I made a comment earlier that the Saints sometimes will take the best player available rather than focusing on need. Perhaps this year the uncertainty with the labor situation or the desire to get back to the top of the NFC South and win another Super Bowl pushed the Saints to fill some positions of need and fill both in a big way. On a night where two other teams in their division made some big splashes, the Saints made the biggest splash and also may have made the most progress towards improving their teams.

To recap, the Saints used their first round pick, the 24th overall on California defensive end Cameron Jordan. The Saints then traded their 2nd round pick and 2012 1st round pick to the New England Patriots for Alabama running back Mark Ingram. I mentioned in an article earlier this year that two of the positions the Saints needed to improve on were defensive end and running back. I also mentioned front seven defense and the running game as reasons the Saints weren’t able to make it back to the super bowl. The Saints took care of both of these needs in the first round tonight and may have put themselves on a road back to the super bowl.

Analysis on each pick.

Cameron Jordan, DE, California – I was born in New Orleans and my family and I have been Saints fans for my whole life, even indoctrinating my wife and kids. During our draft party at the Saints Scoop HQ (a. k. a. my living room), we were a little disappointed this pick wasn’t used on Mark Ingram when he was still on the board. Then I started doing a little research on Jordan. Jordan is a 6′4″, 287 lbs. player who ran a 4.78 4o-yard dash at the combine. This is a scary combination of size and speed for a defensive player. For the Saints, he gives defensive coordinator Greg Williams a player who can instantly start on the other side of the defensive line opposite Will Smith. While he is not an elite pass-rushing defensive end, he has the ability to play well against both the pass and the run which is something the Saints need on their defensive line. Many experts had Jordan going in the top-10 to top-15 picks and he was a highly rated player on most expert’s draft boards so the Saints get a tremendous value here with the 24th pick. Greg Williams will definitely find a way to use his speed and athleticism in multiple defensive fronts and to get the most production out of this player. Plus, a defensive line consisting of Will Smith, Sedrick Ellis, Shaun Rogers and Cameron Jordan suddenly looks very strong and a little scary for other teams.

Mark Ingram, RB, Alabama – The Saints gave up a lot in a 2nd round pick this year and 1st round pick next year to draft Ingram but Sean Payton and Mickey Loomis are very smart football minds and if they felt this pick was worth it, I don’t doubt it. What I like about Ingram going to the Saints is that, every draft expert says that if there is one running back in this year’s draft that can play every down, it is Ingram. For the Saints, Ingram is not going to have to play every down, he gets to join a backfield rotation with Pierre Thomas, Chris Ivory and possibly still Reggie Bush. A lot of experts have compared Ingram to Emmit Smith and with an offensive minded coach like Sean Payton and an incredibly strong passing game lead by Drew Brees, I think you can expect big things from Ingram and he will immediately improve a Saints running game that struggled last season.

I’ll be back with more draft coverage tomorrow night. The Saints are armed with two third round picks and I think there might be a lot of value to be found in that round. The Saints have already filled two of their biggest needs so they might be able to look more at the best players that are available and consider adding more depth at certain positions.

The Saints trade their 2nd round pick and 2012 1st round pick to the New England Patriots for the 28th overall pick and selected Alabama running back Mark Ingram. Costly but well worth it in my opinion. More on the Saints two first round picks shortly. Great night overall for the Saints.

With the 24th overall pick in the 2011 draft, the Saints have selected Cameron Jordan, Defensive End, California. Originally thought to be a top-10 to top-15 pick in the draft, the Saints get some great value here. More on the pick in a little while.

The Saints are on the clock and thanks to a run on quarterbacks in the first round, several players the Saints may have eyes on are still available.  Da’Quan Bowers, Muhammad Wilkerson, Cameron Jordan and Justin Houston could all be possibilities for the defense. Mark Ingram also made it past the Dolphins and Giants so he could be getting a serious look. I also wouldn’t rule out a trade down for New Orleans but the value of quarterbacks still available makes that less of a possibility. With the Saints, it’s hard to rule out any particular player. Best available players right now are:

1. Da’Quan Bowers

2. Mark Ingram

3. Muhammad Wilkerson

4. Justin Houston

5. Cameron Jordan

In the NFC South, the Carolina Panthers surprise no one by taking Cam Newton with the number one overall pick. The Saints defense often victimizes rookie quarterbacks and this might be the case if Carolina hurries and starts Newton before he has a chance to adapt to a pro-style offense. The Atlanta Falcons made an aggressive trade, mortgaging this year’s draft and two picks in next year’s draft to trade up to select wide receiver Julio Jones. The Saints defense might be in for a workout against the Falcons this year. I’ve got to say though that, as a closet Browns, I like the trade, giving them more picks to rebuild their roster with. Tampa Bay select Adrian Clayborn, the first defensive pick in the division and no doubt looking at putting more pressure on Drew Brees, Matt Ryan and now Cam Newton. Clayborn could have been a possibility for the Saints as well.

The NFL Network draft coverage just commented that the Saints have been trying to trade up. Defensive end Cameron Jordan is still on the board and could be the target. We’ll see how the next few picks shape up now with the Colts on the clock at number 22.

The first round of the 2011 NFL Draft begins tonight at 8:00 PM Eastern Time. The New Orleans Saints hold the 24th overall pick in the draft. The Saints have a total of six picks in the draft which are as follows:

1st Round – 24th Pick

2nd Round – 24th Pick

3rd Round – 8th Pick (acquired from Washington in trade for Jamaal Brown)

3rd Round – 24th Pick

7th Round – 24th Pick

7th Round – 42nd Pick, compensatory pick.

