The 2013 NFL Draft is now in the books, and there was not shortage of storylines. From quarterbacks dropping to Manti Tao going later than expected to the Jets adding their sixth QB to their roster, the Draft is always an exciting time.
On the Saints front, fans can follow the mantra, In Loomis We Trust. Loomis has hit on many late picks over the years and fans know Saints scouts will search far and wide for talent (Hofstra, Bloomberg, Regina) and now they can add Tarleton State to the list.
There was excitement in the first round when many highly ranked prospects dropped, but the Saints went with a guy that had been tied to them in safety Kenny Vaccaro. Some Saints fans wanted Jarvis Jones from Georgia, but Vaccaro helps the backend of the defense, in an area that was certainly needed. The best thing about the pick is it could mean less playing time for Roman Harper, which is a good thing for improving the defense.
Perhaps more exciting than the first round for Saints fans was Round 3, when after sitting idle for all of Round 2, the Saints' turn finally came around and they selected OT Terron Armstead of Arkan sas Pine Bluff. Then moments later, the Saints were back on the clock, having traded up, to select DT John Jenkins of Georgia. They traded two 4th round picks to move up, but where'd the extra 4th come from? The rumored Chris Ivory trade to the Jets finally happened, so essentially, the Saints turned a luxury running back into an anchor for the new look 3-4 defense.
Here's a look at the Saints 2013 Draft Class:
Round 1, pick 15: Kenny Vaccaro, S, Texas
Round 3, pick 75: Terron Armstead, OT, Arkansas Pine Bluff
Round 3, pick 82: John Jenkins, DT, Georgia
Round 5, pick 144: Kenny Stills, WR, Oklahoma
Round 6, pick 183: Rufus Johnson, DE/LB, Tarleton State
Looking over the list, the Saints had a solid draft and certainly improved their team. Here's a look at some of the grades the team's five-member draft class has received:
- Mel Kiper Jr: B
- Walter Football: A
- SI.com: C
- USA Today: B+
- Sporting News: B
- CBS Sports Pete Prisco: B+
- CBS Sports Rob Rang: B-
- Yahoo: B+
- Fox Sports: B-, B+ and B
If I had to assign a letter grade on this draft, I think B+ is a fair one, but you don't really know the value of a draft class for 2-3 years.
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