By Ross Jackson
PALM BEACH, Fla. – Every draft cycle brings along with it discourse about position value. Some believe that certain positions are not worthy of being selected in first rounds, others believe that draft evaluations should be all about the player, not necessarily the position. To manage this, New Orleans Saints head coach Kellen Moore has a unique way of looking at the criteria for what does and doesn’t make a player selectable early in a draft.
We asked Moore about his thoughts on positional value and what approach he takes while he met with New Orleans media at this year’s annual meetings in Palm Beach, Fla.
“I think it’s really on guys who impact the game,” he said. “I think skill position guys, I think sometimes we get stuck with ‘running back, fullback, receiver,’ maybe a slot-only or outsider. Maybe only a tight end. The skill position group, I kind of sometimes lump together. You just want impact players.”
From Moore’s description, it sounds like he would rather look at players based on their potential for impact overall, rather than their potential for impact at a specific position. A tight end that can have a major impact on the game, assuming this model, would carry greater value than a wide receiver of even slightly lesser impact, regardless of draft slot.
This is a particularly intriguing answer with anywhere from two to four, depending on who is asked, high-impact players in this year’s draft that could go in the first round despite being tight ends and running backs. Tight ends Tyler Warren and Colston Loveland of Penn State and Michigan respectively and running backs Asthon Jeanty of Moore’s alma mater Boise State and Omarion Hampton of North Carolina are prime examples.
Perhaps nothing should truly be ruled out for the Saints in round one.
Tyler Warren: TE1 in the 2025 Rookie Class
➖104 Receptions
➖1,233 Yards
➖8 TD’sNotable Information:
➖2.8% Drop Rate (135 Targets)
➖61.9% Contested Catch Rate (21 Targets)Dude has absurd hands, excels as a blocker, dominates in contested catches, and he’s 6’6, 257 lbs.. pic.twitter.com/NOFjQbAuIB
— Austin Abbott (@AustinAbbottFF) January 15, 2025
Without a doubt this applies to the defensive side of the football, as well. But for Moore, he continued by explaining how he would adjust his offensive scheme based on his personnel rather than forcing his personnel to bend to his system.
“That’s where you have the flexibility within the scheme to play with whatever best suits you,” he said. “Hey, I’d love to be an 11-personnel (three wide receiver) guy, that’s kind of been my background, but if you have two premier tight ends, you’re going to play in 12-personnel. If you have two premier running backs, you’re going to play with both of those guys on the field. You’ve got to have the flexibility to handle that depending on how the offseasons play out.”
