Ranking the Saints’ nine rookie draft picks | Rod Walker

It will go down as one the most important draft classes of the Mickey Loomis era.

The nine players Loomis and his staff selected in April could go a long way in defining the direction of the franchise. The Saints need to hit on some of these picks. We won’t be able to give a true evaluation of this class until a few years down the road. But that doesn’t mean we can’t tell you what we have thought about the class so far.

So here’s a ranking of this year’s draft picks based on what we have seen after 10 days of training camp on Airline Drive.

1. Kelvin Banks. There’s no other player you would want to see at the top spot on this list more than the tackle from the University of Texas drafted with the No. 9 overall pick. The Saints needed to get this pick right, and the early returns says they did. Banks’ one-on-one rep against Chris Rumph on the Saints’ first practice in pads drew rave reviews on social media. Left tackle is the most important position on the line, and Banks has looked the part so far.

“It’s been a huge adjustment that I had to make, especially having to be technically sound every play,” Banks said. “Obviously nobody is going to be a finished product, so there’s a lot I want to work on and a lot I feel like I can do better at. But just me coming in here and giving 100% of my all, I feel like that’s another big step for me. I feel like I’ve been doing pretty good so far, so I’m just making sure I stay focused on the little things.”

This time a year ago, the offensive line was a big question mark. Now it might be a strength. Banks has a lot to do with that.

2. Danny Stutsman. The Saints haven’t hit on a fourth-round draft pick since drafting defensive back Chauncey Gardner-Johnson in 2019. Stutsman, the linebacker drafted out of Oklahoma, may end that drought. He’s been impressive (including an interception) and may be a big part of the future at a position where the Saints need to start developing talent. Demario Davis won’t play forever. 

3. Quincy Riley. Also drafted in the fourth round, the cornerback out of Louisville has made some noise in practice. He has two interceptions, both against Spencer Rattler. He almost had a third one Sunday, but couldn’t quite keep his feet in at the back of the end zone. 

“He finds the football and attacks the football,” said head coach Kellen Moore.

While Kool-Aid McKinstry, Alontae Taylor and Isaac Yiadom are getting the first-team reps at corner, Riley gives some much-needed depth.

4. Tyler Shough. There are 90 players on the training camp roster. None have been under the microscope quite like Shough. Ideally, you’d want to see your second-round selection (No. 40 overall pick) higher on this list. Especially when it’s the highest drafted quarterback by the Saints since Archie Manning in 1971. Many of us (me included) projected Shough to be the Week 1 starter. But early on, Rattler holds the edge. Shough is still making the always tough adjustment from college to the pros. He has had some good moments, like his first drive in Sunday’s practice. But he’s also had some blunders, like his interception to Nephi Sewell. It’s still way too early to determine how good Shough will be. But for now, he’s right there in the middle of the pack of this Saints’ draft class.

5. Jonas Sanker. The safety position sure has changed since the end of last season. The Saints signed Justin Reid in free agency. Tyrann Mathieu retired. Then the Saints signed Julian Blackmon. Sanker, a third-round pick out of Virginia, is known for his physical play. Safeties don’t get to to showcase their hard hitting in training camp, so the preseason opener against the Chargers can’t get here soon enough for Sanker. It may help him move up in these rankings. But so far, Sanker has shown a nose for the football. His versatility on special teams should help him get plenty of playing time. 

6.Vernon Broughton. The Saints heavily invested in beefing up their defensive line this offseason. They brought some experienced players like  Davon Godchaux and Jonathan Bullard. They used a third-round draft pick on Broughton, a defensive tackle from the University of Texas. It may be hard for Broughton to crack the rotation on game day, but there have been flashes of him adding depth.

7. Devin Neal. Outside of the quarterback battle, there is no competition more intriguing than the one to see who will be Alvin Kamara’s backup. It’s a crowded field that includes sixth-round pick Neal. We’ll get a better gauge once the preseason games start. Dating back to his final season at the University of Kansas, Neal has placed an emphasis on picking up blitzes. It’s a skillset that could help him climb in these rankings.

8. Moliki Matavao. The seventh-round pick from UCLA hasn’t really taken advantage of the opportunities at tight end. Foster Moreau and Taysom Hill are both sitting out of camp with injuries, and Dallin Holker retired. But most of the plays by tight ends have been made by Juwan Johnson,  Jack Stoll and Michael Jacobson.

9. Fadil Diggs. The Syracuse defensive end was the Saints’ last pick, also chosen in the seventh round. He just happens to play a loaded position that also has Chase Young, Carl Granderson, Cam Jordan and Rumph.

Moore’s thoughts on what he’s seen so far from this draft class? 

“High character, high football IQ, really tough players,” Moore said. “They’ve all played a lot of football. That was one of the things we really valued. These guys are all ready to contribute in some capacity this year. So that will be a great advantage for us.”

How much of an advantage? Time will tell.