New Orleans Saints Given B+ for Undrafted Free Agent Class

With the 2017 NFL Draft squarely in the books, focus has turned to the undrafted free agents acquired by each team across the NFL. Bleacher Report recently released grades for each undrafted free agent class, and the Saints are given a solid B+ for the class, carried by two local products.

LSU wide receiver Travin Dural wasn't especially productive in college, never catching more than 40 passes in a season. Nor did he test especially well at the NFL Scouting Combine. But...the 6'1", 202-pounder is more than his stats. Zierlein projected Dural as a fifth- or sixth-round pick, so it can be argued the Saints got a bargain with the hometown hero.

The Saints were also able to get a local kid for the defensive side of the ball:

Just like Dural, Memphis cornerback Arthur Maulet is a local product, having played high school ball in the Big Easy before heading off to college. And just like Dural, head coach Sean Payton told Chris Hagan of Fox 8 TV the Saints were surprised the 5'10", 189-pounder was still available when the draft ended.

"You certainly are going to prioritize those players when the draft ends,” Payton said. “And he was one of those players. He’s picking things up really well, and we’ll just keep giving him more and more. There’s a vision for him. He’s built well, and we see him being the smart player he is. We see him being a nickel candidate and someone that can play on the inside.'

Across the NFC South, the Falcons were given an A-, the Panthers got a C-, and the Buccaneers came in just behind the Saints with a B-.