The NFL Draft is an annual event where the 32 teams pick players in rounds one through seven. But what do coaches really think of their picks? This blog post analyzes every single New Orleans Saints draft selection, live on twitter and by round.
Without future Hall of Fame quarterback Drew Brees, the New Orleans Saints begin a new chapter in 2021. In 2022, as the team enters a new era sans now-former head coach Sean Payton, the franchise will do the same.
Dennis Allen, Payton’s successor as defensive coordinator in New Orleans since 2015, inherits a club that finished 9-8 last season but missed the playoffs for the first time since 2016.
That clearly irritated general manager Mickey Loomis, who made a deal with the Philadelphia Eagles to obtain a second first-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. The Saints were in desperate need of wide receiver assistance, so they moved up five places to No. 11 to acquire Ohio State’s Chris Olave. They then drafted Northern Iowa tackle Trevor Penning to address another need.
New Orleans Saints draft selections in 2022
- Chris Olave, WR, Ohio State, No. 11 overall
- Trevor Penning, OT, Northern Iowa, is ranked No. 19 overall.
- Overall, No. 49: TBD
- Overall, No. 161: TBD
- Overall: TBD, No. 194
Chris Olave, WR, Ohio State, No. 11 overall
2022 NFL Draft choice for the New Orleans Saints Mike Calendrillo/Sportscasting | Chris Olave
Chris Olave may not have been worth moving up five places for, but he’s still a good choice. The Saints like having Ohio State Buckeyes on their roster, and Olave, who established a school record with 35 receiving touchdowns, is the latest addition. In 2021, even 20% of his receptions (13 of 65) ended in a touchdown. In New Orleans, he’ll make things easy for Jameis Winston and/or Andy Dalton.
Grade: A-
Trevor Penning, OT, Northern Iowa, is ranked No. 19 overall.
The Saints selected Northern Iowa lineman Trevor Penning with their second first-round choice, and we’ll deem him a solid-enough pick. Although I believe there are better lineman available, he is a good decision. He’s NFL-sized at 6’7′′ and 321 pounds, but he’s only played FCS competition. We’ll simply have to watch how he does at this level.
Grade: B
Sports Reference provided the statistics.
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