Yaccarino: Saints 3-round mock draft

The New Orleans Saints season was rocky, and the roster is in a worrying spot going into the offseason. Veteran players are getting very close to retirement, some of the young talent has had a disappointing season, and the roster is missing talent. With the current cap situation the team is in, free agency will not be a place where the Saints find significant upgrades, so that leaves the NFL Draft as the only option. The prospect rankings are still very fluid and depending on who the next Saints head coach is, specific prospects may be prioritized higher than others. However, with the Saints season concluded, now would be a great time to see who New Orleans could select in the first three rounds of the NFL Draft.

Round 1, pick 9 – OL Will Campbell

Photo by Gus Stark/LSU/Getty Images

In the first round, the Saints are at a very interesting spot at pick 9. Going with the best available prospect makes a lot of sense here, and depending on the number of quarterbacks selected before this spot, the Saints can have some of the top prospects in the draft drop to them. In this mock draft, I only had two quarterbacks selected, so the options at 9 were more limited, but LSU offensive lineman Will Campbell was still on the board and had to be the selection. At LSU, Campbell was named the starting left tackle and captain as a true freshman. Doing this in the SEC is unbelievably impressive, and since then, Campbell has vastly improved, was given the number 7, and has been a dominant force. If you are not familiar with the number 7 at LSU, this number is given to players who are top talents and leaders of the team, and Campbell was the only offensive lineman in LSU history to do this. At tackle, Campbell is an amazing pass protector. Per PFF, he has only given up four sacks in his college career. His run blocking needs to improve, but Campbell has shown the ability to learn and improve, so this should not be an issue in the NFL. His communication before the snap is also extremely impressive. The main issue with Will Campbell is going to be the arm length. This may affect his chances of playing tackle in the NFL, so a move to guard/center may be best for his future in the league.

New Orleans selecting Campbell at 9 would mean they have gone with offensive line in the first round for a second straight year, but Campbell was the best player available, and they need improvements in the trenches. Trevor Penning has made strides this past season, but not enough for his spot to be a sure thing next season. If the Saints do view Campbell as an OT, they can either move Taliese Fuaga back to his college position of RT or put Campbell there and move Penning to LG. The other option is just putting Campbell at guard instead of tackle. Yes, drafting a guard at 9 is a bit early, but the NFL is showing how vital guards are becoming. Running is the focus of many teams, and the best franchises in the league have built dominant offensive lines. A line of LT-Taliese Fuaga, LG-Will Campbell, C-Erik McCoy, RG-Cesar Ruiz, and RT-Trevor Penning would heavily improve the offense. The running game would be much better, the communication would be outstanding, and whoever is at quarterback would pressured a lot less. This is not a flashy pick, but games are won in the trenches, and the Saints need to improve in that area.

Round 2, pick 40 – DT Walter Nolen

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The Saints go to defense in the second round of the mock draft with the selection of defensive tackle Walter Nolen. Before transferring to Ole Miss, Nolen played for Texas A&M and had an impressive sophomore year, but he was still raw and needed to improve. At Ole Miss, he put everything together and became one of the best defensive tackles in the country. His athleticism jumps off of the page with great speed and impressive strength. His impact in run defense cannot be understated. Nolen’s ability to get to the backfield and blowup plays is outstanding. He has the strength to stop running backs from getting away and is great at closing rushing lanes. Also, Nolen can be a difference maker in pass rush, but improvements still need to be made.

Run defense was the main weakness of Saints 2024 season, and if they want any success in 2025, the roster needs to improve in this area. Adding Walter Nolen’s run defense would be a fantastic addition to the defensive line. If the next Saints defensive coordinator can develop his pass rush, Nolen could be one of the best defensive tackles in the league. Adding a prospect like Nolen next to Bryan Bresee would also free Bresee’s game and make him even more of an impact player. Walter Nolen is also attending this year’s Senior Bowl, which is a big plus for the Saints.

Round 3, pick 71 – DL Ashton Gillotte

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As I mentioned before, the trenches will be a focus for the Saints early in the draft, and with the third pick in a row, this is the case. Edge rusher Ashton Gillotte in the third round would be a home run selection. At Louisville, Gillotte plays both edge rusher and defensive tackle for the Cardinals. He is an impact player at both positions and is a master at blowing up plays. Off the edge, Gillotte is great at using power to push back tackles, but he is also great at using arm length to get past blocks. Although Gillotte may not be the best athlete or have great speed, he still utilizes these aspects to beat offensive linemen, even if he is a worse athlete. At defensive tackle, Gillotte will outpower most guards he faces. His ability to push linemen back is impressive, making a big difference in both run defense and pass rush.

In recent years, the Saints have not had the best luck when drafting edge rushers. With Cam Jordan aging and Chase Young probably leaving in free agency, the Saints need to upgrade this position group. This roster needs a number 1 edge rusher, and although I don’t think Ashton Gillotte will be this, he can be a perfect edge 2 or 3. His effectiveness at both edge and defensive tackle will allow the Saints to use him all over the defensive line. As an edge rusher, Gillotte is a bit undersized, but he has some effective pass-rush moves and physical traits that will allow him to get to the QB. This may be a bit of a process for him to get to his highest potential at edge, but that’s fine for a third-round pick. Gillotte is also great at dealing with double-team blocks at defensive tackle, and the Saints need more players who can do that.

Round 3, pick 91 – RB TreVeyon Henderson

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The Saints have this selection because of the Marshon Lattimore trade with the Commanders. With Washington currently in the playoffs, this pick will move a bit depending on where they finish in the playoffs, but as of now, this is at pick 91.

With the first three picks spent on improving the defensive and offensive line, the Saints have more freedom with this selection. This year’s draft has one of the best RB classes in a while, and the Saints need to come away with at least one of these prospects. The third round would be the perfect time to select Ohio State RB TreVeyon Henderson. He is undersized at 5-foot-10, 200 lbs, but does not play like it. Henderson has good strength, allowing him to easily break tackles and fight for more yards. The main aspect of Henderson’s game comes from his speed. He has excellent acceleration, and in many plays this season, he speeds right past defenders for big gains. Henderson is also a pass-catching threat and can make amazing plays from screen passes. In pass protection, Henderson is everything a team would want. He can do well holding off defenders but also absolutely pancake whoever he is set to block.

Currently, the Saints will be entering the 2025 season with Alvin Kamara, Kendre Miller, and Jamaal Williams as their three starting running backs. Miller has dealt with injuries at a worrying rate, and there’s a good chance Jamaal Williams will be off the team before the start of training camp. This makes a bit of a hole at running back, and TreVeyon Henderson fits much of what the Saints value. Henderson’s pass protection is stellar, which would fill the hole left by Jamaal Williams. Also, the screen game is always important in the Saints’ game plan, and Henderson would be a great weapon to add to the offense. In addition, drafting Henderson would bring a different threat to the Saints running game. His speed is something the roster has only seen at wide receiver and would be a nice compliment to Alvin Kamara and Kendre Miller’s game.

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