Canal Street Chronicles
Another week, another loss, and somehow, the New Orleans Saints are not the worst team in the NFL. Last week, they were, and had the first pick in the draft, but this week, per Tankathon, the Saints have the #2 pick in the draft.
Last week, I went with a QB for one of the options, and although that can still happen, Spencer Rattler’s play on the field has put the pause on that. In addition, no other QB has separated themselves in college, so Garrett Nussmeier would be the only option. The other position I focused on last week was edge rusher, and I’ll be going right back to the defensive line here.
As explained, this first prospect is going to be defensive line-focused. Going into the college season, Clemson was looked at as the National Champion favorite due to how many top-tier prospects the team has. This has not stayed true, and many of these players are injured or underperforming, except defensive tackle Peter Woods. The stats may not fly off the screen, but Woods is having yet another great season. The 6-3, 310 lb defensive lineman is an excellent run defender who can destroy double teams to blow up plays. Good luck putting a single blocker on him, because your team will not be able to run. Woods is also a good pass rusher who can burst into the backfield and pressure the QB. Combining these abilities already makes you a very good DT prospect, but what puts Woods above the rest is his ability to play anywhere on the defensive line.
The Saints’ defensive line still has clear holes throughout, and although edge rusher is a bigger issue than defensive tackle, a prospect like Woods can improve any defense in the NFL. A defensive tackle room of Bryan Bresee (pass rush expert), Peter Woods (can do legitimately everything), and Davon Godchaux (the primary run defender), would be one of the best in the league.
There are some other positional options here at the second pick, but I’m starting a trend here and will stick with the defensive line. Last week I talked about Ruben Bain as an option at 1, and although I still think he is the best edge prospect in the draft, there are two other players who can still take over that spot. This week, I will be talking about Auburn defensive lineman Keldric Faulk. The young edge rusher is another one of the great run defenders in this class, and he can disrupt any rushing attempt. Like with Peter Woods, Faulk can align nearly everywhere on the defensive line and play outside linebacker. He must improve in pass rush, but the potential is there, and he has the tools to reach that. A mix of athleticism and clear motivation on every snap can make Faulk a truly great player in the NFL.
The Saints’ pass rush needs to improve this offseason, and selecting one of these top prospects...
