Derek Barnett
Daniel:
The pick: New Orleans Saints, No. 11 overall
Rationale: With Drew Brees, Adrian Peterson, Mark Ingram, Willie Snead and plenty of other pieces on offense, expect the Saints to draft primarily defense this year. And after coming in 27th in the league in sacks last year, New Orleans must get to the quarterback better. Who better than Barnett, UT’s all-time sack leader, to bring some bite to the Saints’ pass rush and help them contend in an NFC South division that is loaded with top quarterbacks and receivers.
Nathanael:
The pick: Indianapolis Colts, No. 15 overall
Rationale: For a long time, Barnett was considered a top 10 pick by most mock drafts and scouts. But his stock has taken a slight hit over the last two months or so, and I’ve seen Barnett pegged anywhere from the 8th overall pick in the draft all the way to the 28th overall pick. I’ve even seen one or two mocks that placed him early in the second round. With that being said, I would be stunned if Barnett makes it past the Colts if they’re still sitting there with the No. 15 pick. Indy desperately needs pass rushers, and with GM Ryan Grigson gone, they should finally start drafting smart. Barnett would fill a huge need for them and would be a good value at that spot.
