2013)

If there's one thing Jim Haslett got right, it was drafting Will Smith. He was just a damn good football player that lived up to his first-round selection. Smith's 67.5 career sacks is the fourth-highest in franchise history, and is one of three post-2000 players to be in the franchise's Top 10. Smith's 10.5 sacks earned him a Pro Bowl spot in 2006, but it was his 13.5 sacks in 2009 that helped the team the most.

The unexpected murder of Smith on April 9, 2016 will go down as one of the most shocking events to unfold for the football world. Will Smith, who spent 2004-2013 with the black and gold, was killed by 28-year-old Cardell Hayes after a road incident in New Orleans. Smith’s wife was also shot, and the damage was catastrophic.