Saints trade up for first selection on Day 3, draft offensive lineman

The Saints traded up to select first on the third day of the NFL Draft. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero tweets that New Orleans has acquired the No. 103 pick from the Bears.

Chicago receivied picks No. 115 and No. 165, per Pelissero (on Twitter). As our Team-by-Team 2023 NFL Draft Results show, the Bears will now have five picks today while the Saints will have four selections.

With the pick, the Saints selected Old Dominion offensive lineman Nick Saldiveri. The Saints still have their five 2022 O-line starters under contract, with starter-turned-swingman James Hurst also still rostered. ESPN’s Scouts Inc. rated Saldiveri as its No. 116 overall prospect; this selection gibes with that assessment.

While Hurst is a former free agent signing, Saldiveri gives the Saints six homegrown O-linemen drafted in the first four rounds. The Bears will pick up an additional fifth-round pick for moving down.