The Saints only had 4 picks in last April’s NFL Draft but two of them really have helped the team this year.  CB Malcolm Jenkins out of Ohio State was selected in the first round (#14 overall).  He played in 14 games this season for the Saints and he had 55 tackles, defensed 4 passes, forced 2 fumbles and he had a interception.  The Saints picked punter Thomas Morstead in the 5th round out of SMU (#164 overall).  All he did was start all 16 games for the Saints.  He punted the ball 58 times for 2,528 yards (43.6 avg.), had 4 touchbacks (6.9%) and he pinned the opposing team inside their own 20-yard line 18 times (31%).  Safety Chip Vaughn (4th round, #116 overall) and ILB Stanley Arnoux (4th round, #118 overall) both out of Wake Forest spent their rookie years on I.R.

GRADE FOR 2009:  B

GRADE FOR THE FUTURE:  B

The Saints have picked a player who should help solve some of the major problems that they have had in the secondary in recent years.  Jenkins has good size at 6′0″, 200 and he has great speed running a 4.45 40.  Jenkins can also handle playing safety if the need arises for the Saints.  Jenkins played in 49 games (43 starts) in his 4 years at Ohio State and he made 196 tackles, broke up 17 passes, intercepted 11 passes (157 yards) and he also forced 4 fumbles.  This was a great pick for the Saints as Jenkins fills a huge need for the team.

The Saints did a good job last April as half of their draft picks made a good impact.  It all started in the first round when the Saints selected DT Sedrick Ellis.  Ellis played in 13 games (all starts) last season for the Saints and he made 30 tackles, had 4 sacks and he defensed 5 passes.  Ellis could develop into a Pro Bowler in the near future as he has the power to push the pocket up the middle of the defense.  CB Tracy Porter (2nd round) played very well for the Saints before his season ended due to a wrist injury.  Porter played in 5 games (all starts) last season and he made 25 tackles, defensed 5 passes and had 1 interception.  In the 5th round the Saints hit another home run with the selection of OG Carl Nicks.  Nicks played in 16 games (13 starts) for the Saints last season and he made a tackle.  Nicks is just the latest of a long line of second day picks used on O-Linemen that have produced for the Saints.  The rest of the draft didn’t show much for the Saints.  5th round pick (DT) DeMario Pressley didn’t play in 2008 as a foot injury caused him to go on Injured Reserve.  Placekicker Taylor Mehlhaff (6th round) didn’t last long for the Saints.  He played in 3 games for the Saints and he made 3 of 4 field goals and 9 of 10 extra points.  Mehlhaff was released during the season and didn’t hook up with another team as a rookie.  7th round WR Adrian Arrington didn’t get on the field as a rookie as he spent his season on I.R. with a bad case of turf toe.

GRADE FOR THE 2008 SEASON:  B

GRADE FOR THE FUTURE:  B

Adrian Arrington reminds me of a lot of overrated Michigan receivers as they tend to be slow but physical.  Arrington is 6′2″, 185 but he only runs a 4.6 40.  He can make the acrobatic catch look easy and the easy catch look impossible.  Arrington played in 34 games (18 starts) at Michigan and he caught 109 passes for 1,438 yards (13.2 avg) with 16 TD grabs.  He will be lucky to make the Saints’ roster.

The Saints are trying to rid themselves of the nightmare that was Olindo Mare last season.  Mehlhaff has a strong left leg as he can often split the goal posts on kickoffs.  He is a very good athlete for a kicker although that likely won’t come into play often.  He played in 51 games at Wisconsin and he connected on 50 of 65 FGs (76.9%) and 145 of 148 extra points.  He will be battling Martin Gramatica for the starting job and he should be able to beat him out.