Hubbard’s Saints three-round mock draft

The New Orleans Saints are fully targeted on their head teaching search, however with some unhealthy climate hitting the New Orleans space on Tuesday, they’ve needed to hit pause on a few of their interviews.

Since we’re in a little bit of a lull proper now, I figured we may briefly flip our consideration to the NFL Draft and have some enjoyable with somewhat three-round mock draft whereas we wait out the snow. The Saints have a top-10 decide for the primary time in over 15 years, so this must be an thrilling draft for the followers.

With all that mentioned, let’s hop into my first mock draft of the yr:

Spherical 1, Choose 9 – Will Campbell, OT, LSU

Photograph by Gus Stark/LSU/Getty Photographs

There have been quite a lot of totally different locations I may’ve gone with this decide. In my mock draft I used Professional Soccer Community’s simulator, and my high choices on the board have been Will Campbell, Mason Graham, Kelvin Banks and Will Johnson. I don’t assume you might go improper with any of these 4, however I selected Campbell.

The previous LSU offensive sort out is a superb prospect as a result of he may play each sort out and guard on the subsequent stage. His wingspan is a bit quick for sort out, however he’s proficient sufficient to beat that. Fortunately, the Saints want each a guard and a sort out, so he can slide in wherever they really feel needed. It’s additionally onerous to discover a 21 yr previous with extra expertise than him on this draft. In 2,500+ snaps, Campbell has allowed simply 4 sacks and 49 pressures in his profession.

I feel he’s the most effective OL accessible on this draft, and I’d take him at decide 9 if he’s nonetheless there in April.

Spherical 2, Choose 40 – Tre’ Harris, WR, Ole Miss

Photograph by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Photographs

As soon as once more, I discovered myself with 4 gamers, I actually like on the board with the fortieth decide. Tre’ Harris, Kenneth Grant, Harold Fannin Jr. and Omarion Hampton have been all sitting there, and if this have been actual life, I feel that may be a nice downside to have if you happen to’re the Saints. I in the end picked Harris, as a result of I feel the Saints actually need so as to add some expertise at receiver incase Chris Olave or Rashid Shaheed go down once more.

Harris, who performed simply eight video games this season resulting from damage, nonetheless recorded 60 catches for 1,030 yards and 7 touchdowns. He’s gone over 900 yards the previous three seasons and has over 3,500 profession receiving yards. He’s 6-foot-3, 210-pounds and provides them an enormous, bodied goal they desperately want.

It could be smarter to go along with Grant simply due to the necessity at defensive sort out, nevertheless it’s onerous to go up on a participant like Harris within the second spherical.

Spherical 3, Choose 74 – J.T. Tuimoloau, ED, Ohio State

Set Quantity: X164668 TK1

If I hadn’t gone offense-offense with my first two picks, this may’ve been a a lot harder determination. Matthew Golden (who I feel goes to shoot up draft boards within the coming months) and Quinshon Judkins have been each sitting there at decide 74 and it took all the pieces in me to not choose one in all them, however I made the smart determination and went with the most effective go rusher on the board in J.T. Tuimoloau. I may’ve gone with Denzel Burke or Zy Alexander at nook, however line of defense is a a lot greater want for my part.

In 4 seasons with the Buckeyes, Tuimoloau totaled 23.5 sacks, 12.5 of which got here this season, and 76 pressures. He and Jack Sawyer wreaked havoc on opposing quarterbacks all yr as they helped lead the Buckeyes to the nationwide championship.

I view Tuimoloau as among the best edge rushers within the draft, and I don’t know if he truly slides down to select 74 in the actual draft, however I simply went with what the simulator gave me.