As NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue stands on the podium Saturday and says, “With the 17th pick of the 2005 NFL Draft, the New Orleans Saints select…” Saints fans should be holding their breath.
Not because of the excitement of landing an impact player but because of terror of another wasted opportunity to help get the team over their hump of mediocrity displayed for the past four seasons.
Common knowledge would be for the Saints to pick a linebacker or defensive back that could make an immediate impact on a unit that allowed 383.8 yards per game last season, which ranked dead last in the entire league.
But when it comes to the Saints, conventional wisdom isn’t at the top of the depth chart.
For the past two years, the Saints were in obvious need of a cornerback or linebacker, but their brain trusts of general manager Mickey Loomis and coach Jim Haslett always found a reason not to select one.
The Saints have not had horrible drafts the past two years. Instead they have failed to draft talent at positions of need.
Last season they selected defensive end Will Smith, who is an exceptional talent and was a value with the 18th pick. But, defensive end was the one position that they did not need with Charles Grant under contract and Darren Howard signing a franchise tender.
They needed a cornerback, and Ohio State cornerback Chris Gamble was available. But that would make too much sense.
Instead they chose Smith to back up Grant and Howard until a spot opens for him to start while Gamble was drafted by the Carolina Panthers and started all 16 games for them last season.
In 2003 the Saints were in a similar position. They had picks No. 17 and No. 18 in the first round. They traded both to move up to sixth overall, as I began to drool knowing that cornerback Marcus Trufant could be the only reason they moved up.
Then Tagliabue spews, “With the sixth pick in the 2003 NFL draft the New Orleans Saints select defensive tackle Johnathan Sullivan of the University of Georgia.”
The Saints fooled us all, from myself to ESPN draft expert Mel Kiper.
Two years later, it is obvious why the Saints chose Sullivan over Trufant, who went to the Seattle Seahawks with the 11th pick overall.
Trufant has not missed a game for the Seahawks. He has recorded 179 total tackles, 32 passes defended, seven interceptions and one sack, while becoming the cornerstone of their secondary.
Meanwhile Sullivan has played in 21 games for the Saints, seven this past season before being demoted to third string. He has registered one and a half sacks and 48 total tackles, forced one fumble and defended one pass.
When you look at it that way, Sullivan has recorded half a sack more than Trufant in 11 less games, while being out of shape and undedicated to improving. The guy is a beast!
What is even more concerning than the Saints’ draft blunders the past two years is their failure to find talent in the later rounds of the draft or develop the players they are drafting.
The Saints have another roll of the dice Saturday in the annual crapshoot to redeem their past transgressions, and do what is right.
They still need a defensive back and linebacker, but defensive and offensive tackle as well backup quarterback are areas that should be addressed.
The Saints hold seven picks in all, including three in the top 100. Their picks are Nos. 16, 40, 82, 118, 152, 193 and 232.
The team also has trade bait in Howard, who is once again franchise tagged and should bring at least a second round draft choice should they choose to trade him.
With their first round pick, the best case scenario for the Saints would be for Texas linebacker Derrick Johnson to miraculously fall to them.
Since Johnson is most likely to go within the top 10 and the Saints can not afford to trade multiple picks to move up, the team should turn to the defensive backfield or defensive tackle position.
If Georgia junior Thomas Davis is available at No. 16, the Saints would be hard pressed to pass on him.
Davis, at 6-foot-1,230 pounds, is projected to play either strong safety or weak side linebacker, and has shown a knack for making plays in his three seasons for the Bulldogs.
Other first round options that would help the defense would be Auburn cornerback Carlos Rogers or Florida State defensive tackle Travis Johnson.
If the Saints land Davis with their first pick, they could address cornerback or defensive tackle at pick No. 40.
Cornerback is one of the deepest positions in this years’ draft, and LSU’s Corey Webster, Michigan’s Marlin Jackson or Florida State’s Bryant McFadden would give the Saints depth as well as a solid complement to Mike McKenzie, who the Saints acquired from Green Bay last season.
McKenzie is an excellent cover corner, but the reason Green Bay traded him was because he was holding out for a new contract. That situation has carried over to the Saints, where McKenzie wants the team to restructure his contract or he could possibly hold out again, which makes selecting a cornerback all more feasible.
If the Saints take a defensive back and linebacker with their first two picks, then in the third round they could go defensive tackle, quarterback or even offensive tackle, where 34-year-old left tackle Wayne Gandy has begun to show his age. Newly acquired offensive lineman Jermane Mayberry is 31.
Another option for the Saints in the third round would be to take a quarterback to develop for the future. The Saints lack a solid backup and 29-year-old Aaron Brooks has not lived up to the status he made for himself in the 2001 playoffs.
The team’s shortcomings can’t all be placed on Brooks, even tough he managed to throw a no-look backwards pass last season. Brooks has shown improvement, but drafting a prospect to push him in practice could lead to greater things.
There are several quarterbacks worth taking a chance on in the third round. Purdue’s Kyle Orton or Florida State’s Adrian McPherson, who could be the most talented quarterback in the draft.
McPherson’s draft stock would be much higher if not for character issues. He managed to get dismissed from Florida State during his sophomore season for legal issues that included accusations of theft and gambling.
Despite his shortcomings, McPherson has Michael Vickesque abilities and seems to have turned his ship around.
On the second day of the draft, it is hard to project what the Saints may do, but their goal should be to draft players that can at least contribute on special teams with the promise of developing into a starter.
The Saints have two more days before they are on the clock, so they better start sharpening their darts.