Last week, the New Orleans Saints were projected to select at pick 18 in the 2025 NFL Draft. Now, after yet another dominant win, the Saints are projected to select at pick 28. From pick 25-28, these teams are slated to make the playoffs but lose in the divisional round. Due to the strong start by the Saints, the list of important positional needs has started to diminish, but there is still room for improvement on the roster.
The Prospects
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Going into the next offseason, the Saints will have some important players whose contracts will end, such as TE Juwan Johnson. In the first game against the Panthers, the Saints’ TE group was heavily utilized in the passing game, but against the Cowboys, they were mostly utilized as blockers. This will be a normal occurrence, depending on the defense the Saints face. This may help the Saints in the long run to get a cheaper contract with Juwan Johnson, but if they cannot do this and allow him to walk, they will need to find his replacement. Pick 28 is a perfect spot to select this replacement in the draft, and Colstan Loveland could be available in that position. At Michigan, Loveland is heavily utilized in the passing and blocking game. In the passing game, Loveland looks like a wide receiver who can make almost any catch and speed past defenders. When blocking, he fully buys in, and in the Saints’ scheme, that may be the difference when talking about utilization. In the NFL, Loveland will need to bulk up to have even more impact when blocking and making contested catches. During this season at Michigan, Loveland has dealt with subpar quarterback play, which may allow him to drop to pick 28.
Staying with the offense, running back could be another position of need after certain players leave. I think the Saints will work out a deal with Alvin Kamara that benefits both sides, but other RBs will still be a question mark. Jamal Williams has had a good role in the current offense, but the Saints could save more money if they cut the veteran running back after the season. The issue with doing that is the Saints do not have a Jamal Williams replacement. Kendre Miller was supposed to be the Alvin Kamara replacement, but if Kamara stays, there might not be a solidified spot for Miller. This is where the draft comes into play, and with pick 28, the Saints could target Ollie Gordon II out of Oklahoma State. Gordon would be a perfect back to put next to Alvin Kamara in this offense. At 6-foot-2, 225 lbs, Gordon plays with power and speed while also allowing blocks to get set. He has also shown flashes in the passing game and is a very willing blocker. Although pick 28 may be a bit high for a running back, In Kubiak’s scheme, Gordon would be a perfect addition, and the Saints may not want to pass the opportunity up.
The last player that the Saints may target at pick 28 is Ohio State edge rusher Jack Sawyer. The 2025 NFL Draft is filled with talent, but the edge rusher group may be the best of all positions. The Saints have a good group of edge rushers, but more improvements could be made. Chase Young is out of contract after this season, and although I think the Saints could re-sign him, it’s not out of the question that he could leave for more money. The other issue is Cam Jordan is not getting younger and is slowly moving more and more into the interior of the defensive line. That means the Saints could only have one main edge rusher on the roster, Carl Granderson, next season. Even if the Saints re-sign Young, I think edge rusher should be a big position for investment. This is why Jack Sawyer could be a great pick for the Saints. Sawyer can make a big difference in both run and pass defense, using power to get past offensive tackles and speed to catch the ball carrier. If Chase Young is retained in the offseason, adding Jack Sawyer to the current group could elevate the defensive line to another level.
Source : CanalStreetChronicles