Only having 5 picks and quite a few areas of need, the Saints focused on filling those needs with the best players available at every turn in the draft. Kenny Vaccaro is ready to step in and start at safety a spot where the defense desperately needs some help there (well really, they need help everywhere). New Orleans got a pair of athletic big men in the third round with OT Terron Armstead from Arkansas-Pine Bluff, and Georgia NT John Jenkins. They finished out the draft with some depth selections by adding WR Kenny Stills and LB Rufus Johnson.
Fantasy Impact
Stills will be competing for time as the 3rd or 4th receiver behind Marcus Colston and Lance Moore and after Joseph Morgan was lost for the season in training camp, the rookie has areal shot to earn a healthy number of snaps. Stills is a solid, experienced player that should be able to contribute immediately in the Saints’ high-flying offense. Unfortunately, we all know how New Orleans likes to spread the ball around so while there will undoubtedly be some big games if he can crack the lineup, there will be some zeros thrown in there as well. Heading into the draft it is difficult to envision Stills as more than bye-week fill-in, but there is certainly upside for more..
Vaccaro and Jenkins are big pieces that will help get this defenseive unit back on track, but you simply cannot plug a hole in this dam that is the Saint’s D with just one finger. While Rob Ryan’s presence should make them more aggressive, the players on the field still have to make the tackles.
Draft Results
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | College |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 15 | Kenny Vaccaro | S | Texas |
| 3 | 75 | Terron Armstead | T | Arkansas-Pine Bluff |
| 3 | 82 | John Jenkins | DT | Georgia |
| 5 | 144 | Kenny Stills | WR | Oklahoma |
| 6 | 183 | Rufus Johnson | LB | Tarleton State |