The top three Saints players to target with a first-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft
In the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, the Saints have two options.
Every year, the New Orleans Saints want to go to the postseason. In order to be competitive and qualify for the playoffs each year, they place their chips in the middle of the table every year and disregard any concerns about the pay cap. It’s a bold strategy, but when it succeeds, it deserves praise. Last year, it was unsuccessful. Despite finishing 9-8, they were unable to make it to the postseason when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers won the NFC South tiebreaker.
Positively, the Saints can easily see areas for improvement this offseason: both on attack and defense in the trenches. According to ESPN.com, New Orleans concluded the previous season ranked 28th in pass block win rate and 31st in pass rush win rate. Fortunately, at least one of those areas of weakness should be addressed with the 14th overall pick in this year’s draft. By selecting Florida State’s Jared Verse or Alabama’s Dallas Turner, edge rushers, they can strengthen their pass rush. This is exactly what Penn State’s Olu Fashunu should do to better defend Derek Carr. Both players are a surefire pick for the Saints.
Dallas Turner, Alabama’s Edge Rusher
Dallas Turner might not even be available for the Saints to draft, but if he is, they should do so without a doubt. Turner can restore New Orleans’ meager pass rush from the previous season. A year ago, they not only had the lowest pass rush win rate in the NFL, but they also just did not receive very good play from that unit. With 8.5 sacks to lead the way, Carl Granderson was the only other main pass rusher to record more than four sacks in the previous season. Bryan Bresee and Demario Davis, who play defensive tackle and middle linebacker, respectively, eclipsed that total. Their primary goal isn’t to rush the passer.
Turner fills that need for the Saints; they need individuals who can thrive in that major role. As soon as he set foot on the University of Alabama campus, he became preoccupied with hurrying the passer.
In comparison, Will Anderson Jr. just recorded seven sacks in 15 games as a rookie, even though he missed some of those contests due to an ankle injury. In terms of individual pass rush victory rate, he ranked third among edge rushers as well. The two players that were ahead of him were Myles Garrett and Micah Parsons.
Turner was superior to Anderson Jr. during his rookie season. Furthermore, Turner maintained this caliber of performance throughout his time in college.
Turner should go to the Saints at 14th overall, if at all possible. They would be very lucky to acquire him.
Jared Verse, Florida State’s edge rusher
When the Saints are in the clock, Florida State’s Jared Verse ought to be there if Turner is unable to reach the fourteenth mark. According to most assessments, Verse is the second-best pass rusher in this class, and based on his prior tweet, he isn’t all that different from Turner. When comparing the last two seasons only in terms of sacks, the Florida State product has actually outperformed Turner. He transferred from the University of Albany to Florida State, and in the last two years, he has amassed 18 sacks to Turner’s 14.
This year’s class of offensive linemen is more talented than that of edge rushers. They should take one of Verse or Turner if they are available for New Orleans and search for an offensive lineman later. When the Saints pick, verse is most likely to be available. Let’s take him if he’s there.
Penn State’s Olu Fashunu is an offensive tackle.
Last season, New Orleans’ offensive line wasn’t much better than their pass rush, which was atrocious. Trevor Penning, a left tackle from Northern Iowa, was chosen in the 2022 draft in an attempt to strengthen that group, but so far it hasn’t been successful. Olu Fashunu of Penn State might make up for the error on Penning. Few players in this year’s class are as good at shielding the quarterback as Fashunu.
Although there’s no guarantee Fashunu stays that long either, the Saints would be wise to select him if he does. The Penn State tackle would help them better protect their quarterback, who needs to be protected more often.
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