New Orleans Saints full 2018 NFL mock draft

By John Buhler | Apr 1, 2018

FAYETTEVILLE, AR - NOVEMBER 5: Taven Bryan No. 93 of the Florida Gators looks to the sidelines during a game against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Razorback Stadium on November 5, 2016 in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The Razorbacks defeated the Gators 31-10. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images) /

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MIAMI GARDENS, FL – NOVEMBER 18: Virginia Cavaliers Quarterback Kurt Benkert (6) during the college football game between the Virginia Cavaliers and the University of Miami Hurricanes on November 18, 2017 at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, FL. (Photo by Doug Murray/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

Fourth Round

The Saints might have signed former Houston Texans starter Tom Savage in free agency, but they still need to figure out who is going to replace Drew Brees at some point. It may not be in this draft, but it would be worthwhile for the Saints to take a chance on Kurt Benkert out of Virginia here at No. 127 in the fourth round.

Benkert completed 57.5 percent of his passes in his two years at Virginia. While that’s not overly impressive, keep in mind how rough things were for the Hoos before Bronco Mendenhall took over the Cavaliers program. Benkert leaves Charlottesville with 5,759 career passing yards for 46 touchdowns and 20 interceptions.

At the 2018 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, Benkert measured 6-foot-3, 218 pounds. He has 31-inch arms and 9 1/2 inch hands. Benkert ran a 4.95 in the 40-yard dash. He put up 16 reps in the bench press. Though slight of frame, that shouldn’t be an issue for him playing in the NFC South, where there are two domes and two mild climates in Charlotte and Tampa.

Obviously, scouts would have liked to have seen Benkert be more accurate in college. However, do keep in mind that Virginia was a defensive-minded team in 2017. Virginia was finally able to get back to a bowl, and Benkert was definitely a big parts of the Hoos’ success in the ACC.

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