Fanduel
Log In
The Duel

3 Biggest Saints Draft Steals of the Last Decade

By Jason Schandl

The New Orleans Saints' biggest NFL Draft steals from the past decade, including Alvin Kamara.
The New Orleans Saints' biggest NFL Draft steals from the past decade, including Alvin Kamara. / Brett Carlsen/Getty Images
facebooktwitterreddit

The New Orleans Saints are tied with the fewest picks (five) in the 2020 NFL Draft, and their first-rounder isn't until No. 24 overall. They're going to need to make every selection count. They've had plenty of success finding gems throughout the draft, though, landing plenty of impactful players in later rounds over the last 10 years.

With that in mind, let's look back at the Saints' three biggest draft steals from the past decade.

3. Alvin Kamara, 2017 (No. 67 Overall)

Alvin Kamara during a playoff game against the Vikings.
Alvin Kamara during a playoff game against the Vikings. / Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

The fifth running back off the board in the 2017 NFL Draft, Alvin Kamara has made a consistent impact in the Saints' offense. He has racked up at least 1,300 yards from scrimmage in each of his three NFL seasons, with a total of 4,476 yards and 37 touchdowns in 45 games.

2. Terron Armstead, 2013 (No. 75 Overall)

Terron Armstead during a 2019 game against the Buccaneers.
Terron Armstead during a 2019 game against the Buccaneers. / Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images

Terron Armstead really started getting some hype following a blazing 4.71 40-yard dash at the 2013 NFL Combine, but he still fell to the third round in the draft. He didn't get a chance to be a full-time starter until his second season, but he hasn't looked back since then, starting 69 games at left tackle. He's made each of the last two Pro Bowls, anchoring the offensive line on an offense that is consistently among the league's best.

1. Akiem Hicks, 2012 (No. 89 Overall)

Akiem Hicks during his time with the Saints.
Akiem Hicks during his time with the Saints. / George Gojkovich/Getty Images

Selected toward the end of the third round in 2012, Akiem Hicks has been a force at the NFL level, even if that hasn't all been in New Orleans. He racked up 117 tackles, 17 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks in 33 starts with the Saints before being traded to the New England Patriots and eventually signing with the Chicago Bears. He's up to 33.5 career sacks and 61 TFL now, and even though the Saints aren't the ones reaping the rewards at this point, they are the team that identified Hicks' huge potential as a mid-round steal in the draft.

Bet the Draft, Get a Bonus! Place $25+ in total wagers on the 2020 NFL Draft and earn up to $50 in Bonus.

Jason Schandl is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Jason Schandl also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username Jaymun. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.