Saints pick Rankins in first round; select WR Michael Thomas

When the New Orleans Saints entered into the 2016 NFL draft, there was a lot of speculation as to how they would attack the number 12 overall pick.
Most pundits saw needs on both sides of the ball, but with the Saints having one of the worst defenses in the league last season, chances are they would be leaning toward getting the defense in better shape.
When asked about the positions that jumped out at him, Saints GM Mickey Loomis hinted as to where the team was leaning.
“That’s a good question,” stated Loomis. “Right now we have more defensive players on our board than offensive and yet, the strength of the draft is going to be determined two or three years from now when we look back as opposed to today. So, I guess the answer to your question is that we probably have a few more, not a lot of defensive players on our board than we do offensive players.”
With that said, New Orleans chose who they felt was the best fit for their team when they drafted Louisville defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins with their first pick of the draft.
Rankins, at 6’2’, 305 pounds presents issues for both interior and outside blockers. His only start as a sophomore was in the team’s bowl game, but he came on strong as a junior in the team’s first year in the ACC (13.5 tackles for loss, eight sacks, two interceptions).
ACC coaches elevated him from a third-team all-conference pick to second team this year (13 tackles for loss, six sacks) as he continued to terrorize ballcarriers. Rankins’ versatility as a potential starting five-technique or three-technique makes him a fit in any system.
According to head coach Sean Payton, Rankins will help with not just the run stopping aspect, but also with his pass rushing capablities.
“I see him as an inside player in the base and certainly one of our inside sub rushers,” said Payton. “It is a pretty clear vision and you have to be in rotation and it allows us to address the need of a pressure player. It doesn’t have to be just an outside guy, but I see him playing in that spot.”
New Orleans decided to go offensive with their second round pick when they selected Ohio St. wide receiver Michael Thomas.
The 6’3, 212 pound wide out caught 56 passes for 781 yards and nine touchdowns for the Buckeyes in 2015. This followed a productive year in 2014, where Thomas caught 54 passes for 799 yards and nine touchdowns.
New Orleans then traded their third round pick to select again in the second round.
This time the Saints moved back to the defensive side of the ball, selecting Ohio St. free safety Vonn Bell.
Bell had nine interceptions in his three years of play at Ohio St.