2017 NFL Draft: New Orleans Saints final grade
By John Buhler
Sixth Round
Al-Quadin Muhammad
Defensive End, Miami Hurricanes
New Orleans was ridiculously active in day two of the 2017 NFL Draft. Four of the Saints’ six picks came on Friday night. Some were good, but most were bad. They only had one pick to make on Saturday, but thankfully they finally addressed their biggest need.
The Saints used the No. 196 pick in the sixth round on Miami Hurricanes defensive end Al-Quadin Muhammad. New Orleans has a proven commodity at defensive end in Cameron Jordan. He’s by far and away the Saints’ best defensive player. Not to say that Muhammad is anywhere near Jordan’s wheel house, but at least he has a guy to hype up opposite him in 2017.
Technically, Hendrickson may end up being the better pass rusher over Muhammad, but Muhammad is more likely to play with a hand in the dirt than Hendrickson. In short, New Orleans did improve its pass rush, just not in the way we though it would.
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Overall, the Saints had to crumple up their draft plans once Lattimore fell to them at No. 11. One has to believe that if Lattimore was off the board, the Saints would have gone with Tennessee Volunteers defensive end Derek Barnett. The Ramczyk pick was solid, but outside of Hendrickson in day two, Friday was a night of reaching impulsiveness. New Orleans did land great talent, but they manner with which it did lacked pragmatism.