Saturday, April 24, 2010

Saints Nation: Saints Trade Up and Select LSU DT Al Woods in 4th Round

I was actually calling for this pick in the 3rd round, so I was glad to see the Saints were able to still land Al Woods in the 4th round. I think this is their best pick of the draft. They needed a solid interior run defender and that's exactly what they got. Woods will definitely get reps on 1st and 2nd down running plays if he can stay healthy, along with Remi Ayodele and Sedrick Ellis. They did have to trade their spot in the 4th round and their 5th round pick to get him, but none the less I think this is a terrific move. Of course you also have to love the homer pick as many fans are already familiar with this player.

Below are his strengths and weaknesses, per NFL.com:

Strengths: "Tall and bulky with a wide base and good balance. Uses big strong hands to get inside and stifle blockers. He is difficult to move, eats up blockers, and clogs up running lanes. Has the strength to be a good bull rusher and collapse the pocket."



Weaknesses: "Lacks initial quickness and is not fast enough to track down ball carriers. Does not always play with good leverage and his pad level is high at times. Needs to improve his pass rush moves and overall technique. Carries too much body weight and struggles with his endurance. There are questions about his work ethic and maturity."