| Jeff Risdon. 3rd May, 2007 - 8:18 pm
 The picks:
1st round, #27 overall--Robert Meacham, WR, Tennessee
3rd round, #66--Usama Young, CB, Kent State
3rd round, #88--Andy Alleman, G, Akron
4th round, #107--Antonio Pittman, RB, Ohio State
4th round, #125--Jermon Bushrod, T, Towson State
5th round, #145--David Jones, CB, Wingate
7th round, #220--Marvin Mitchell, LB, Tennessee
Best pick: Meacham
Worst pick: Bushrod
Analysis:
Saints fans might not have heard of, let alone seen play, most of their picks, but I think it’s a draft class that they’re going to love in a year or two.
Meacham is a legit burner who can capably fill the Joe Horn role in the offense. That means Marques Colston, Devery Henderson, and Terrance Copper keep their current roles in which they excelled last year.
Young is a very solid cover corner with great athleticism (sub-4.4 40, 43’ vertical, 11’ broad jump) that plays smart, very similar to Bears CB Nate Vashar.
Alleman is a physical, athletic guard who isn’t NFL-ready in terms of technique or lower-body strength, but he’ll get time to develop that with the Saints, who already have established starters in front of him.
Pittman is a great value in the 4th round, though he seems a luxury pick on this team. At worst he’s a fresher, cheaper version of Aaron Stecker, though Pittman runs more powerfully. He could also mean they won’t overpay to keep an aging Deuce McAllister.
Bushrod is a Mel Kiper Jr. favorite, though it has more to do with where he played (Kiper is a Baltimore guy, where Towson is) than his overall ability. He was the 29th ranked offensive lineman in the class by another team but was the 14th selected. Interestingly, Alleman was ranked 20th by that same team but the 11th OL selected.
Jones is another small school standout, but he’s a man-coverage type with size and quickness that the Saints desperately need.
Mitchell is a problem child with great size who never translated it well to the football field.
Young, Bushrod, and Jones all have very good special teams potential.
Grade: B-
Meacham stood out from similarly graded WRs with his elite speed and how well he uses his hands to catch the ball. Young has loads of experience in the QB-stocked MAC and should provide a major upgrade over Fred Thomas. Pittman gives them 3 legitimate RBs, freeing Reggie Bush to play more in the slot and on PR/KR. The rest are developmental types that won’t have to make an impact right away on a Super Bowl-ready team. They passed on better prospects at positions of more immediate need at LB and DT after the Young pick, which might bite them late in 2007 but could pay off down the road. |
