Here's a quick look at the Saints' draft picks from 1997. Go here for
the 1998 Edition
Draft Picks:
1, Chris Naeole, g, Colorado (10). 
I think Naeole was a pretty good pick & will turn out to be a good player.
Nevertheless, I also think the 10th pick was a little high. He's not a sure
superstar, and he probably would have been available a few picks lower.
The next team looking for an O-Lineman was probably Indianapolis at 19 &
the Saints had trade offers on the table, including one from KC at 18. I
would be almost positive that Naeole would have been there; Ditka could
have still gotten his player & a little something extra as well. I WOULD
HAVE traded down & looked for an OL like Naeole or a RB like Corey Dillon
or Antowain Smith, but if I had to pick at that spot, I would have taken
WR Yatil Green.
2a, Rob Kelly, db, Ohio State (33). Kelly sounds like Ditka's type
of player & could turn out to a qualipy starter, but few experts had
him going in the second round. Like Naeole, the Saints could have gotten
him a little lower, at least with the Saints other pick in the second. I
WOULD HAVE probably taken Corey Dillon. He fell out of the first because
of off-the-field troubles, but in the second worth the risk.
2b, Jared Tomich, de, Nebraska (39). A hard-nosed, all-out player,
could eventually be a starter. Still, a real reach in the second, I can
confidently say he would have been on the board for the Saint's pick in
the third. He's either slow for a Lb or small for a DE. They could have
traded down & still gotten him. I WOULD HAVE probably taken Mike Logan,
a DB from W.Va., or maybe Kelly. Logan with some CB experience, could be
a better nickel back.
3, Troy Davis, rb, Iowa State (62).
The Saints made a good pick here. I think he could be a very good NFL
back; it was either him or Jay Graham from Tennessee, who went w/ the following
pick. Davis might even be considerd a steal in the 3rd. I WOULD HAVE taken
Dan Neil, a center from Texas (my alma
mater). He's considerd to be one of the hardest working players in the
draft, so he's even Ditka's type of player. I liked the selection of Troy
Davis, but I already took a RB, Dillon, in the 2nd.
4, Danny Wuerffel, qb, Florida (99). I don't know what they were
thinking taking him this early. Even if he's the guy they wanted instead
of any number of other good QB's still out there, he likely would have made
it into the next round. He definitely would have still been around for the
Saints 2nd pick of the round. They should have taken someone else or traded
down. I WOULD HAVE picked Tremain Mack, S- Miami, another guy with off-the-field
problems; but he's got first round talent and could have been a steal here.
Taking both him and Dillon might have been too much of a risk.
4, Keith Poole, wr, Arizona State (116). A good pick here by the
Saints, and they actually traded down here to get their guy, so I won't
be too critical. I think he'll be a good player for the Saints. I WOULD
HAVE taken someone like Jermaine Smith, DT from Georgia, a big body to fill
up the middle. Poole was a good pick, but I already took a WR. The Saints
could have used a big interior lineman, either through the draft or free
agency, and they still haven't acquired one.
6, Nicky Savoie, te, LSU (165). They Saints made a good pick, but
maybe could have gotten him lower. I WOULD HAVE probably taken Pat Fitzgerald,
Lb - Northwestern, who wasn't drafted. I really didn't consider TE a great
need, but it turns out Ditka didn't like last year's #7 pick Henry Lusk,
who I thought had good potential & deserved another year.
There is a common theme here. They are all hard-nosed, play-every-down gamers.
They've also been winners. With the exception of Troy Davis, the other guys
all came from programs that were in the top 10 or 15 last year. I think
those six players' schools lost fewer games last year combined than the
Saints. I guess I can't argue with that.
All of these guys made the team, as well as rookie free-agents Keith
Mitchell and Sammy Knight. (Chris Hewitt, Ink Aleaga, and Donovan Greer
also spent time on the active roster.
1998 Edition
Go here for a comparison of the Saints' last
4 drafts and who I would have taken in the same place
.
I think that the defense should be pretty good, but I have a feeling that
with so many new faces on offense, they'll probably struggle for a while.
I think 7-9 would be pretty good this season, but I look for better things
in about 3 years (if this team doesn't give Ditka a heart attack first.)
Go Saints
Check out my NFL draft predictions for 1999!!.
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