Will the Saints use another top pick on a defensive end? Here are some who fit the mold

The NFL draft is fast approaching, and the New Orleans Saints are currently armed with eight picks.

After fortifying some of their major weaknesses in free agency, New Orleans should be in a position where it doesn’t have to force a pick at a specific position when its turn comes around. Still, some positions could use more help than others.

With that in mind, let’s take a position-by-position look before the draft’s arrival to see who could make sense for the Saints in 2023.

Defensive end

Need: Medium-high

The lowdown: Cam Jordan will return for his 13th season with the Saints, and the team will also bring back Carl Granderson, Tanoh Kpassagnon and Payton Turner. If everything goes well, that rotation could be solid, but there’s also plenty of reason to be skeptical. Jordan has shown little sign of decline, but he will turn 34 before the start of training camp. Granderson is coming off the best season of his career, but might be best suited for a rotational role. Turner is the big wild card, as the former first-rounder has battled near constant injury his first two seasons. The Saints have traditionally valued defensive linemen high in the draft, and it would be no surprise to see them return to the well this year.

Potential fits: Iowa DE Lukas Van Ness, Clemson DE Myles Murphy, Georgia Tech DE Keion White, Notre Dame DE Isaiah Foskey, Northwestern DE Adetomiwa Adebawore, Missouri DE Isaiah McGuire, Ohio State DE Zach Harrison, Oregon DE D.J. Johnson, Ole Miss DE Tavius Robinson

Best case scenario: The Saints would have to be thrilled if either Iowa’s Lukas Van Ness or Clemson’s Myles Murphy fell to them at No. 29, but they shouldn’t be counting on something like that happening. It wouldn’t be a shock to see them both off the board within the first 20 picks.

It doesn’t feel likely that the Saints will be in on edge rushers like Georgia’s Nolan Smith (6-2, 238) or Iowa State’s Will McDonald (6-3, 239), as neither fit the team’s preferred size at defensive end — the Saints have drafted four defensive ends under college scouting director Jeff Ireland, and their average size was 6-4, 262 pounds.