2017 NFL Draft: New Orleans Saints 7-round mock
By John Buhler
Sixth Round
Xavier Woods
Safety, Louisiana Tech Bulldogs
For the Saints’ last two picks of the 2017 NFL Draft, why would they not go with guys from the two biggest schools in the state: LSU and Louisiana Tech? New Orleans has so many needs in the secondary, so a good pick for them at No. 196 is Louisiana Tech Bulldogs safety Xavier Woods.
He may not be able to make an impact right away, but the Saints need to throw everything and the kitchen sink at their lackluster secondary. Woods at least adds a competitive piece in the back-end of their defense. He might be a local kid on the practice squad, but he could make the team on the position he plays alone.
Seventh Round
Travin Dural
Wide Receiver, LSU Tigers
New Orleans doesn’t rebuild its receiving, it just reloads. Kenny Stills didn’t play out his rookie contract with the Saints after going to them in the fifth round out of Oklahoma. The Saints traded Brandin Cooks to the Patriots before he completed his rookie contract out of Oregon State as a former first round pick.
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In the theme of staying local, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to take LSU Tigers wide receiver Travin Dural. He may just be a football player, as he didn’t look great in the Senior Bowl of the scouting combine. It’s not like the Saints don’t know what they’re doing at wideout. They have a proven track record of finding talent at that position through the entire Payton era of the franchise.