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Forecast: Saints already have an A+ 2019 draft

What if I told you most of the NFL Draft analysts, analytics guys, and most fans have the Saints 2019 NFL Draft entirely wrong?

NEW ORLEANS — It's NFL Draft week, and since the New Orleans Saints only have one selection in the first 167 picks, I'm guessing most Saints fans aren't too excited about what is usually one of the biggest offseason NFL events.

What if I told you most of the NFL Draft analysts, analytics guys, and most fans have the Saints 2019 NFL Draft entirely wrong? Next week you'll probably read a lot of team draft grades where the Saints get a C or D. How could they do any better without picks? No one can have a great draft if they don't get but one player in the first 4 rounds the experts will tell us. 

What if I told you the Saints already had their 2019 draft and it was an A+?

In the NFL a team can improve their roster 3 ways: by signing free agents with salary cap space, trading for players, or drafting college players. A draft pick is no more valuable than cap space when constructing a roster despite what the Mel Kiper Jr. and Bill Barnwell of the world scream at you this week.

Nothing is as perfect to NFL analysts and most fans as an unused draft pick. Why it could be ANYTHING! The possibilities are endless. A 6th round choice could be Tom Brady, a 2nd rounder could be Alvin Kamara! Since the Saints have no picks the analysts will say their 2019 draft is a failure. 

Like most talking heads on your TV box and on the Internet, they are wrong.

The Saints simply turned most of their high 2019 draft picks into valuable pieces for the 53-man roster already.

Don't believe me?

The Saints 2019 first round choice was used to acquire defensive end Marcus Davenport who had a very good rookie season until a foot injury slowed him. The Saints wouldn't have been able to acquire Davenport at pick 27 last year and they certainly wouldn't have gotten as physically gifted a player at selection 30 this Thursday.

The Saints 3rd round selection (93rd overall) went to securing their quarterback of the future. Is Teddy Bridgewater guaranteed to be a great or even good signal caller under center once Drew Brees retires? He's at least as good a bet as any quarterback drafted Thursday night or during the rest of the weekend. 

Also, we know without question he's a better dancer than anyone who will be selected at any position this year. That matters.

Also, Teddy ran a toy drive this offseason, and when he ran out of toys, he just started handing needy kids $20 bills. That's spectacular. I'm extremely happy this man is going to be the Saints next quarterback and a third-round pick is a train robbery if he's even average. The Saints once spent a 3rd round pick on Garrett Grayson. I rest my case.

The Saints don't have a fourth-round choice either; they traded it last October to the New York Giants and got a starting corner in Eli Apple. If you asked any NFL general manager, “Would you give me your fourth-round pick for a solid starting corner?” They'd most likely answer, “Do you also want a kidney? Cause I've got 2 of those but only one decent corner on my roster.”

Apple started 10 regular season games for the Saints, had 2 interceptions, and compared to the 6 games before he arrived, Apple's above average play felt like watching Deion Sanders at his absolute best. Did I mention the Saints have 2 more years of Eli Apple locked in on his rookie contract if they want?  Not bad for the 132nd pick huh?

So don't sweat the Saints not having any high selections in this year's draft because Mickey Loomis and Sean Payton already made sure it's a success. The Saints allowing fans to ignore the 2019 NFL Draft also has 2 added benefits you in all likelihood overlooked.

The first is since the Saints will presumably only make one selection on Thursday and Friday, it's a great opportunity to do something romantic with your spouse or significant other and earn major brownie points. If like me, you are a little too into everything Saints related, your spouse may ask, “Isn't the NFL Draft this weekend? You sure you want to make plans?”

“Of course I do buttercup, you are number one in my life, not the Saints.”

Do something romantic and just check your phone when the Saints pick some guy at 62 you probably have never heard of. Then, when you get home, watch YouTube clips of the player and tweet out smoking hot takes like you spent months building your own color-coded draft board. George Washington didn't send Cornwallis back to England so you could keep your draft opinions to yourself.

The second reason this year is a good reason to ignore the draft is those of us who grew up in the 1990s watching Saints football are about to feel OLD as the statue in Jackson Square.

There is a distinct possibility the Saints players we watched as teenagers in the 1990s are going to have their kids drafted by the Saints. Irv Smith and Mark Fields were both 1st round selections of the Saints in 1993 and 1995 and in 2019 both have sons who will be drafted. I've never felt older than I did typing the previous sentence.

So ignore the 2019 NFL Draft, reconnect with a loved one, and avoid feeling 1000 years old, because even though no expert can see it, the Saints already had a hell of a 2019 draft.

Ralph Malbrough is a Saints fan living in Houston. Email him at saintshappyhour@gmail.com, find him on Facebook, or follow him on Twitter or download his podcast at Itunes.

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