Gerald Anthony Guidry
July 28, 2009
Florett "Flo" Johnson
July 30, 2009
There are teams fighting to stay on top of the mountain and there are those fighting to get there. The New Orleans Saints are the latter.
Entering the 2009 NFL Draft, the Saints had a variety of questionable spots they needed to fill, especially on the defensive side of the ball.
With a highly-potent offense, capable of scoring 30 points a game at any time, it was the defense that failed to keep the Saints’ opponents out of the end zone.
After an 8-8 season in which they failed to make the playoffs for a second consecutive season, the Saints retooled their roster and used the draft as the starting point to future success.
This year’s draft class consists of four players. All but one is from a major BCS conference. Each comes to New Orleans with the hope of taking the Saints back to the playoffs.
Each player brings his own unique playing style to the team, and each could be a viable upgrade at their respective position.
This year’s draft class consists of four top picks:
1st round (14th overall) –
Malcolm Jenkins, CB (6-0, 204 lbs.) Ohio State
Strengths: According to local draft analyst Mike Detillier, Jenkins is a big corner with good ball skills, good hands and great length. He’s a very good open-field tackler and a tremendous leader who is a really intelligent player with a great work ethic. Comes from a tradition-rich football background. Jenkins has experience playing top competition and plays the ball really well. Detillier considered Jenkins one of the elite defenders in college football
Weakness: The simple fact that Jenkins is a rookie and still has to learn the NFL. As with all rookies, the NFL isn’t learned overnight. Jenkins was not known for his great speed or quickness and sometimes lacks a burst to close and recover. He’s a gambler and will at times take chances.
4th round (116th overall) –
Chip Vaughn, S (6-1, 221 lbs.) Wake Forest
Strengths: Detillier described Vaughn as a big, physical and straight-line fast safety who is good against the run. Vaughn is a reliable open-field tackler and is a heavy hitter that can separate the ball carrier from the ball, resulting in forced fumbles and passes broken up. Detiillier said the former Demon Deacon has good leaping ability to battle for the ball and has developed a reputation for game-changing plays over his career.
Weakness: Needs to work on his coverage skills. Vaughn still seems to be a little bit hesitant at times, causing him to get beaten. Detillier said his coverage and ball reaction skills also need a little work, as it posed problems for him in college. He occasionally loses track of the ball and has only marginal hand-eye coordination for the interception.
4th round (118th overall) –
Stanley Arnoux, ILB (6-0, 232 lbs.) Wake Forest
Strengths: Arnoux was a very good college player. He’s short, squatty and a decent straight-line runner. Arnoux is smart, runs well and will be a big help on special teams for the Saints in upcoming years. He was a team leader at Wake Forest where he was on the Dean’s List.
Weakness: Arnoux ruptured his Achilles tendon during the first practice of Saints rookie mini-camp and is likely to miss the entire 2009 season. The injury is likely to set him back but he could make a full return before the start of next season. Before the injury, Arnoux was expected to be used at weakside linebacker. Detillier said Arnoux is not the quickest in the hips and may not be big enough to be a starting NFL linebacker.
5th round (164th overall) –
Thomas Morstead, P (6-4, 225 lbs.) Southern Methodist
Strengths: Morstead is a big punter with a strong leg and excellent hang time. Detillier said the former Mustang punter, according to head coach June Jones, was a very good worker, something every team likes hearing about a special teams player. Morstead did not have a punt blocked during his collegiate career.
Weakness: There is little room for error for a punter. He must be consistent if he wants to keep his job. He hasn’t been put in pressure situations in college. Sometimes his leg is too strong and he tends to kick out of coverage.
New Orleans Saints tight end Jeremy Shockey (88) and running back Reggie Bush (25) react to a good defensive play during an afternoon session of the Saints minicamp at the club’s training facility in Metairie. * Photo by BILL HABER / Associated Press
