There's a good chance that King will be selected earlier than his former teammate, Joey Porter Jr. (32nd in 2023). King led the Big Ten in passes defended (21) and pass breakups (18) and finished with three interceptions last season.
If Harrison and Egbuka both go in Round 1 next year, that makes five Ohio State receivers on Day 1 over the course of three years. That's wild. I'm curious to see what Egbuka does this season without C.J. Stroud under center. He plays with speed and burst, and he averaged 15.6 yards per catch last season en route to 1,151 yards and 10 TD catches. In New Orleans, he could team up with Chris Olave -- one of those aforementioned other Buckeye first-rounders -- and Michael Thomas to give Derek Carr a solid pass-catching trio.
I heard Nabers' name multiple times at this year's combine by 2023 draft prospects anointing him as the "next" big-time receiver to come from the SEC. He reached 1,000 yards receiving last season and played his best ball in the final few games.
The Saints love to draft and develop young defensive linemen, and with veteran Jordan Cameron not getting any younger, expect that trend to continue in 2023, even after the Saints invested top picks this spring in DT Bryan Bresee and edge rusher Isaiah Foskey. The 6-4, 275-pound Tuimoloau offers scheme and positional versatility, something head coach Dennis Allen might appreciate.
The New Orleans Saints waited until Round 6 to pick a wide receiver in 2023, but in 2024 they turn to Rome Odunze from Washington in the first round. Odunze has excellent size (6-foot-3) and hits top speed quickly. He has confidence in his hands and can snatch the ball on the run without gearing down. He's an interesting player after the catch because he has shown the ability to make people miss, pull away and lower his shoulder to fight for yards.
Tuimoloau had one of the greatest games you'll ever see against Penn State. In that contest, he recorded two sacks, two interceptions (one of which he returned for a touchdown), a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, a tackle for loss, a batted pass and three pressures. He needs to be more consistent, earning just a 67.0 grade in the other 12 games. Still, his physical tools are worth betting on in the top 20.
New Orleans resisted the temptation to draft a Day 1 tight end, but the need remains for an upper-flight blocker and receiver up front for Derek Carr. Bowers is that guy. He's dynamic downfield and capable of finishing catches through traffic, insulating Carr from any age-related decline that may loom.
Despite using a second-rounder on Notre Dame defensive end Isaiah Foskey, the Saints should keep mulling their pass-rush plans, especially with Cameron Jordan turning 34 in July. The 6-4, 267-pound Trice led all Power Five edge rushers last season with 70 pressures, according to Pro Football Focus, while notching nine sacks.
