The New Orleans Saints had a very easy first day of the draft by selecting Jordyn Tyson with their first round pick. The front office was busy also calling the New York Giants about EDGE rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux, but were unsuccessful. The draft is finally complete, but how did the Saints do with the entire class?
The discourse around Jordyn Tyson's injury history didn't stop the Saints from making him a top-10 pick. Torn knee ligaments, a broken collarbone and, most recently, a hamstring issue raised concerns about his ability to stay on the field, but the talent is undeniable. As long as he stays healthy, he will be an excellent weapon for Tyler Shough as the quarterback enters his first full year as New Orleans' starter. There's a fun young core growing in this offense.
On Day 2, attention shifted to the defensive side of the ball when the Saints scooped up lineman Christen Miller. Renner called him "one of the safer run defenders in the class," and he offers the versatility to play on the edge or kick inside to tackle. They also grabbed their No. 2 tight end in Oscar Delp, making it back-to-back Georgia players making the short trip to New Orleans.
Bryce Lance and Barion Brown joined the class on Day 3, further emphasizing the Saints' commitment to Shough and giving him all the tools he needs to be successful. And in Round 5, Lorenzo Styles Jr. became the second of the Styles brothers to hear his name called after Sonny Styles landed with the Commanders at No. 7 overall.
New Orleans made the wise decision not to pass on Tyson, even though the team had bigger needs along the defensive front. If Tyson can get past his injury history, he’ll likely develop into a savvy route runner who can easily get open for quarterback Tyler Shough. With coach Kellen Moore calling the plays, the Saints could be a fun offense to watch with Shough, Tyson and Chris Olave. And the Saints did end up addressing a defensive need with the second-round selection of Miller, a rugged run-stopper who can play nose tackle.
Overall, the theme of the draft was the belief in Tyler Shough. Giving him two receiver weapons is a hell of an endorsement. The Saints should be the favorite to with the NFC South.