7 Round 2013 NFL Mock Draft for the New Orleans Saints
By Peter Shaw
This is a mock draft where I took the picks specifically for the New Orleans Saints out of each Round and selected a player that is projected to be available in each round.
Round 1
Some people may think this is a bit of a reach for New Orleans as they need heavy defensive line help. However, if the rumors of the Saints releasing Will Smith, John Vilma and Roman Harper ring true, the best player to plug in is a two-position safety with incredible ball skills. New Orleans needs playmakers on all three levels of the defense and Vaccaro and Jenkins have the ability to be the best safety tandem in the league. Defensive tackle and defensive end is very deep in this draft.
Round 3
– Brandon Jenkins (DE, Florida St.)
Brandon Jenkins could have been a clear end of 1st round/mid-2nd round pick had he not broken his foot in the beginning of the season. He is listed at 6’4”, 260 and would fit perfect into Spagnuolo’s “get after the QB with speed” defense. Will Smith and Cameron Jordan are a bit heavy for the defense Spag’s likes to run but Jordan came along around week 7 or 8. Jenkins and Jordan could joint Vaccaro and Jenkins in being one of the better young tandems at their position.
Round 4
– Christopher D. Jones (DT, Bowling Green)
New Orleans needs all the help on the defensive line they can get. Chris Jones is fourth in the nation with 12.5 sacks and is a 3rd Team AP All –American defensive tackle that will receive heavy consideration on day 3 of the draft. He only drops due to the level of competition in the Mid-American conference. He is listed at 6’1”, 293 pounds with a high motor and athleticism. Teaming him with Akiem Hicks could be the beginning of the new “Dome Patrol”.
Round 5
– Baker Steinkuhler (DT, Nebraska)
Baker hasn’t had the senior year he expected this season and has missed time with a knee injury at the end of the season. There is a chance he drops late in the draft on day 3 with a team in desperate need of defensive line help due to his unattractive season and knee injury. Being thrown into rotation with Hicks and Jones, the Saints may have caught a steal.
Round 6
– Zach Sudfield (TE, Nevada)
Jimmy Graham led the NFL in dropped passes in 2012 with 14. There is an obvious need for a young receiving threat to back him up. He also misses a game here and there due to some minor injury. Zach Sudfield is 6’7”, 255 pounds and has the best hands on the Nevada Wolfpack football team. If he is available here in the 6th round this is an obvious need.
Round 7
– Kenny Tate (LB, Maryland)
There is a slight chance that Tate drops to the end of the draft as he has been under the radar since moving from safety to linebacker. However, he still has blazing speed and is prototypical weakside linebacker size (6’4”, 230 lbs) in the 4-3 defense. His intangibles can have him taken earlier than the 7th round but for now we dream!
Check out our other mock drafts including a 7 Rounder below:
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