Exploring Saints’ picks in new 7-round Pro Football Network mock draft
We’re closing in on the 2023 NFL draft, so there’s a fresh slate of seven-round mock drafts to check out and get an idea of which prospects could be available once the New Orleans Saints are on the clock.
The latest projection comes from Cam Mellor at Pro Football Network, who has a top-rated pass rusher falling to the Saints at the end the first round. Let’s break down that selection and every other pick New Orleans made in this mock draft:
Round 1, Pick 29: DE Lukas Van Ness, Iowa
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Van Ness is consistently being projected to go off the board in the 10 to 20 range, so it doesn’t feel realistic for him to fall all the way to New Orleans here. But we’ll take it. He’s an elite athlete with strong college production and clean medicals. Mellor’s take on the pick:
Standing pat through a flurry of moves at the tail end of the first round, the New Orleans Saints make the smart pick of Lukas Van Ness. Offering a great skill set as a pass rusher, Van Ness also has plenty of versatility in terms of where he aligns on a defensive front on top of his pro-ready teaching from Iowa.
Round 2, Pick 40: WR Zay Flowers, Boston College
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Flowers is expected to be a first-round pick, so this is good value for New Orleans. The Saints need another receiver to take some pressure off of Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed (in their second year) and Michael Thomas (returning from another lower-leg injury). Mellor wrote this of the match:
More than just a slot receiver, Zay Flowers has contested-catch ability that rivals much bigger receivers. He can also get open with his speed, but Flowers is never out of any reception due to his burst to the football and athleticism.
Round 3, Pick 71: S Antonio Johnson, Texas A&M
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Johnson is physical in run defense and has a lot of experience covering the slot. He could be the replacement for C.J. Gardner-Johnson the Saints struggled to find last year. Mellor had this to say of the versatile safety:
Talented in coverage and equally explosive coming downhill against the run, Antonio Johnson also has a knack for finding the football.
Round 4, Pick 115: LG Chandler Zavala, NC State
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Zavala has played over 1,000 snaps at left guard the last two years, so he could be a nice succession plan for Andrus Peat. He may not start right away but time in an NFL weight room will be good for him, and Peat’s injury history suggests a role could open up for Zavala sooner rather than later.
Round 5, Pick 146: DT Jaxon Player, Baylor
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Player is a curious case. He’s beneath the Saints’ size thresholds at 5-foot-11 and 285 pounds with short 31-inch arms, and middling athleticism doesn’t help his case (timing the 40-yard dash in 4.87 seconds is great, but not quite as impressive at his size, or wholly relevant for a defensive tackle). He was a reliable pressure player earlier in his career at Tulsa but didn’t make much of an impact after transferring to Baylor in 2022.
Round 5, Pick 165: TE Zack Kuntz, Old Dominion
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Kuntz has rare athletic traits, but he didn’t make much of them in college. He couldn’t get on the field in three years at Penn State so he transferred to Old Dominion, where he relied on his speed to take advantage of mismatches against a lower level of competition. He has a lot of work to do before he’ll be ready to block or run routes at the NFL level. That’s not to say he won’t get there, but fans shouldn’t have high expectations for him as a rookie.
Round 7, Pick 227: LB Jeremy Banks, Tennessee
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Banks plays with a lot of energy, and from a football perspective it’s easy to see the fit. He runs well and covers a lot of ground, and has done well when asked to blitz the quarterback. But he’s only been playing defense since 2019, and he was dismissed from the program at one point due to a series of off-field incidents. If he’s grown up and is willing to play a lot of special teams while picking up the nuances at linebacker, he could be a nice addition to the depth chart.
Round 7, Pick 257: QB Tommy DeVito, Illinois
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DeVitoa had the best year of his career in 2022 after transferring to Illinois from Syracuse, where he had struggled to stay on the field between injuries and inconsistent play. He’s tough in the pocket and the improvements he made last season suggest he can continue to develop as a passer. He’d be a fine pick at the end of the draft as a reserve quarterback behind Derek Carr and Jameis Winston.
Analysis
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Round 1, Pick 29: DE Lukas Van Ness, Iowa
Round 2, Pick 40: WR Zay Flowers, Boston College
Round 3, Pick 71: S Antonio Johnson, Texas A&M
Round 4, Pick 115: OG Chandler Zavala, NC State
Round 5, Pick 146: DT Jaxon Player, Baylor
Round 5, Pick 165: TE Zack Kuntz, Old Dominion
Round 7, Pick 227: LB Jeremy Banks, Tennessee
Round 7, Pick 257: QB Tommy DeVito, Illinois
Van Ness and Flowers are great value picks in those slots, and both Johnson and Zavala should be able to help out right away — if Johnson can win the job guarding the slot, he could be an every-down player for New Orleans. The rest of the picks are a mixed bag, even if late-round selections have to be graded on a curve given the low hit rate involved. Player struggled against a heightened quality of competition. Kuntz didn’t do as well as someone with his physical tools should have in college. Banks could be a good pick if he’s matured. You kind of can’t go wrong with a seventh-round quarterback, unless you’re asking them to learn how to play tight end instead.
