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The 2022-23 NFL offseason has been relatively predictable for the New Orleans Saints. They entered free agency millions of dollars over the salary cap, only to pull off some impressive cap gymnastics and get under it without losing many major pieces. In other words, the usual for general manager Mickey Loomis and co.
That said, New Orleans didn't get out of cap hell completely unscathed. The Saints were unable to retain some of their key free agents, such as David Onyemata, Kaden Elliss, and Marcus Davenport. They did add some key players like Derek Carr and Jamaal Williams, but they definitely still have holes to fill.
With free agency mostly complete, the main way they'll likely address these needs is through the NFL Draft. Unfortunately for the Saints, they don't have their own first-round pick at 10th overall thanks to a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles last offseason. The good news is that they managed to get back into the first round, as they acquired the 29th overall pick from the Denver Broncos in the Sean Payton trade.
While the first round is obviously very important, the later rounds of the draft are equally so. New Orleans has excelled at finding quality talent on Day 2, with Michael Thomas, Vonn Bell, Marcus Williams and Alvin Kamara being some recent examples. Day 3 hasn't been as fruitful for them, but they have found some gems like C.J. Gardner-Johnson.
With the 2023 draft fast approaching, the Saints are hoping to find their next diamond(s) in the rough. But who should they be keeping an eye on? Without further ado, here are three sleeper prospects the Saints should target in this year's draft.
3. Mekhi Blackmon, CB, USC
It may be a bit of a surprise, but New Orleans actually had one of the NFL's best pass defenses in 2022, at least going by yardage. The Saints allowed just 184.4 passing yards per game, the second-fewest in the league behind only the Eagles. What's more surprising is that they also recorded the third-fewest interceptions in the league with only seven.
Through the first few weeks of the offseason, though, the secondary has already lost some depth. Backup corners P.J. Williams and Ronald Darby are still free agents, and even though they weren't starters, they still played an important role. Marshon Lattimore and Paulson Adebo are a good corner duo, but there isn't much behind them at the position.
With that in mind, spending a late-round pick or two on the position makes some sense. Blackmon, who spent four years at Colorado before transferring to USC in 2022, might be a perfect fit for such a role. For a projected sixth-round pick, Blackmon has a ton of potential.
Blackmon shined in his lone season at USC, allowing a passer rating of just 46.1, and finished as PFF's fourth-highest-rated college corner with a grade of 90.6. He also boasts solid athleticism, and is at his best when playing man coverage. The big knock on Blackmon is his lack of size, as he's just 5-foot-11 and 178 pounds. However, he has plenty of other traits that could help him succeed at the NFL level.
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2. Nick Herbig, OLB, Wisconsin
The Saints' defensive line was a mixed bag in 2022. The stats appear strong on the surface, as the Saints finished fifth in the league with 48 sacks. However, they finished dead last in pass-rush win rate by a good margin at just 29% and finished 25th in run-stop win rate at 28%. They also lost five starters in their front seven, with the only returners being Cameron Jordan and Demario Davis, so this is a major area of need.
To their credit, they have addressed it in free agency by signing defensive linemen Nathan Shepherd and Khalen Saunders. However, there is still plenty of work to do here. The front seven seems like an area the Saints will target in the draft, and Herbig is an excellent sleeper candidate.
Herbig has been terrific in his three years at Wisconsin, notching 137 tackles, 36 tackles for loss and 21 sacks. He will likely be a project player, as he is relatively small for an edge rusher and he may need to adjust his role. If he can make the adjustment smoothly, though, he could become an impact player in the NFL.
1. John Michael Schmitz, C, Minnesota
Turns out that the trenches are a need for the Saints on both sides of the ball. Their offensive line was solid in 2022, but not particularly exceptional. Tackles Ryan Ramscyck and Trevor Penning had good seasons with PFF grades above 70, but the interior of the line struggled more. For that reason, taking a guard or center in the draft makes a ton of sense.
Schmitz may be the consensus best center in the draft, but most still see him as a likely Day 2 pick. If he's still available when the Saints pick at No. 71 overall in the third round, they shouldn't hesitate to take him. Hell, even taking him at 40th overall in the second round may be a good decision.
Schmitz was phenomenal in his time with the Gophers, allowing just two sacks in three seasons. In 2022, he allowed just two sacks, one hit and five hurries, garnering a first-team All-American selection and finishing as PFF's highest-graded center at 92.3. For a team looking to fortify their offensive line like the Saints, Schmitz would be a home-run selection.
