As the New Orleans Saints aim to compete in a vulnerable NFC South division, their 2023 NFL Draft class will take on great importance. Here’s a look at the capital Dennis Allen and Mickey Loomis had to work with and the players they came away with.
Want to see how the Saints graded out during the 2023 NFL Draft? Then come check out our full New Orleans Saints draft grades. You can also see the entire 2023 NFL Draft results.
New Orleans Saints Draft Picks by Round in 2023
- Round 1, Pick 29 (from DEN via MIA and SF)
Bryan Bresee, DT, Clemson - Round 2, Pick 40
Isaiah Foskey, EDGE, Notre Dame - Round 3, Pick 71
Kendre Miller, RB, TCU - Round 4, Pick 103 (from CHI)
Nick Saldiveri, OT, Old Dominion - Round 4, Pick 127 (from JAX)
Jake Haener, QB, Fresno State - Round 5, Pick 146
Jordan Howden, S, Minnesota - Round 6, Pick 195 (from DEN)
A.T. Perry, WR, Wake Forest
*Compensatory selections
How Many Draft Picks Did the Saints Have in the 2023 NFL Draft?
The Saints had seven draft picks in 2023, with picks in all rounds except Round 7. Two of their selections came in Round 4, acquired from the Bears and Jaguars in separate deals. The Saints’ Round 2, Round 3, and Round 5 selections were their original picks.
New Orleans sent their original Round 1 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft — which landed at the 10th overall spot — to the Philadelphia Eagles in a 2022 NFL Draft trade that helped net New Orleans both Chris Olave and Trevor Penning.
Nevertheless, the Saints were able to get back a first-round pick at 29th overall when the Broncos gifted New Orleans their pick in exchange for the rights to head coach Sean Payton. The Saints used that selection to draft Clemson defensive tackle Bryan Bresee.
Beyond Round 1, the Saints managed to score optimal value at almost every juncture. In Round 2, they added edge rusher Isaiah Foskey — an uber-productive collegiate player who fits the power profile the Saints crave outside with his length, explosiveness, twitch, and motor.
Foskey and Bresee should help rework a Saints defensive line that lost David Onyemata and Marcus Davenport in the 2023 offseason, but the additions go beyond that. In Round 3, New Orleans snagged RB Kendre Miller, who has the workhorse size and crisp lateral agility to become a valuable offensive weapon.
On Day 3, the Saints picked Nick Saldiveri, Jake Haener, Jordan Howden, and A.T. Perry. Haener and Howden both provide stellar depth at their respective positions, but Saldiveri and Perry could go on to be especially strong additions.
Saldiveri is an athletic tackle with smooth feet and synergetic technique and projects well as a guard; he can reasonably play all five spots. He’s immediate security right away, and he could also become a starter down the line.
Perry, meanwhile, was a top-100 prospect on several boards. He’s a spidery contested-catch threat and a route-running savant who immediately factors into New Orleans’ WR rotation.
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