Free agency is effectively over, which means it’s time for Saints fans to turn their attention to mock draft. New Orleans enters the 2023 NFL Draft with an impressive eight picks, and they’ll need to make them count if they want to reach their projected win total.
Note that this exercise was performed using the Pro Football Network Mock Draft Simulator. If the player was on the board when the Saints were on the clock, they were fair game.
Seven-Round New Orleans Saints Mock Draft
29th Overall: Michael Mayer, TE
The 2023 NFL Draft class is stacked with talent at tight end, and the Saints kick off this mock draft by taking the best of the bunch. Michael Mayer may not be an athletic freak like some players in this class, but he’s an above-average physical specimen, and his intimate knowledge of the game gives him a chance to contribute right out of the gate. He has the skills to beat man coverage, but his intelligence allows him to find holes in zone coverage at an insanely high rate. Chris Olave is the future of the Saints passing attack, but Mayer could develop into a solid second option.
Michael Mayer making plays pic.twitter.com/zVQpVftG9G
— Ian Hartitz (@Ihartitz) March 27, 2023
40th Overall: Keion White, EDGE
New Orleans lost a lot of talent on their defensive line, and they start to offset those losses by drafting Keion White. White looks like he was built in a lab to play the position, and that combination of size and athleticism will allow him to move all over the defensive front. He’s quick off the snap and should be able to blow past slower offensive tackles on a regular basis.
71st Overall: Zach Charbonnet, RB
Alvin Kamara will likely start the season with a suspension, and even if he doesn’t, the former third-round pick isn’t getting any younger. The Saints find a perfect replacement in this mock draft in the form of Zach Charbonnet. Charbonnet is a considerably bigger back than Kamara, gifted with the ability to blow through defenders like they’re nothing. However, unlike most bigger backs, Charbonnet also has the hands to be a great third-down back and should be ready to contribute on all three downs right out of the gate.
115th Overall: Daiyan Henley, LB
We are now at the point in the draft where every single prospect left on the board has some kind of glaring flaw. Daiyan Henley processes plays slower than you’d like, but he’s able to make up for it with impressive speed and acceleration. In theory, his slow processing is coachable, and he has the physical talents to start. If New Orleans can improve his mental ability, he could develop into an every-down player in a year or two.
146th Overall: Jammie Robinson, S
Jammie Robinson is the classic jack of all trades, master of none. The hybrid defensive back is great at recognizing plays, but lacks the speed to be an ideal free safety. He’s aggressive against the run, but isn’t quite strong enough to make every tackle. He can match up against tight ends and slot receivers, but isn’t going to lock them down every time. Basically, he’s an ideal backup defender, which is all the Saints could hope to find at this point in the mock draft.
165th Overall: Ricky Stromberg, C
Ricky Stromberg probably won’t have the chance to start right away, but the Siants offensive line needs help, and there is no such thing as too much depth. The Arkansas product needs to iron out his fundamentals, but flashes of great play are there. Improving his consistency would be his key to finding a starting job, but even if he doesn’t improve, he can still be a valuable backup at both center and guard.
227th Overall: Aidan O’Connell, QB
Derek Carr is the short-term future of the Saints, but at this point in the mock draft, there is no harm in throwing a dart at a player that fits New Orleans’ scheme. Aidan O’Connell is at his best in the pocket working the short and intermediate portion of the field, and that’s what the Saints love to do. Something will have to go terribly, terribly wrong for him to see the field in 2023, but he should be a nice developmental prospect that could turn into a long-term backup.
257th Overall: Anfernee Orji, LB
The Saints mock draft closes up with Anfernee Orji, a human wrecking ball that makes just as many big plays as his misses. His boom-or-bust style of play will keep him off the field as a rookie, but if he learn when he should and shouldn’t take those risks, he could turn into a solid player. At the very least, Orji’s aggressiveness makes him a natural fit for special teams.
