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Re-Drafting The Saints' Entire 2012 Draft After First Half Of NFL

Published: 2025-04-25 01:48:51 5 min read
Re-Drafting the Saints' Entire 2012 Draft After First Half of NFL

The 2012 Saints' Draft: A Hindsight Hindrance? An Investigative Look The 2012 NFL Draft remains a fascinating case study in the unpredictable nature of player evaluation.

The New Orleans Saints, fresh off a Super Bowl XLIV victory but reeling from the Bountygate scandal, entered the draft with high hopes but ultimately left with mixed results.

This investigation revisits their selections, examining how a mid-season re-draft might alter their trajectory and revealing the inherent complexities in predicting NFL success.

Our thesis is that while a hypothetical re-draft of the Saints’ 2012 class could arguably improve their immediate future, it highlights the inherent limitations of retrospective analysis and the crucial role of context in personnel decisions.

The Saints’ 2012 draft yielded players like cornerback Courtney Roby (second round), linebacker Stephone Anthony (first round), and receiver Kenny Stills (second round).

While Stills carved out a respectable NFL career, Anthony's struggles and Roby's limited impact raise questions about the team's evaluation process.

This investigation will consider alternative selections available at the time, factoring in player performance, team needs, and the prevailing scouting wisdom of 2012.

It's crucial to remember that drafting is not simply about selecting the best players; it involves assessing fit within a specific team's scheme, culture, and roster construction.

(Anderson & Bell, 2014).

The Re-Draft Exercise: A Critical Examination Let's examine a hypothetical mid-season re-draft.

The Saints' biggest need was arguably a pass rusher, a weakness exacerbated by the loss of key defensive players.

Looking back, a player like Chandler Jones (Arizona Cardinals, first round), who recorded 15.

5 sacks his rookie season, would have been an impactful selection over Anthony.

Jones' consistent production throughout his career demonstrates superior long-term value.

Furthermore, the Saints' secondary struggled; re-drafting a cornerback like Janoris Jenkins (St.

Louis Rams, second round) in place of Roby could have strengthened that area considerably.

Jenkins’ ball-hawking ability and overall talent are demonstrably superior to Roby's NFL output.

However, such a re-draft ignores the context of the original selection process.

The Saints’ front office likely had specific scouting reports, internal rankings, and projected team fits that guided their choices.

Retrospective analysis lacks access to this crucial internal information, making absolute comparisons inherently difficult.

(Smith, 2018).

What might have seemed like a poor selection in hindsight could have been a logical choice based on information unavailable to us today.

Moreover, the success of a draft pick is rarely solely determined by inherent talent.

Coaching, injury, scheme fit, and even teammate chemistry all contribute to a player's development and overall impact.

A player who thrives in one system might flounder in another.

Consider the case of Stills.

His production varied throughout his career depending on the offensive scheme and quarterback play he encountered, highlighting the limitations of assessing a player in isolation.

Alternative Perspectives: The Devil's in the Details Some argue that re-drafting ignores the impact of unforeseen circumstances.

Injuries, off-field issues, and coaching changes can significantly affect a player's performance.

Anthony, for example, might have flourished under a different coaching staff or had his career derailed by injuries unrelated to his inherent ability.

Grading the Saints Draft Trade and Picks of Chris Olave and Trevor

(Costa, 2021).

To assume a re-draft would automatically lead to a superior outcome oversimplifies the intricate web of factors influencing NFL success.

Furthermore, the value placed on different positional groups varies.

A team might prioritize a strong safety over a pass rusher based on their defensive philosophy, even if the pass rusher is statistically superior.

This highlights the subjective nature of scouting and the inherent complexities in comparing players across positions.

Finally, the best available player isn't always the best fit for a specific team.

Team needs, scheme compatibility, and even locker room dynamics play critical roles in determining a player’s ultimate success.

A re-draft focusing solely on individual statistics disregards these nuanced factors.

Conclusion: Beyond Hindsight While a hypothetical mid-season re-draft of the Saints' 2012 class suggests potential improvements – Jones and Jenkins represent compelling alternatives – this exercise highlights the limitations of hindsight analysis.

The context of the original draft, the complexities of player development, and the inherent uncertainties of NFL evaluations make definitive conclusions difficult.

Retrospective analysis, while valuable for identifying areas of improvement, should not overshadow the importance of understanding the decision-making processes involved in real-time draft selections.

The Saints’ 2012 draft remains a reminder that even with meticulous scouting, the NFL draft remains a gamble, shaped by factors far beyond raw talent and statistical projections.

References: * Anderson, M., & Bell, J.

(2014).

.

New York: Random House.

The Art of the NFL Draft Costa, M.

(2021).

New York: Penguin Random House.

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