Hall of Fame Mock Draft for 2020, Pick #24 – Which NFL Icon Will the Saints Take?

The New Orleans Saints are within striking distance of a title run in 2020. As they head into the 2020 NFL Draft, they just have to patch up some holes and hope Drew Brees’ last hurrah leads them to glory.

Of course, things change once you toss some NFL legends into the draft pool.

Rather than push out the usual NFL mock drafts (we did that already), our goal here is to have the Saints address their biggest needs via Hall of Fame talent. This way, they know they’re getting a tried and true option that can help them get over the hump.

For more info, take a look at our introductory post for our 2020 NFL Hall of Fame fantasy draft.

The issue is which need do they address with the 24^th overall pick? Here are three options, along with my pick.

A big need the Saints have is at linebacker. Kiko Alonso tore his ACL yet again and could be set to regress, while the team also lost A.J. Klein in free agency.

New Orleans probably needs to bring in a linebacker, and who better than Jack Lambert? Mike Singletary was also a consideration here, but Lambert was a four-time Super Bowl champion and one of the most vicious linebackers during his era.

It’s arguable that Lambert’s style of play would have to conform to today’s rules, but when it comes to hard hitting and sure tackling, few were better.

Lambert was the marquee linebacker when he played, averaging nearly 150 tackles per game, unofficially. He’d be a fine addition to an already solid Saints defense.

I’ve talked up Lane in previous Hall of Fame pick breakdowns, and I can’t help but do it again. Nobody has ever picked off more passes in a single season, while the former Lions and Cardinals great still ranks fourth in career picks.

On top of his elite ball-hawking skills, Lane was also highly regarded for his hard hitting and tackling.

Bringing two feared attributes to the table, “Night Train” could give New Orleans a scary corner opposite Marshon Lattimore. Together, they could form one of the more feared secondaries in all of football.

Wide receiver isn’t quite as big of a need after the Saints signed Emmanuel Sanders. That said, New Orleans doesn’t have much beyond Michael Thomas, and landing one more impact receiver could put this talented offense over the top.

Whatever version of Cris Carter you think of, he’d be a welcome addition to this offense. He was never the fastest wide receiver, but few offered his combination of elite route-running, hand-eye coordination, and soft, reliable hands.

One of the best pure pass-catchers in league history, the Vikings great ended his career ranked 13^th in receiving yardage, 6^th in receptions, and 4^th in touchdowns.

Every player above deserves a look in this New Orleans Saints Hall of Fame mock draft, but in the end, they really need help at linebacker.

Lattimore locks down one side of the field, and the arrival of Sanders makes adding a receiver less of a priority than it was before. Nothing has been done at linebacker, however, so bringing in a nasty hitter and leader like Lambert could be what takes this defense up a notch.

New Orleans already had an underrated defense, but Lambert can set a physical tone and make the Saints one of the league’s more feared units.

While you can’t bet on this pick, there’s plenty to profit from in the 2020 NFL Draft. Just make sure you use the best 2020 NFL Draft betting websites before placing any wagers.

And to see the rest of our lineup of Hall of Fame mock draft picks, take a peek at our NFL blog.