1st Round (#32) CB Patrick Robinson, Florida State
Key Player(s) Passed On: DT Terrance Cody
Analysis: Robinson was a good pick for the Saints. He has the quick feet and fluid hips to stay with pro receivers. Robinson has to learn to be more consistent, physical and not be sloppy with his technique. New Orleans could use help in the secondary and you can never have enough cornerbacks who can cover. The selection of Robinson enables the Saints to move Malcolm Jenkins to free safety. This may be his best position in the NFL and he can replace Darren Sharper in the near future. Cody would have been an interesting choice. He would have helped beef up the Saints’ run defense and free up Sedrick Ellis. However, Robinson will provide depth and has the ability to be a quality starter in time. His selection moves Jenkins to free safety where he has a very bright future.
2nd Round (#64) OT Charles Brown, USC
Key Player(s) Passed On: LB Navorro Bowman
Analysis: Charles Brown has a chance to be an effective left tackle in the NFL. He can move his feet and has above average balance and long arms. The former Trojan has to gain some strength, but time in the weight room will solve that problem. The Saints were fortunate in 2009 that Jermon Bushrod did a solid job protecting Drew Brees’ blind side after Jammal Brown was lost for the season. The Saints were wise to add a young and talented left tackle to their roster. New Orleans wins primarily with their offense and giving Brees time to dissect a defense is vital. Bowman is a talented outside linebacker with speed, but Brown made sense late in the 2nd round.
3rd Round (#95) TE Jimmy Graham, Miami
Key Player(s) Passed On: DE Everson Griffen
Analysis: The Saints do not have the successor to Jeremy Shockey on their roster. Shockey can hopefully mentor his fellow Miami alum on how to play tight end in the NFL. Graham is very athletic and has size, but only played college football for one season. Graham primarily played basketball for the Hurricanes, which gives you an idea about his raw athletic ability. Graham has a long way to go, but New Orleans is a good fit for him. Griffen was one of the better pass rushers in the 2010 NFL Draft. Will Smith could use some help in getting after the quarterback. However, Griffen likes to party and starting his career in New Orleans probably would not have been a good idea.
4th Round (#123) DT Al Woods, LSU
Key Player(s) Passed On: LB Eric Norwood, DT Cam Thomas
Analysis: Woods only started for one season at LSU and had modest production. He has decent physical tools, but does not have a nose for finding the football or anticipating plays. He fills a need at defensive tackle for the Saints, but may be just another body. Cam Thomas has a bigger frame and is more powerful than Woods. He may have been a better option as a space-eating defensive tackle to help Sedrick Ellis disrupt plays. The Saints could use help at outside linebacker and Eric Norwood was a consistent playmaker in college. Norwood is better at moving forward and may struggle initially in pass coverage. However, he is a hard-nosed player who could have paid dividends down the road for the Saints. We liked Norwood’s production and football character better than either Al Woods or Cam Thomas.
5th Round (#158) C Matt Tennant, Boston College
Key Player (s) Passed On: RB Jonathan Dwyer
Analysis: Tennant will have to develop more power in his lower body to succeed as a starting center in the NFL. New Orleans has to plan for the future at center with Jonathan Goodwin getting up there in years. However, PFDN rated Jonathan Dwyer as the superior prospect compared to Tennant. The Saints had a consistently productive ground game last season. The passing attack receives most of the glory, but New Orleans was balanced on offense and that contributed to the championship. Mike Bell departed and Pierre Thomas is best when he shares carries. Reggie Bush has never been able to handle many carries. Dwyer could have been quality depth for the Saints and contributed to their running game.
7th Round (#239) QB Sean Canfield, Oregon State
Key Player(s) Passed On: DT Jeff Owens, QB Zac Robinson
Analysis: Canfield has very questionable arm strength for the NFL. He may not be any better than Chase Daniel. Zac Robinson is a better athlete with quicker feet than Canfield. Jeff Owens would have been another big body to try at defensive tackle. Canfield has limited upside and we feel the Saints would have been better off selecting Owens or Robinson.
Bottom Line: The defending Super Bowl champions had a productive draft. They improved their secondary, offensive line depth and picked a young tight end prospect with intriguing athletic tools. The strong side linebacker situation was not addressed. In addition, New Orleans did not significantly upgrade their defensive tackle position. The Saints did not have many draft choices on the 3rd day and failed to add a potential gem with upside.
Draft Grade: B
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