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New York Giants Select O.J. Howard In NFL Mock Draft 1.0

By Kenneth Teape

Apr 28, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; NFL commissioner Roger Goodell announces the draft picks in the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft at Auditorium Theatre. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 28, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; NFL commissioner Roger Goodell announces the draft picks in the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft at Auditorium Theatre. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports /
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New York Giants
Mar 6, 2017; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Connecticut Huskies defensive back Obi Melifonwu does a workout drill during the 2017 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports /

UCONN. Obi Melifonwu. 32. player. 15. . Safety

The New Orleans Saints acquired this pick from the New England Patriots in the trade that sent Brandin Cooks to New England. Cooks was a very good wide receiver for the Saints, as he totaled over 1,000 receiving yards in his last two seasons. However, the good seasons from Cooks haven’t helped the Saints reach the playoffs.

When trading Cooks, the mission for the Saints was pretty simple, as they wanted to improve on defense. The past few seasons, the Saints have been able to score on anyone. Unfortunately, they haven’t been able to stop anyone either.

With the 11th overall pick in the NFL Draft, Kenneth had them select Reuben Foster to help improve their linebacking corps. That is certainly a good pick for the Saints, but this defense is more than just one defensive player away from being good. With the final pick in the first round, the Saints will be taking safety Obi Melifonwu from UCONN.

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There is a lot to like about Melifonwu coming out of college, as he is strong against both the run and the pass. The Saints really need to upgrade their secondary and adding a safety like Melifonwu should help that. With the Saints drafting both Foster and Melifonwu, they have two good young defensive players to build around.

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