NFL Draft countdown: Focus on Saints' first-round pick at No. 9

Dart led the SEC with 4,279 yards and 29 touchdowns last season, but most experts give him second-round grades. PFF rates the 6-foot-2, 225-pound quarterback as the sixth-best quarterback in the draft, but according to Plocher, Dart tossed 17 touchdowns on deep passes (20-plus yards downfield) last season, the type of throws Carr typically makes.

OT Armand Membou | Missouri

Before Carr’s injury, NFL Network’s Maurice Jones-Drew identified cornerback as the Saints’ most pressing need but had the team addressing their offensive line with the No. 9 pick instead.

Widely listed at 6-foot-3 and 314 pounds, Membou weighed 332 pounds at the NFL Scouting Combine, where he led the position with a 34-inch vertical leap and a 9-foot-7 broad jump. He also ran a 4.91 40-yard dash, the second-best time among offensive linemen. 

As a multi-sport athlete in high school, Membou shows balance and quickness, which should allow him to play guard or tackle at the NFL level. PFF ranks Membou as the second-best tackle in the draft and credits him with three sacks allowed on 1,036 snaps as a pass-blocker.

LB Jalon Walker | Georgia

NFL.com’s Chad Reuter said of Walker in his five-round mock draft, “Walker's skills are an ideal match for new defensive coordinator Brandon Staley's scheme... Walker can rush off the edge or play off the ball in coverage and to stop the run.” 

Only the Panthers allowed more rushing yards per game (179.8) than the Saints (141.4) last season, while 12 teams had fewer sacks (39). 

Walker had 90 tackles and 12.5 sacks in three years at Georgia, with 6.5 sacks coming last season. According to PFF, he’s the second-best linebacker in the draft, who compares him to Raiders linebacker Devin White, calling him “a physically and athletically gifted player who presents box presence versatility as an off-ball linebacker.”

Last season, Walker played a career-high 311 snaps from the box, 249 on the line and 61 from the corner. He doesn't offer much coverage at 6-foot-2 and 245 pounds but should do well in the NFL thanks to a strong upper body and explosive first step.