With the 2018 NFL Draft just days away, the New Orleans Saints are hoping to replicate the success they have had in years past. Take last year for example, when they selected cornerback Marshon Lattimore with the 11th overall pick.
However, it is a draft that could have turned out much differently for New Orleans. Head coach Sean Payton admitted during an appearance on the Dan Patrick Show that if Kansas City had picked Lattimore, they would have taken quarterback Patrick Mahomes:
DP: If Kansas City had taken Marshon Lattimore [at No. 10] ….
SP: We would have taken [Patrick] Mahomes [at No. 11.]
The Kansas City Chiefs made their belief in quarterback Patrick Mahomes well-known when they kickstarted the offseason by trading quarterback Alex Smith. It seems Payton may have had the same idea as head coach Andy Reid did. That said, it is a move that would have drastically changed the outlook of both teams.
Kansas City would have boasted one of the most formidable cornerback pairings in the NFL with Lattimore opposite of Marcus Peters. It would have also allowed them much more flexibility in the secondary to deal Peters without now having to worry about shoring up the position.
Meanwhile, the Saints may have done the same thing the Chiefs did with Smith only with quarterback Drew Brees. Although the prospect of parting ways with Brees this offseason never seemed like a real possibility, it is one that could have easily happened if New Orleans had a viable backup to rely on. Regardless, it is safe to say that things worked out for both teams.
Payton's comments just go to show the twists and turns that can occur throughout the draft. That said, expect much of the same to happen in this year's draft.
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