Canal Street Chronicles
With the New Orleans Saints not playing a game in Week 11, their draft position was bound to drop, and that is precisely what happened. Right now, the Saints are projected to select at pick 4 in the draft, which still isn’t enough to unlock new prospects, so let’s see what happens if a trade back occurs.
One of the biggest risers this season, EDGE Cashius Howell has been making a name for himself as one of the best pass rushers in the country. So far, Howell has 11.5 sacks on the season, which brings his total sacks in his college career to 27. At 6-2/6-3, he is undersized, and that may keep teams away from him, but what he brings to a defense can make DCs around the league fall in love with him. The use of speed, bend, and versatility in a scheme, while still using pass-rush moves, to not rely on athleticism.
For the Saints, this pick comes down to what they’re okay with selecting. New Orleans does have a “type” when talking about edge rushers, and although Howell is an excellent talent with athleticism and production, he may not fit the Saints’ requirements. With Brandon Staley’s scheme, Howell would fit perfectly and be what the Saints are missing, but I still am not sure they would select him.
The next prospect is someone who is somehow still under the radar for how good he has been. That is not his fault, given how well his teammates, Arvell Reese and Josh Downs, have played, but Sonny Styles is one of the best linebackers in the country. He is 6-4 and plays with power, but also brings speed to the defense. As a run defender, he is dominant and rarely lets up extra yards. This is the strength of his game, but he is also great in pass coverage. Usually, this is a weakness of many linebackers’ games, but that is not the case with Styles.
The Saints’ linebacker core is pretty good already, but preparing for the future and adding talent must be done wherever needed. Styles brings a combination of pass coverage and run defense that New Orleans have not had in a while, and while the future of Danny Stutsman is bright, Styles would be the perfect Demario Davis replacement.
