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New Orleans Saints: Complete 7-round mock draft

By Josh Criswell

Sep 20, 2015; New Orleans, LA, USA; A New Orleans Saints helmet on the field before a game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 20, 2015; New Orleans, LA, USA; A New Orleans Saints helmet on the field before a game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jan 10, 2015; Frisco, TX, USA; North Dakota State Bison quarterback Carson Wentz (11) throws a pass during pre game warmups against the Illinois State Redbirds at Pizza Hut Park. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 10, 2015; Frisco, TX, USA; North Dakota State Bison quarterback Carson Wentz (11) throws a pass during pre game warmups against the Illinois State Redbirds at Pizza Hut Park. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports /

Round 3: North Dakota State quarterback Carson Wentz

The Drew Brees era in New Orleans has been nothing short of glorious for the past 10 years. The aging quarterback has broken countless records, led the Saints to their only Super Bowl victory in franchise history and has become an integral part of the New Orleans community.

Brees is still a top-tier NFL quarterback, evidenced by the fact that he has led a far-from-elite receiving corps to becoming the No. 1 passing offense in the NFL. But with the illustrious signal-caller set to turn 37 years old before next season, the Saints must begin to formulate a plan to move on from the most successful era in their history.

And while he may not be a household name, Carson Wentz just might be the man to carry the torch at the quarterback position.

Wentz led the North Dakota State Bison to their fourth consecutive FCS Championship as a junior in 2014, passing for 3,111 yards, 25 touchdowns and just 10 interceptions. Before suffering a season-ending broken wrist on his throwing arm  six games into his senior season, Wentz had thrown for 16 touchdowns and just two interceptions.

The 6-foot-6, 235 pound signal-caller draws many comparisons to Pittsburgh Steelers star Ben Roethlisberger, another unheralded high school recruit that blossomed into a star in college.

"“First time I saw Carson was his junior year and my first thought was why the heck is he here?” an AFC North scout told CBS Sports. “Why isn’t he at Ohio State or Alabama? But credit the Bison coaches for seeing something and developing him. I like the arm talent, the size obviously stands out and he’s shown the ability to think on his feet and make the spontaneous decision. You see a lot of traits that says he can start in our league.”"

While Wentz is being projected as a potential second-round pick, his season-ending injury and concerns about a lack of competition at the FCS-level, just might allow the Saints to acquire him early in the third round.

Wentz would likely need to sit and learn behind a veteran quarterback for one or two seasons in order to prosper as a starting NFL quarterback, making him a perfect fit for New Orleans.

Next: Round 4: Arkansas offensive guard Sebastian Tretola

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