METAIRIE, La. (AP) — The New Orleans Saints have mined the later rounds of past drafts for some of their most talented starters — star wide receiver Marques Colston and All-Pro offensive guard Jahri Evans, to name a couple.
If general manager Mickey Loomis and his scouting team were going to conjure up similar late-round magic, this would be the year to do it.
Barring a trade, the Saints aren’t slated to make their first pick until late in the third round, at 89th overall.
New Orleans has no 2012 first-round choice because that was traded last year to New England so the Saints could draft running back Mark Ingram.
The Saints lost their second pick this week in connection with the bounty scandal that also led to head coach Sean Payton’s season-long suspension.
