The 2023 NFL Draft is April 27-29 in Kansas City. Here is the projected first-round order, per Tankathon.
Snapshot: New Orleans is operating in the dreaded purgatory, neither good enough to reach the playoffs nor bad enough to get a potentially franchise-altering draft pick. The Saints are among the most reckless with their picks, operating with a you-only-live-once ethos. GM Mickey Loomis loves to wheel and deal.
Potential second-round picks: Siaki Ika, DL, Baylor; John Michael Schmitz, C, Minnesota; Emmanuel Forbes, CB, Mississippi State
New Orleans, which dealt its first-rounder to the Eagles last April, won't pick until the second round (No. 41).
The Saints have a couple of holes in the interior of the offensive and defensive lines, and the team sorely missed C.J. Gardner-Johnson's playmaking ability in the secondary. (He was dealt to the Eagles.) Ika and Schmitz might be out of the Saints range in the second round. If either player falls, he could be a building block to something much greater down the line.
The Saints rush defense was arguably the team's biggest disappointment, ranking 24th in rush yards allowed after ranking in the top five from 2018-2021.
Center Erik McCoy was the best player on a mediocre unit. New Orleans would have to do some reshuffling if it selected Schmitz, but there's little doubt he's capable of being an elite interior lineman.
Pro Football Focus highlighted Schmitz as one of its favorite draft prospects. He's a beast, which is evident from the first highlight on this reel, in which he drives a defender down the field. If you don't like this, you don't like football:
John Michael Schmitz - #60 Minnesota
— Landon Oliver (@Landon3MR) December 6, 2022
6’4 320lbs
- DAWG
- MEGA DAWG
- Dude just absolutely annihilates people in the run game. Finishes with hate.
- Good size and power. Explosive off the line.
- Intelligent in stunt/twist pickup and blitz recognition
- SUPER DAWG pic.twitter.com/DlRTbzytvw
New Orleans also struggled to force turnovers, which Forbes could help rectify. New Orleans was 30th in turnovers forced (14) with only seven interceptions.
Forbes, a 6-foot, 180-pound cornerback, is a ball hawk. In three seasons at Mississippi State, he had 14 interceptions, including six returned for touchdowns. This interception against Kentucky's Will Levis has shades of Tracy Porter's iconic Super Bowl-sealing interception on Peyton Manning.
— FBVids (@vids_fb) January 9, 2023
Forbes ranks 41st on ESPN's big board.
None of these are the sexiest moves, but each fills a gap that needs to be filled. It's time New Orleans accepts that it's closer to the NFL's lower class than it is to returning to the postseason. The Saints should take the hit in 2023 and get in position for QBs Caleb Williams (USC) or Drake Maye (North Carolina) next year.
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