The Saints’ biggest offseason storyline revolves around finding a successor to Drew Brees. Taysom Hill stepped in as quarterback this season for four games while Brees was injured and went 3-1 in that span. Hill has spent the last four years as a utility player for the Saints and will now turn his focus solely to playing quarterback. His competition, Jameis Winston, played five seasons with the Buccaneers before spending last year on the Saints roster. Given the quarterback competition underway, the Saints won’t need to look for a starting quarterback in this year’s draft but could use a later-round pick on a developmental one.
New Orleans will also be seeking a cornerback after losing Janoris Jenkins to the Titans in free agency. They could use their first-round pick — No. 28 overall — to strengthen the secondary. The Saints could also add to their receiving depth for whichever quarterback wins the starting role, especially since Emmanuel Sanders went to the Bills. Michael Thomas was injured this season and saw limited time as a result, providing a greater reason for the Saints to add depth at the position.
Last year, the Saints only had four draft picks and used their first-round selection on offensive lineman Cesar Ruiz, who started nine games. In the seventh round, they drafted — but later waived — quarterback Tommy Stevens.
Click here for the entire 2021 NFL Draft order and keep reading to see who the Saints take in the 2021 NFL Draft.
New Orleans Saints 2021 NFL Draft Picks:
- Round 1, pick 28 - Payton Turner, DE, Houston
- Round 2, pick 60 - Pete Werner, LB, Ohio State
- Round 3, pick 76 - Paulson Adebo, CB, Stanford
- Round 4, pick 133 - Ian Book, QB, Notre Dame
- Round 6: No. 206 - Landon Young, OT, Kentucky
- Round 7, pick 255 - Kawaan Baker, WR, South Alabama
Click here to see all of New Orleans’s picks in the 2020 NFL Draft.
Check out draft picks for other teams in the NFC South
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2021 draft picks
