The 2017 NFL Draft caused a lot of Saints fans to scratch their heads over the weekend. It felt like the New Orleans Saints were just trying to do the exact opposite of what they needed to do with their picks and ended up getting one of their biggest needs in the third and sixth rounds respectively.
Here are my personal grades on each pick that they made over the course of the three days.
Marshon Lattimore: A-
Pros: Has incredible speed and awareness for a corner. Has to be one of the better corners in this rookie class and is a good fit along with some other former Buckeyes like Michael Thomas and Vonn Bell. This could make for some good chemistry in the secondary.
Cons: Injuries to his hamstrings really affected the early chunk of his career. If the rookie is truly fully recovered from the injury, the Saints secondary just got a lot better. Time will tell
Ryan Ramczyk: B-
Pros: The offensive lineman out of Wisconsin is going to be helping the run game and according to Pro Football Focus he has an 84.6 run-blocking grade. This pick made me scratch my head once it happened, but if the Saints want to establish the run game. It also could get Andrus Peat into a single role as opposed to hopping from guard to tackle.
Cons: Much like Lattimore, Ramczyk’s recent hip surgery is the biggest negative for him. If the injury is still affecting him, it affects the offensive line depth and could turn into a bigger problem.
Marcus Williams: C
Pros: The Saints lone second round pick adds more depth than anything to the position of safety with Kenny Vaccaro, Rafael Bush, and Vonn Bell. If Vaccaro leaves after this season, expect Williams to become the everyday starter. Williams is another solid player with awareness and can get after the ball and he can do a lot of what Jairus Byrd didn’t do during his time in the Crescent City.
Cons: Unknown if he can cover tight ends in man coverage and that’s been a weak spot for the Saints in recent years (see: Carolina’s Greg Olsen).
Alvin Kamara: C
Pros: Another big back to help the likes of Mark Ingram and Adrian Peterson. He could play all three downs and if Peterson gets injured, it wouldn’t hurt the run game in terms of how it’s played.
Cons: Knee injuries could affect the running back’s role in 2017. He could be used more as a special teams player than a running back year one. Really all depends on what happens to the players in front of him.
Alex Anzalone: C
Pros: Added depth to the linebacker position. Great size for his position could pay dividends because of his ability to fit into several schemes.
Cons: It sounds like a broken record, but injuries could limit his potential. Just look at his time at Florida. Perhaps Payton sees something in these players that have been injured.
Trey Hendrickson: B-
Pros: Four-year starter and can be solid in special teams. He can also get at the QB and force fumbles.
Cons: Not exactly a thumper and a little slow off the snap. Other than that, Hendrickson is possible depth to the front seven.
Al-Quadin Muhammad: C-
Pros: Solid build for the position of defensive end. He can crash down the line of scrimmage and be a solid edge rusher.
Cons: His character issues could be amplified in New Orleans. Also, he’s doesn’t have a lot of ability in man coverage.
Overall Draft Grade: B
-Clint Domingue