Everyone’s talking about pick nine, but what about pick 40?
The New Orleans Saints have a top 10 pick for the first time in what feels like forever (I was six the last time that happened, so for me, literally almost forever). Everyone’s talking about what the Saints are going to do at nine, and rightfully so. It’s arguably the most exciting draft night since 2008 for the organization, but nobody’s giving much talk to what they could do in the second round.
At nine, you obviously expect to find a franchise-changing player, but this is a deep class. There aren’t as many superstar talents as possible, but there will be valuable, starting-caliber players available when the Saints come on the clock in round two.
Today, we’re going to look at some of the best second round prospects the Saints should look to add at 40.
Trey Amos, CB, Ole Miss
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Let’s talk about my personal favorite second round prospect: Trey Amos. The former Ole Miss corner is probably my favorite (not necessarily best) CB in the draft. He’s 6-foot-1, 195-pounds and is one of the best coverage corners in the draft.
In 2024, his senior season, Amos allowed just 32 of his 62 (51.6%) targets to be caught for 280 yards and two touchdowns while picking off three passes and breaking up 10 more. I got an up close and personal look at him when he came to Death Valley this year and gave up two catches for 29 yards in nine targets. He also picked off a pass and broke up two more.
I think he’s one of the best CBs in the draft, and I wouldn’t really be all the surprised if he sneaks into the end of the first round. If he’s there at 40, he’s, my pick.
Mason Taylor, TE, LSU
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There was a time where the Saints likely could’ve drafted Mason Taylor at 71 in the third round, but that time is long gone. Since the season ended, Taylor has shown out at the NFL Combine and Senior Bowl and has seen his draft stock skyrocket. He’s now a projected early-to-mid second round pick. If it weren’t for this class having two elite talents like Tyler Warren and Colston Loveland, he would almost certainly be a first round lock.
Taylor is a smooth route runner who has really come along as a blocker during his time at LSU. He finished as the program’s leader in receiving yards by a tight end, and he did it in just three seasons. He’s young and he broke out as a freshman, which is an underrated trait when evaluating draft prospects.
If Amos is gone and Taylor’s available, I’m sprinting to the podium to draft him, even though they just signed Juwan Johnson to an extension.
Luther Burden, WR, Missouri
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I don’t think Burden should make it this far in the draft, but lately, I’ve seen him mocked in the early second round quite often, so it’s not completely out of the realm of possibility.
Missouri’s star wideout began the year as WR1 in this draft, but he didn’t have as great of a year as many predicted after going for 1,212 yards and nine touchdowns in 2023. I think he has the tools to be a great wideout in the NFL if a team can develop him properly, and he’s another guy that would make the fanbase very excited (especially if they go QB in the first).
Josh Simmons, OT, Ohio State
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If Josh Simmons didn’t tear his patellar tendon midway through the season, he’d likely be a first round lock. But he did, and now he’s projected to fall into the second round and could be a steal for whoever gets him.
I know the Saints have a weird love for Trevor Penning and want to keep him at tackle, but personally, if I could get someone like Simmons in the second, I would jump on that opportunity. He’s 6-foot-5, 317-pounds and allowed one pressure in six games last season before his injury. If they want to go OL, he’ll probably be the best guy available if he makes it to 40.
Darius Alexander, DT, Toledo
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The final guy we’ll talk about at length is Toledo DT, Darius Alexander. The mid-major standout is a five-year player who has over 2,000 snaps of experience and is coming off a season where he racked up 3.5 sacks, 37 pressures and 40 tackles from the DT position.
Alexander is rising up draft boards as we speak and could be a sneaky late first round pick, but if he’s there at 40 and they want a DT, he should be the pick.
Here are some other notable names that could be available at pick 40:
- Azareye’h Thomas, CB, Florida State
- TreVeyon Henderson, RB, Ohio State
- Tyler Booker, G, Alabama
- Jack Bech, WR, TCU