The 2024 NFL Draft is now in the rearview mirror. After a flurry of selections from April 25 to April 27, 257 players were selected to join the NFL.
With that, we give you our full recap of the New Orleans Saints‘ draft, with analysis on every selection the team made during the weekend and an in-depth look at their top pick.
For more information on the players your favorite team drafted, it’s not too late to get the 2024 NFL Draft Guide, which includes expanded scouting reports, draft grades, offseason reports, unique advanced data, PFF grades and much more.
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2024 Draft Picks
- 1 (14): T Taliese Fuaga, Oregon State
- 2 (41): CB Kool-Aid McKinstry, Alabama
- 5 (150): QB Spencer Rattler, South Carolina
- 5 (170): WR Bub Means, Pittsburgh
- 5 (175): LB Jaylan Ford, Texas
- 6 (199): DI Khristian Boyd, Northern Iowa
- 7 (239): T Josiah Ezirim, Eastern Kentucky
Fuaga — New Orleans needed to address the tackle position amid questions surrounding Ryan Ramczyk’s health and a disappointing start to Trevor Penning’s career. There’s a lot to like about Fuaga as a run blocker, coming off an elite 90.9 PFF run-blocking grade for Oregon State in 2023.
McKinstry — McKinstry started as a true freshman for Alabama, which speaks to his talent. This is a strong selection for New Orleans and addresses a need, given how much the Saints put on their cornerbacks and the trade rumors swirling around Marshon Lattimore. McKinstry has played more than 800 snaps for Alabama and earned PFF grades above 80.0 in each of the past two seasons.
Rattler — Since entering college (Oklahoma) in 2020, Rattler earned an 88.9 overall PFF grade. His 63 big-time throws in that time rank 13th among all quarterbacks.
Means — The Saints supplement their receiving depth here with Means. The Pittsburgh playmaker racked up 16 receptions of 15-plus yards in 2023, earning a quality 72.0 receiving grade.
Ford — Ford is extremely reliable in run defense, ranking 20th among FBS linebackers with an 80.2 run-defense grade in 2023. However, he noticeably struggles in coverage. Ford has the horizontal ability to be a solid two-down linebacker in the league but will need to improve in coverage.
Boyd — Boyd brings good size and power on the interior defensive line at 325 pounds. He was extremely productive over the course of his Northern Iowa career, with PFF grades above 88.0 in each of the past two seasons, albeit at a lower level of competition. He’ll have an opportunity to compete for a depth role on the Saints’ interior defensive line.
Ezirim — Ezirim dominated his FCS foes, allowing no sacks or hurries across 467 pass-blocking snaps in 2023. His 84.3 PFF pass-blocking grade ranked fifth among FCS offensive tackles. Ezirim has solid feet and consistently puts his frame in athletic positions. He can be a hidden gem.
DRAFT GRADE: A+
Rookie Spotlight: T Taliese Fuaga, Oregon State
Scouting summary
Fuaga is the kind of ass-kicker every NFL team wants in the trenches. He has a finisher’s mentality in the run game and takes pride in pushing defenders against their will.
His stride length is limited in pass protection, but his foot speed makes up for it. He has a good, wide base to neutralize bull rushes quickly. His hands are consistently up and in the right position to strike with power at any moment.
He also possesses the hand quickness to hand fight yet protect his chest. He can be a bit overzealous when making contact in pass protection, which can lead to a vulnerability to swipes and chops. But that patience did improve in 2023.
Wins above average
WAA represents the number of wins a player is worth over an average college football player and is a metric evaluators can utilize to assess performance.
It combines how well a player performed in each facet of play (using PFF grades) and how valuable each facet is to winning football games. The result is a first-of-its-kind metric that allows for cross-positional valuation and predicts future value at the player and team levels.
How Fuaga ranks in the stable metrics
Fuaga is a solid pass-blocker who made remarkable strides in 2023. He was beaten on only 10 true-pass-block reps last season.
He has the pass-blocking tools many teams covet and hope to develop, but his run-blocking ability is his trump card. Despite being among the lower percentile for negatively graded run plays, his 15.3% positively graded run play rate has been in the 89th percentile over the last two seasons.
The bottom line
Ultimately, Fuaga has the tape of a starting NFL offensive lineman, whether that is at tackle or guard. He brings the powerful mentality needed to stand out in the trenches.
He has the adequate length and foot speed, good offensive line IQ and elite strength to succeed at tackle and get a shot there as a first-round pick.
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