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Depth Re-Charge
NOPF's William Assaf chimes in on Day Two of the
Saints' Draft
by NOPF contributor William
Assaf
posted April 24, 2005 - print me!
neworleansprofootball.com
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QB Adrian McPherson |
Like all teams in the NFL, the Saints approached the second
day of the draft looking for depth at key positions. The Saints
went half offense and half defense with their four remaining picks
and made no trades on Sunday.
A continuing trend that we saw on Saturday and also all weekend
in 2004: the Saints are only looking for high working guys. That
trend didn't end on Sunday.
Cal WR Chase Lyman started the day for the Saints, a player who
has been cursed with freak injuries and terrible luck. He most
recently blew out his knee in October of 2004. Yet he defying
belief by running a 4.45 40 at the Combine three months later.
Lyman is a big, tough receiver of the size that the Saints haven't
had since Jake Reed. 6'3", 220 pound Lyman has a shot to
fill a niche in the Saints' receiver lineup right away. Lyman
had reliable hands in his limited playing time during his college
career but looks the part on film and in person.
QB Adrian McPherson was the fifth round pick, a player the Saints
had been linked to all offseason, especially after QB coach Turk
Schonert personally scouted McPherson at his workout. The Saints
took another troubled Florida State player in 2003, and 7th round
pick Talman Gardner is still on the roster. McPherson has been
scrubbed and picked over by the NFL and the Saints, and to take
such a talented player with all the necessary physical attributes
to star in the NFL in the fifth round seems almost unfair. But
his character issues pushed him down in the draft, not to mention
banishment from major college football to the Arena League, where
he was still a star.
The final two picks for the Saints were defensive linemen and
seem for now unremarkable. Run-stuffing sixth round pick Jason
Jefferson seems no more fit than 2004 5th round pick Rodney Leisle
to play nose tackle for the Saints. Seventh round pick Jimmy Verdon
appears to be a tweener prospect that reminds of Willie Whitehead.
Both seemed doomed to - at best - careers as role players or spot
substitutes.
As always keep here at NOPF for the latest.
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