3 draft mistakes the Saints need to avoid this year

The NCAA has blessed us with a very talented 2023 NFL Draft class.

There are opportunities through this class to draft immediate game-changers for positions that desperately need depth. Although there are plenty of great arguments for a myriad of opinions on what position needs a first-round pick the most, there’s certainly a franchise talent at stake for the New Orleans Saints.

Aside from a few mistakes, General Manager Mickey Loomis has a pretty impressive track record for draft decisions. But just in case he needs some “do’s and don’ts” to stay sharp, here are three common draft mistakes that the Saints should try to avoid this year.

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1. Giving up significant draft stock to trade up

The Saints have been blessed with a first-round draft pick thanks to the Sean Payton trade back in February. This first-round pick allows the Saints to draft a player with a significant chance to start as a rookie, especially on a weaker unit like the defensive line.

Unlike some other franchises, the Saints do not have a wealth of extra future draft capital to trade with in future years. Also, as some of the team’s biggest contributors get older and older (Cameron Jordan, Demario Davis, Alvin Kamara), the picks currently at their disposal are vitally important to the team’s future.

This is a very talented draft class, especially for some of the bigger team needs. It would be disappointing to see Loomis trade future high draft picks just to move up in the first or second rounds this year. However, there should be no problem If the team wants to make a small trade to move up just a few spots in the first.

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2. Drafting “the best available guy” in the first round

Drafting the best available player is not a bad strategy by any means, but it becomes a dangerous game in the first round.

This is a draft where the Saints have some obvious needs. Which one of those needs is worthy of their first-round pick? That is debatable, but it does not mean that drafting another left tackle just because a highly rated prospect slipped to pick number 29 is a good idea. Draft the player that will have an immediate and quality impact on the team.

Hopefully, that “best available guy” at pick number 29 will play a position the team could use in 2023.

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3. Drafting a skill offensive player in the first round

When drafting a skilled offensive player (QB, RB, WR) in the first round, there tends to be a higher risk associated with that player. Therefore, drafting one of these three players requires an immediate positional need and full confidence in the said player. This draft is not a draft where the risk is warranted for New Orleans.

Thanks to an impressive free agent season from “Cap God” Mickey Loomis, the QB room (Carr, Winston) RB room (Kamara, Williams), and WR room (Thomas, Olave, Shaheed, Edwards) are undoubtedly well-staffed. Of course, there is some risk involved with Carr and Williams, but as of now, there does not seem to be a reasonable need for an offensive skill position.

This does not mean that drafting an offensive skill guy is a bad idea in another round. But as previously stated, there are needs on this team that need to be addressed in the first round and offensive skill positions are not in that category.