New Orleans Saints: 5 best draft picks all-time

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Dec 28, 2014; Tampa, FL, USA; New Orleans Saints guard Jahri Evans (73) blocks against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the second half at Raymond James Stadium. New Orleans Saints defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 23-20. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /

Jahri Evans. 5. player. 15. . Offensive Guard. Bloomsburg Huskies

One of the greater late round picks the Saints have made to date was selecting offensive guard Jahri Evans in the fourth round of the 2006 NFL Draft. Evans was a fourth round selection out of tiny Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania and went on to have 10 highly productive seasons for the Saints (2006-15).

Evans made six straight trips to the Pro Bowl (2009-14), made four straight first team All-Pro teams (2009-12), and was an important piece in the Saints’ 2009 Super Bowl run. He played in and started 153 games in 10 years with the Saints before being released this offseason.

In his prime, Evans made himself indispensable at right guard for the Saints. He received a massive payday in 2010 NFL free agency, earning a seven-year contract worth $56.7 million. That made him the highest paid interior offensive lineman in the league at that time.

While his massive contract would ultimately cause a great deal of salary cap trouble for the Saints in the latter part of his NFL, one could easily argue that for about a five to six-year window, there was not a better guard in the NFC than the Saints had in Evans. Even if he chooses to play in 2016 for somebody else, Evans will go down as one of the best players to have ever put on a Saints uniform.

Next: 4. DE Will Smith, 2004, No. 18 overall

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