The Saints fourth round draft pick is held by Jacksonville which the Saints used to trade up in last year’s draft to select C Matt Tenant. The Saints fifth round pick is held by Washington which was part of the Jamaal Brown trade. The Saints sixth round pick is held by New England as part of a 2009 trade for TE David Thomas.

The Saints have a history of drafting the best player available rather than focusing strictly on need. Last year the Saints selected Patrick Robinson in the first round. They didn’t have a particular need at cornerback but he was the highest rated player on their board. Without many glaring holes on their roster, this year could be another example of drafting the best player available rather than locking in on need at any position. General manager Mickey Loomis has stated the only positions the Saints won’t draft are long snapper, punter and kicker. I would also rule out a quarterback in the early rounds as the Saints have a franchise quarterback in Drew Brees and a solid backup in Chase Daniel.

Conventional wisdom suggests that the Saints will take a front seven defender with their first round pick but I doubt that they are locked into any one position. There may not be a defender available the Saints have rated high enough to take at number 24. They could also look at an offensive lineman or an offensive skill position with this pick. The Saints have been linked to running back Mark Ingram and he would certainly get some consideration if still available at that point. I also wouldn’t rule out a receiver here to give another weapon to Drew Brees and the passing game.

Trading up or down in the first round could also be a possibility. The Saints have been more than willing to trade up in the past when they see a player they like still on the board. Look at the Patriots, who are frequent trading partners with the Saints and have the number 17 pick, if the Saints will try to move up. Teams in need of a quarterback might also be calling the Saints to move back into the bottom part of the first round. If the Saints don’t have a player they like at this pick, trading it to a quarterback needy team would allow them to pick up some picks later in the draft.

I’ll provide analysis on the Saints first round pick as soon as it comes in tonight. I’ll also be online to provide some other draft analysis and comments.

It’s hard to judge a draft class after only a year but we are going to take a look back at the Saints 2010 draft class.

2010 Draft Saints Draft Picks: CB Patrick Robinson (32nd Overall), T Charles Brown (64th Overall), TE Jimmy Graham (95th Overall), DT Al Woods (123rd Overall), C Matt Tennant (158th Overall), QB Sean Canfield (239th Overall).

Best Picks: Jimmy Graham came on strong late in the season, providing a dangerous target for Drew Brees and the passing game. While he finished the season with 31 receptions for 356 yards and five touchdowns, the Saints coaches apparently felt good enough about his progress and potential to release Jeremy Shockey this offseason.

Disappointments: When the Saints drafted Al Woods in the 4th round, a lot of analysts penciled him in for a starting job but instead he didn’t make the opening day roster, getting cut in the final round of roster cuts. Woods then found his way to the Tampa Bay Bucanneers which adds to the disappointment as the Saints traded up in the 4th round to make sure they could draft Woods ahead of Tampa Bay.

Jury Still Out On: Everyone else in this year’s class. Sean Payton made a comment after last year’s draft that the draft was based more on vision than on need and that much is pretty evident. Patrick Robinson showed some promise in the limited playing time he had last year but it is still tough to say if he is a success or a failure. With Brown and Tennant, I think the Saints were definitely drafting with an eye towards the future here. They didn’t have to play these players immediately which gives them time to develop them into potential starters. A lot of analysts say the Saints need to draft some offensive line players in the 2011 draft and I point to Brown and Tennant as the reasons they don’t need to. Finally, Sean Canfield seems like an odd pick but after a few years of learning behind Drew Brees and Sean Payton, a quarterback needy team might be making calls to the Saints.

Overall Draft Grade: Going to give this one two grades, a C – based on the performance thus far but an A – based on potential.

The NFL announced its regular season schedule earlier this evening and, as I suspected, the Saints will play in the opening game of the season for the second year in a row. The Saints will face the super bowl champion Green Bay Packers on Thursday September 8, 2011 played at Lambeau Field in a matchup of the past two super bowl champions. This should be a great game as these two teams have two of the most explosive offenses in the league. I’ll post more on the Saints 2011 schedule later in the week.

The NFL is announcing the regular season schedule tonight at 7PM easter time. I’ll be posting an analysis on the full regular and preseason schedules for the Saints in the next couple of days. I think there is a good chance the Saints will be playing in the first game of the season against the defending champion Green Bay Packers. A match between the past two super bowl champions seems like a good direction for the NFL to go.

Continuing to buildup to the 2011 draft with a look back at the Saints 2009 draft class.

2009 Saints Draft Picks: CB Malcolm Jenkins (14th Overall), S Chip Vaughn (116th Overall), LB Stanley Arnoux (118th Overall) and P Thomas Morstead (164th Overall)

Best Picks: The Saints drafted Malcolm Jenkins has a corner but it was always thought that he had the ability to play free safety. Last season, the Saints moved him to that position and he played very well. I believe that with continued improvement, Jenkins could make it to the Pro Bowl this upcoming season and could eventually become one of the league’s elite safeties. He has massive athletic ability and is developing into a big play maker. A lot of people thought it was a reach when the Saints drafted Thomas Morstead but he solidified a punter position that was not a strong point for the Saints. He could also be an eventual Pro Bowl player and gives the Saints some consistency and strength at the position. Plus he nailed the famous onside kick during the Super Bowl.

Disappointments: Chip Vaughn and Stanley Arnoux missed their rookie seasons with injuries and neither has seen significant playing time yet. With as thin as the Saints have been at linebacker, Arnoux should have had the chance to make some kind of impact. Vaughn is no longer with the team and finished last season on the Colts’ roster, mainly as a special teams player. This wouldn’t be a major disappointment if those weren’t positions of need for the Saints and if they didn’t have only four draft picks this year.

Jury Still Out On: None.

Overall Draft Grade: C+, the draft produced two very quality starters but nothing else thanks to the Saints having only four picks.