My first mock draft for the year, I tried to keep it as realistic as possible. Here we go:
ROUND 1
Saints trade1st (#10) and 3rd (#79) for Ravens 1st (#8) and S Gerome Sapp.
With the 8th pick in the NFL draft, the New Orleans Saints select DT Sedrick Ellis, USC.
- This trade is a win-win. The Saints move in front of the Bengals to get an immediate impact player, and also get a safety in Gerome Sapp that can play either position. The Ravens pick up another third round pick and also get to screw the division rival Bengals out of Sedrick Ellis.
ROUND 2
With the 42nd pick in the NFL draft, the New Orleans Saints select CB Dominique Rogers-Cromartie, Tennessee State.
- With Mike Jenkins, Aqib Talib, Antoine Cason, and Leodis McKelvin off the board, the Saints go with a CB with tremendous upside to help shore up the secondary. Rogers-Cromartie is similar to his brother; tall, athletic, and has nice hands for a corner.
ROUND 3
Saints trade Josh Bullocks and 6th (#172) for Broncos 3rd (#74)
With the 74th pick in the NFL draft, the New Orleans Saints select LB Phillip Wheeler, Georgia Tech.
- With Gerome Sapp, the Saints can afford to give up JB to the Broncos who pass over Kenny Phillips in the first round. Phillip Wheeler is the best MLB left on the board and the Saints take him without hesitation here.
ROUND 4
With the 110th pick in the 2008 NFL draft, the New Orleans Saints select CB Terrence Wheatley, Colorado.
- The Saints select another CB to help the struggling secondary. Wheatley isn't the tallest, fastest, or most athletic CB in the draft, but you can't measure intangibles. Wheatley has fluid hips and a nice backpedal. Wheatley played the most snaps from scrimmage on the entire Colorado team, and also led the Buffaloes in INTs, passes defensed, and touchdowns saved.
ROUND 5
With the 141st pick in the 2008 NFL draft, the New Orleans Saints select RB Tim Hightower, Richmond.
- The Saints select another RB as insurance to Deuce not being able to come back and if Stecker doesn't re-sign, and continue the trend of picking from small schools. Hightower was a second team All-American in the FCS division. His stats for last year were 1,924 yds. rushing (2,152 total yds.) and 20 TDs (23 total). He also had two games with 295 and 241 yds., the first and fourth most in Richmond history.
ROUND 6
No selections in this round.
ROUND 7
With the 203rd pick in the 2008 NFL draft, the New Orleans Saint select TE Mike Peterson, Northwest Missouri State.
- Another small school prospect. Peterson is a converted FB with nice hands and decent speed. He looks to be in the mold of a raw Chris Cooley.
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