Holes plague the Saints' defense. Discover which elite EDGE, CB, or DT prospects could transform New Orleans' unit at pick 8.
At the beginning of last season, one of, if not the, main reasons the New Orleans Saints were losing games was their defense. The pass rush couldn't get to the QB, the run defense didn't look improved enough, the pass defense was getting picked apart, and tackling was a massive struggle. Slowly, many of those things improved, especially when star EDGE Chase Young returned to the field, but it was still not enough to compete. Holes exist, and relying on many of the same position groups going into next season would be a mistake.
Changes could and should be made in free agency, but the draft is another great way to get some upgrades this season. Most of the focus is on the Saints' offensive needs this offseason, but EDGE, CB, and DT are extremely volatile. One injury to any group could put the Saints in a horrible position. All these position groups could be upgraded in later rounds, but at pick 8, there could be some great prospects available.
Potential Defensive Prospects the Saints Can Pick at 8
Some names definetly stick out as excellent defensive players, but they may not be available. This is an interesting draft where any defensive players can drop, but they can also be drafted in the top 3 picks. Those two are Ohio State LB Arvell Reese and EDGE Rueben Bain. Reese is an extremely athletic linebacker who can also be a starting EDGE in the NFL. He is worth a top pick and should go there. Bain is the best pure defensive lineman in this draft, and if it wasn't for his arm length concerns, he would be the #2 pick guaranteed. There is a chance he drops because of the arm lenght, but unlikely at this poiint.
Getting those two unlikely options out of the way, we go to the next group, which is EDGE David Bailey, SAF Caleb Downs, and LB Sonny Styles. Bailey is a dominant pass-rusher with DPOY potential, but the run defense may stop that. Downs and Styles are both from Ohio State, and both are positions people tend to undervalue. In this draft, that does not matter as much because there are some of the best players in the class. Downs and Styles both could command a defense, make plays everywhere on the field, and raise both the ceiling and floor of any team. Styles has the best odds of being available at 8.