I didn't expect to see Jason Smith, of all people, walking through the Saints' doors but this is a very intriguing development. Smith is 26 and was drafted as the 2nd overall pick - yes you read that correctly - just 4 years ago. He spent three concussion filled seasons with the Rams and was largely a bust before playing for the Jets last year and never really panning out. He did grade favorably on PFF despite just over 200 snaps as a backup, with solid grades associated with both run blocking and pass protection.

Today I want to look at five players that I think should be available for the Saints in later rounds. When a guy falls past the 3rd round it usually means there is a flaw of some kind. Physical limitations, an injury history, and raw/underdeveloped skills are just a few examples. But that doesn't mean they can't become great players, the odds are just lower. Here are guys I'd love to see in black and gold that I think would be worth the investment. These players are not necessarily starters in year one, but have promise and could develop into good pros.

Once a year I have the honor of dropping by The Score's "100 Yards and Running" to give my thoughts on the NFL draft as it pertains to the Saints. Sean Tomlinson always takes the time to reach out and kindly get my thoughts as if they matter. Pretty nice guy if you ask me. Make sure you follow him on twitter, he's legit. This time the topic was largely focused on the Saints' defense. You can read the interview HERE, or I've also pasted it below:

How likely is the 15th pick to yield a superstar? Recent history shows most players picked 15th are incredibly solid players pretty consistently. While there's very few guys I would label as "stars" that were picked at 15, this exercise below proved to me the odds of hitting at 15 are higher than 50%. Surprisingly the Saints have never picked 15th overall before, so this is new territory for them. Below is a look at players who have gone 15th overall in recent years, dating back to 1990. I gave each pick a grade to get a sense for what the aggregate would be. Check it out:

Safety and special teams will have a little more added competition in camp with the arrival of veteran Jim Leonhard. The 30 year old was a backup for the Denver Broncos last season but did come up with two interceptions. In his eight year career he's played for the Bills, Ravens and Jets before his one year stop in Denver last season. I think it will be tough for Leonhard to beat out Abdul-Quddus and Rafael Bush for a spot on the roster unless the Saints decide to keep five safeties. His best shot is to assert himself on special teams.

On Pro Football Focus he did get an oustanding grade in...

I'll be running two mocks of the entire 1st round and this is the first. The second will come around a week before the draft, scheduled for the end of this month. Some of you may hate who I picked for the Saints at 15, but it's very difficult to simulate because so much depends on what happens ahead of the Saints. The one thing we absolutely want to root for is for quarterbacks to get drafted early. The more, the better. Consensus seems to suggest Geno Smith will be a top 10 pick, with some even guaranteeing he'll be in the top 5. After him, though, there could be no one else before 15. We're hoping for two, maybe even three. Below I present you with my first NFL 2013 mock draft.

At the beginning of the 2012 season, I looked at the schedule that the Saints had and came to the terms that it was very manageable. 7 wins and 9 losses later, and close to the bottom of the NFC South, I stand here, both corrected and more open-minded about what is to come. Today I will be assessing the 2013 Saints non-divisional opponents and how the Saints stack up with them.

So the preseason games just got announced. I do find it a little weird that the Saints are playing four AFC teams, but that's cool. Most of all I like that there's very little travel. Oakland and Kansas City have to come to New Orleans, and the Saints just need to made a couple quick trips to Houston and Miami. Piece of cake. I don't know what it is about preseason but it gets a little less exciting every year. I think it has to do with the Saints being a developed team and roster, with very few surprises developing on the roster. Really there's only maybe one or two shocking moves each season now that the team has matured and settled. The one nationally televised game will be the Texans on Fox for 8/25 at 3pm central. The dates and times for the other three games will be revealed later.

Any opinion at all on this news? I'm still not fully over losing to the Chiefs in the Superdome this past season.

Former Saints fullback Mike Karney joins Andrew Juge and Ralph to talk about why Steve Spagnuolo failed as Saints defensive coordinator. It's the most detailed and informative explanation on why the Saints defense was so bad.  Seriously, it's must listen.  Mike also talks about the new helmet rule for running backs.  The guys also talk about the insanity of the Rutgers basketball coach, what makes a great coach and Mike discusses the angriest a coach ever made him. Mike also wonders if the fullback position is going the way of dial up internet. Mike and Andrew also break down quarterbacks in the draft and the best moves in free agency.

The Saints made it pretty clear that they weren't going to stop at the signing of Keenan Lewis to upgrade their corners. The run they made at both Nnamdi Asomugha and Tracy Porter suggests another veteran corner was and is still in their plans. Unfortunately neither player will end up in New Orleans as they inked deals with other destinations in close succession this week. Porter signed a 1 year $2.5 milion deal with the Raiders, and Asomugha signed a 1 year $3 million deal with the 49ers. That tells me the Saints offered both of these guys less money than that, most likely around $1.5 million per year, similar to the money that Victor Butler made.

So where do the Saints turn now that neither player has worked out?