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What are the New Orleans Saints going to do in the 2025 NFL draft? Specifically, what is general manager Mickey Loomis going to do when his team goes on the clock? There aren't many people who have been in his shoes, but one of them is former NFL general manager Mike Tannenbaum, who made his picks for all 32 teams at ESPN.
If he were Loomis, Tannenbaum says he'd work to improve a Saints defense that fell off last year by picking Georgia Bulldogs star Mykel Williams. Here's why:
"The Saints were 27th in defensive efficiency last season, and the great Cameron Jordan is getting closer to the end of his career. With tight salary cap constraints, this team needs to think about the future. So despite some questions on offense, I want to boost the New Orleans pass rush. Williams dealt with an ankle injury early last season that caused him to miss a few games, but he has great traits. Four of his five sacks came against Texas' solid offensive line. He has a huge 6-5 frame, and he plays even bigger and stronger than that."
Williams is one of the more divisive prospects in this year's class; some forecasters expect him to be a top-10 pick while others see him falling out of Round 1 entirely. He's got NFL size at 6-foot-5 and 260 pounds but his 40-time came in below expectations (timed at 4.73 seconds at Georgia's pro day), and he didn't complete the agility drills or go through the jumps that scouts value in collecting data. He also didn't put up huge numbers while playing on a defense stocked with future pro talent, which suggests he has a lot of untapped potential. We can't overlook the ankle injury that's slowed him down, either.
But much like Cameron Jordan himself coming out of school, Williams is seen as a better run defender than pass rusher, at least at this stage in his career. Remember, Jordan only had one sack his rookie year before posting 7.5 or more of them in each of the next 11 seasons. Those skills can be taught. If Williams can meet his potential he would be well worth the pick.
This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: 2025 draft: Former general manager on who he'd pick if he were Saints
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If he were Loomis, Tannenbaum says he'd work to improve a Saints defense that fell off last year by picking Georgia Bulldogs star Mykel Williams. Here's why:
"The Saints were 27th in defensive efficiency last season, and the great Cameron Jordan is getting closer to the end of his career. With tight salary cap constraints, this team needs to think about the future. So despite some questions on offense, I want to boost the New Orleans pass rush. Williams dealt with an ankle injury early last season that caused him to miss a few games, but he has great traits. Four of his five sacks came against Texas' solid offensive line. He has a huge 6-5 frame, and he plays even bigger and stronger than that."
Williams is one of the more divisive prospects in this year's class; some forecasters expect him to be a top-10 pick while others see him falling out of Round 1 entirely. He's got NFL size at 6-foot-5 and 260 pounds but his 40-time came in below expectations (timed at 4.73 seconds at Georgia's pro day), and he didn't complete the agility drills or go through the jumps that scouts value in collecting data. He also didn't put up huge numbers while playing on a defense stocked with future pro talent, which suggests he has a lot of untapped potential. We can't overlook the ankle injury that's slowed him down, either.
But much like Cameron Jordan himself coming out of school, Williams is seen as a better run defender than pass rusher, at least at this stage in his career. Remember, Jordan only had one sack his rookie year before posting 7.5 or more of them in each of the next 11 seasons. Those skills can be taught. If Williams can meet his potential he would be well worth the pick.
This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: 2025 draft: Former general manager on who he'd pick if he were Saints
Continue reading...
