The Saints narrowly missed the playoffs, which means it’s time for mock draft season. At 9-8, New Orleans currently holds the 14th-overall pick in the NFL Draft and probably won’t be able to get a quarterback without trading up. With this in mind, Ryan Fowler of The Draft Network has the Saints selecting offensive tackle Taliese Fuaga with their first-round pick.
It’s worth noting that Fowler’s mock draft does not include trades. This is common practice during mock draft season, as there are too many moving pieces in the NFL Draft process to also include trades. The Saints are one of the more aggressive teams in the league when it comes to trading up, but for the time being, having them hold still in this mock draft is a wise choice.
New Orleans Saints Select Taliese Fuaga In Latest Mock Draft
Taliese Fuaga Scouting Report
First and foremost, let’s talk about Taliese Fuaga himself. The offensive tackle out of Oregon State has an impressive resume, as he played 700 snaps last year without allowing a single sack. At the end of the day, keeping the quarterback upright is the most important thing an offensive tackle can do, and nobody did it better than Fuaga.
Fuaga is more than just a one-trick pony, as his physical style of play translates well to the run game. The massive tackle bulldozes opponents in the run game, and he possesses surprising quickness that lets him make blocks in space and match speed rushers on the edge. Ultimately, all this impressive tape earned him a spot on the First-Team All-Pac 12 team.
Taliese Fuaga is an impressive prospect, but there’s a reason the Saints can get him with the 14th pick in this mock draft. He’s a better run blocker than a pass blocker, as he sometimes gets too high in his sets and loses leverage. Additionally, his aggressive play can be a double-edged sword in the pass game, as he overextends his punches and loses some power.
Ultimately, however, these are nitpicks. Fuaga has just everything you’d like to see in a prospect, and the Saints should be happy if this mock draft comes to fruition. The only question is, how would a player like him fit on the Saints offensive line?
Does This Saints Mock Draft Make Sense?
The New Orleans Saints are stuck with Derek Carr for at least one more season, so they should look into upgrading the offensive line. Carr is easily affected by pressure, so New Orleans should be working on giving him the best protection possible. Unfortunately, tackle is currently one of the weaker spots on the Saints roster, so this mock draft would address a major need.
With two seasons under his belt, the jury is still out on whether or not Trevor Penning has what it takes to be an NFL-caliber starting tackle. Penning was a raw prospect, so there is still a chance he can turn it around, but the Saints shouldn’t bank on it. Ryan Ramczyk, meanwhile, is still great when healthy, but his season-ending knee injury could be a long-term issue.
If the Saints don’t get a tackle in this mock draft, then there is a real chance that the team won’t have a starting-caliber blocker in 2024. Some quarterbacks can survive constant pressure, but Carr is not one of them. If New Orleans can’t fix their quarterback situation with a trade or draft pick, then they’ll need to get a tackle like Taliese Fuaga.
Main Photo: Craig Strobeck – USA Today Sports
