Saints take big riser in edge rusher Payton Turner to wreck havoc
The Saints decided to buy in to the hype on Payton Turner by drafting him late in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft.
The New Orleans Saints decided not to make a drastic trade in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft for a quarterback. Instead, the team stood pat and selected Houston’s Payton Turner with the No. 28 overall pick.
This is a pick that may surprise many fans in New Orleans, but Turner was noted as a potential surprise pick earlier in the day by ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
In a draft light on defensive linemen, here’s a name that could be called tonight: Houston DE Payton Turner could go in the first round due to his character, medicals and length, some NFL execs believe.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 29, 2021
Saints take a chance on Payton Turner
Turner only appeared in five games last season due to injury and still finished with five sacks. Schefter said in his tweet that teams were happy with the edge rusher’s medicals. That must mean information came to light that proved Turner was all good to go for the 2021 season and that there were no lingering issues.
He played all four years at Houston and is listed at 6-foot-5, 270 pounds. Showing up with good size and length is the first step of becoming a successful NFL player. Turner clearly showed enough in the Senior Bowl and leading up to the draft to impress the Saints.
Some fans in New Orleans may have been dreaming of a first-round quarterback. But Taysom Hill and Jameis Winston remain on the roster. The team could also draft a mid-round quarterback after addressing an actual need along the defensive line.
The Saints had a top defense in terms of yards and points allowed in 2020. Adding a young, versatile player like Turner is a great idea and actually focuses on remaining competitive in 2021. Taking a first-round quarterback just wasn’t necessary at this point in time.
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