Who the experts have the Saints picking in their 2024 NFL mock draft

The New Orleans Saints own the 14th pick in the 2024 NFL Draft after finishing the season 9-8 and missing the

playoffs for the third consecutive year. With only four teams still playing, mock draft season has begun.

Experts such as ESPN’s Mel Kiper and NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah and Bucky Brooks all did their first mock

drafts this week. With over three months until the the actual NFL Draft on April 25, there isn’t much intel on which

players are liked by specific teams. After the first few picks, the exact order of players selected is impossible to know

this far out, which is why Kiper, Jeremiah and Brooks all had the Saints drafting different players.

The three players that each expert mock draft mocked to New Orleans are as follows:

WR Brian Thomas Jr. from LSU

In his junior year at LSU, Brian Thomas Jr. had 68 receptions for 1,177 yards and a national record 17 receiving

touchdowns. The 6-foot-4, 205-pound receiver and Malik Nabers together make up the nation’s most productive

wide receiver duo. One of the key factors in quarterback Jayden Daniels’ victory for the Heisman Trophy this season

was the two possible first-round draft selections.

According to Kiper’s article, Chris Olave is a standout who has recorded consecutive seasons with 1,000 receiving

yards. “After that? Big questions are raised. This offseason, Michael Thomas most likely will go on, but Alvin Kamara

has declined recently. And even if Rashid Shaheed demonstrated that he can be a valuable complementary wide

receiver, [Derek] Carr might try to improve this offense by adding another weapon to the receiving game.

Olave, who was selected by New Orleans with the 11th overall pick in 2022 out of Ohio State, appears to be a key

member of the team. The only other effective wide receiver for the Saints besides Thomas and Shaheed was

youngster A.T. Perry. With 12 catches for 246 yards, the sixth-round pick scored four touchdowns.

Bo Nix, quarterback for Oregon

Out of the three mock drafts, this was the most unexpected choice. Derek Carr has a $52.8 million dead cap this

season and is signed for three more seasons. In 2025 and 2026, that drops to $17.1 million and $11.4 million,

respectively. If Nix were selected by New Orleans, he would probably be at least a year behind Carr.

“I love Nix’s game,” Jeremiah wrote in his piece. “I believe that his five years of experience will help him when he

advances to the next level. In New Orleans, he could easily step right in and contribute. I don’t think Derek Carr is

the Saints’ best option.

After playing his first three seasons at Auburn, Nix has spent the last two at Oregon. With 4,508 yards, 45

touchdowns, and three interceptions while completing 77.8% of his throws, 2023 was by far his greatest season as a

quarterback. Many also noted that his skillful receivers accounted for a big part of his performance, with the majority

of his passing yards coming after the catch.

Carr tallied 3,878 passing yards, 25 touchdowns, and eight interceptions at the end of his rookie campaign in New

Orleans. Carr finished the season with 14 touchdowns and two interceptions after starting the season with 11

touchdowns and six picks in the first 12 games.

JC Latham, OT in Alabama

Trevor Penning, a left tackle, was selected by the Saints with the 19th overall pick in 2022, but it’s obvious that they

don’t think he can play in the long run. While left tackle is open for grabs, right tackle is secured by former All-Pro

Ryan Ramczyk. For the previous two seasons, Latham started for the Crimson Tide at right tackle.

According to Brooks’ piece, the Saints may select a different player at offensive tackle in the first round due to their

indecisiveness at the position. “Latham is an enormous brawler who can punish defenders in the run game with his

strength, power, and length.”

The run game in New Orleans, which finished tied for lowest in the NFL in yards per rush (3.6), had a poor season.

Although Latham could be the most asset by enhancing New Orleans’ run game, Thomas Jr. and Nix are the more

attractive offensive choices.

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