The NFL Draft is only two weeks away, and no one knows what the New Orleans Saint will do one day one.
With the ninth overall pick, the Saints are in an interesting position. They could go after quarterback Shedeur Sanders, or they could simply take the best player available. But with so many roster needs, they might also want to stockpile some future draft picks in the time being.
If the Saints get on the clock and some other team starts blowing up their phone to try and get a specific prospect, wouldn't New Orleans be wise to listen? Assuming, of course, that the prospect in question isn't at the top of the Saints' own draft board at the time.
One NFL writer believes that exact scenario could play out thanks to the San Francisco 49ers' desperate need for an edge-rusher.
On Thursday, Sports Illustrated's Matt Verderame proposed a hypothetical swap in which the 49ers would draft Georgia linebacker Jalon Walker with the ninth pick in exchange for the 11th and 113th picks. In turn, Verdeame predicted that the Saints would draft Michigan cornerback Will Johnson 11th.
After losing Paulson Adebo in free agency to the Giants, New Orleans has a hole in its secondary," Verderame wrote.
"After moving back two spots, Saints general manager Mickey Loomis has the opportunity to add the draft’s top corner in Johnson, who is coming off a three-year career at Michigan featuring nine interceptions and a national title."
Johnson, 22, not only had nine collegiate interceptions, but three were returned for touchdowns. The 6-foot-2, 200-pounder has unusual size for a corner, and his explosive athleticism makes him a home run threat.
The Saints need help at just about every position, so landing the draft's top corner and still gaining an extra fourth-round pick sounds like a pretty sizable win.
Saints Called 'Wild Card' Ahead Of Franchise-Altering Choice
There has been a lot of speculation and rumors about what the New Orleans Saints are planning to do in the upcoming National Football League Draft but it's almost time for action.
The draft is going to be here in exactly two weeks. The speculation isn't going to slow down by any means, but we are going to get a good look at what this team's strategy will be with Kellen Moore in charge as the head coach.
New Orleans has the No. 9 pick and has nine overall selections in the upcoming draft. It's going to be a wild three days from Green Bay, Wisconsin. Rumors have been building for weeks and there is no clear indication on how the team will use the No. 9 pick. ESPN's Jordan Reid even called New Orleans a "wild card."
"What we're hearing about the Saints' draft: From my conversations with sources around the league the past few weeks, the Saints are viewed as a wild card because of all the needs they have," Reid said. "New Orleans has done a lot of extra work on this quarterback class and been a constant presence at pro days, but there's some skepticism on whether it would target a quarterback in Round 1.
"'Would you really want to draft a young QB early and bring him into that situation?' one NFC East scout said. This roster needs to be upgraded in the trenches, so I expect the Saints' first-round pick to be an offensive lineman or a pass catcher, such as Tyler Warren."
The speculation will finally end in two weeks.
