NFL Draft 2019: Biggest steal for each team

This wasn’t a great draft for the New Orleans Saints, but that may have been due more to quantity than quality. They traded away their first and third-round picks, which left them with just one selection in the top-100. They picked No. 48 and then No. 105 overall, but had no more selections again until pick No. 177 in the sixth round.

Thankfully for them, they landed two potential starters with their first two picks. In the middle of round two, they ended up with Erik McCoy from Texas A&M. He should be a starter for them as soon as camp kicks off, thanks to the retirement of Max Unger, who had manned that position.

Those are some big shoes for McCoy to fill, but he’s more than capable. While that one was a good pick, it wasn’t a steal since that’s right about where McCoy was expected to go. Their fourth-round pick, however, was highway robbery. With that selection, they landed Florida safety Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, who also projects as a future starter for the Saints.

Team after team kept passing on Gardner-Johnson for whatever reason. Yes, his tape was inconsistent, but he showed excellent coverage in one season and great in the box run support the next.

He has the ability to do both, it just may take some coaching to get him to become a well-rounded player. He surely seemed the part of a day two pick, with the third round being a low projection. That’s what makes him such a steal for New Orleans at this spot.