NFL Draft results 2015: New Orleans Saints select Stephone Anthony with No. 31 pick

The New Orleans Saints needed help on defense, and that’s what they got at the end of the first-round with linebacker Stephone Anthony. 

The New Orleans Saints defense was an absolute mess in 2014, and the team struggled to contain the run and allowed plenty of big plays deep down the field. Even with a number of defensive players still available at 13, the team instead decided to take Stanford offensive tackle Andrus Peat.

So, the Saints understandably decided to select an inside linebacker with their 31st pick, but not the linebacker most thought was going to go off of the board first. Clemson’s Stephone Anthony was one of the steadier inside linebackers available in the draft, and he was a smart player in reading defenses in running plays and attacking the hole. He also demonstrated an ability to cover receivers coming out of the backfield, and does a great job with the ball in the air.

With all of that being said, Anthony is no the attractive pick here for the Saints. Other inside linebackers like UCLA’s Eric Kendricks and Miami’s Denzel Perryman provide more splash plays on defense, the former acting as a cleanup defender from sideline to sideline and the latter being an inside thumper built in the old school mold. But the Saints need a player to be solid, not flashy.

For the New England Patriots, they have the rest of the board wide open to them. They have the luxury of taking who they believe to be the best player available.