2011 NFL Mock Draft: New Orleans Saints Select Mikel Leshoure

by Sean Yuille on Apr 23, 2011 8:01 AM EDT in NFL Draft

With the 56th pick of Pride of Detroit's 2011 NFL Mock Draft, the New Orleans Saints select Illinois running back Mikel Leshoure. Davis0169 is serving as the Saints' general manager, and his reasoning for the pick is below.

I addressed the D with the first pick to strengthen the secondary and even with my blunder of looking up stats from two years ago, Harris was actually a good pick for the Saints. While they did improve their stats from bottom of the league to 10th against the run and 11th against the pass, they were third in passing yards per game and a miserable 28th running the ball. Now I believe that the bad run game comes from two major issues they had last year. The first was two key injuries to their two starting RBs in the 2010 season. Second they have Drew Brees, who can toss the ball all over the field with great accuracy.

I can't believe that Mikel Leshoure is still on the board at this point in our draft. Talk about round hole and round peg; this is a perfect fit for that offense. In Leshoure not only do you get a bayou French-like name but a versatile back that does it all. The Saints have a plethora of RBs in the stable as of now, but again, with all the injuries they sustained last year they should be happy as kids in a candy store to see Leshoure come in here. Mikel should have gone at the end of the first round or beginning of the second round, because he is a stud at the RB position who will end up having more all-purpose yards from scrimmage than Mark Ingram if he gets the start in NO. In Mikel you get a true blend of a guy who has power and speed with the hands of a WR. At 6'0" and 232 lbs. he is an all-purpose back who is going to create problems for every coordinator that the Saints will face for years to come.

As a guy who got to see a lot of him at Illinois, Leshoure does it all. He can run between the tackles; he can bounce it outside; and he is a patient runner who allows his blockers to get out in front of him and get downfield like he did against the Buckeyes, and, well most of the Big 10 last year. This is possibly the steal of the draft so far!

Check out the 2011 Pride of Detroit Community Mock Draft tracker for a look at all of the picks.

Poll

Do you approve of this pick?

Yes

140 votes

No

54 votes

194 votes | Poll has closed

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Comments

Great pick here

They would be ecstatic if he fell this far. Great running back group in NO.

"We're looking to improve this team every day, every week, every month until we get to our ultimate goal which is to win a championship."
-Martin Mayhew Detroit Lions GM, Master of the Universe

by Home in Cleveland, Heart in Detroit on Apr 23, 2011 8:28 AM EDT via mobile reply actions

I said yes

because the Saints can use a running back that can eat up some carries. I like it a lot better than taking Harris on the first pick instead of a pass rushing DE.

by TuffLynx on Apr 23, 2011 10:43 AM EDT reply actions

I voted YES.

Very good value here. I could not think of anyone else who had similar value for the Saints.

The Saints do need to upgrade their LT [Bushrod] but I don’t see any candidates around to pick. That would have been my choice in the first round.

"I read one article, I said, 'This guy doesn't know what he's talking about,' " Mayhew said. "Then I read another one, and I thought, 'Wait a minute, they're all saying the same thing.' -Martin Mayhew 2011 regarding Draft Gurus.

by NorthLeft12 on Apr 23, 2011 10:47 AM EDT reply actions

I voted no just because I'm not sure of this pick

Peirre Thomas, Reggie Bush and Chris Ivory not sure where another back fits into this offense. I could see it happening but IMO dosen’t fill a need when you have those 3 guys healthy.

"It’s always interesting to me, and funny, when I read that somebody says we’re not going to take an offensive player or we’re not going to take a certain player or whatever, because I don’t even know who we’re going to take right now, so I’m not sure how somebody else could know," - Martin Mayhew

PCP 4 LIFE

by The Profiler on Apr 23, 2011 11:05 AM EDT reply actions

I havent voted yet because Im conflicted

Although LeShore is great value at that spot, I think they could’ve addressed other needs. Id have to look at their areas of need and who’s available to be certain. They seem to be set at runningback especially since they are a pass first team. Reggie Bush will probably not be back but they re-upped with Thomas and are very please with what they saw from Ivory last year.

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by Jerry Mallory on Apr 23, 2011 12:19 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

Thats where I had troubles as well guys. I wanted a pass runshing DE/LB

But at this point in the draft and who was left I felt that it was a reach for them to go that route, I really screwed that up in the 1st round when I didn’t grab 1 of the many that was still there. I then Thought I had a perfect fit only to see that the guy I had picked was already gone at the 48th pick…… Again my blunder. But when you are trying to do research with a 4;and 2 year old demanding attention then a 7 month old on top of that It was tougher than I thought it would be. Add to it I have/had Mikel as the best RB coming out in this draft in terms of complete RB and it made my choice a lot easier. Thomas is not even on the roster he was released do to age I believe. I thought he signed a extention last year but if you look at their roster there is NO mention of Pierre.

How many lumps you want Doc?

by davis0169 on Apr 23, 2011 5:18 PM EDT up reply actions

Pierre was injured so he does not show up on the Yahoo roster. But he is still a Saint.

But still I think LeShoure is better than all of the Saints runningbacks.

This is the Motor City. And this is what we do...
And God sayeth onto Abraham. "Goeth and spread my word of the P.C.P. and all will well with your people."

by JCruize on Apr 24, 2011 5:48 AM EDT up reply actions

Voted No

Good player, bad situation. PT, Bush and Ivory are three solid backs (when healthy). Injuries are unpredictable, but I can’t imagine they’ll have the same issues as last year. It could still be a good pick and they would be getting good value… I just think there are other (better) possibilities with a second round pick. I did see him a fair amount last year, but with the Saints he’ll be counted on for catching passes. If Bush isn’t back next year then Leshoure will need to develop that part of his game more.

by Sasquatchcc on Apr 23, 2011 12:22 PM EDT reply actions

This Ivory that you speak of . . . .

If the Saints were so happy with him then why did they go and bring in Julius Jones, and when I looked they have 9 RB’s on their roster. So that tells me 2 things. 1 they had some major injuries to that position last year. 2: They were not happy with the production they were getting out of the RB position once Bush went down.

How many lumps you want Doc?

by davis0169 on Apr 23, 2011 5:23 PM EDT up reply actions

I voted No

I think he is the BPA in our draft, but I don’t see him being a need. Like the other people said, with PT, Bush, and Ivory, they have three good backs. There’s really no room for Leshoure. If they had cut Bush at the start of the offseason like some people thought they might, then I would have voted yes. I see this as them picking BPA, but they have other needs that they could have addressed.

LITTLE MAN IN BACKFIELD! LITTLE MAN IN BACKFIELD! GO STEFAN LOGAN!

by BBlades on Apr 23, 2011 1:11 PM EDT reply actions

BB

Other than a dominant pass rusher(once again my F-up in the first round) they Saints had 1 area of need and that is an upgrade on the O-line, once again there are players I could have reached for but why reach for a guy who is projected to go in round 3 or later when you have 1a at the position you had so many injuries at that you were taking guys off the street to throw into the line-up.C was a possible but when you have your starting C from Michigan who is damn good in Jonathan Goodman and they drafted his replacement 2 years ago in Matty Ice’s Center from BC in Matt Tennant they are straight on the O-line as well. The Saints are in the same boat as the Chargers they have this draft to grab BPA in every round after they get a pass-rushing specialist.The average age of the guys on that O-line is roughly 5 years of experiences. They are set with like 10 WR’s on the roster they already have 2 young QB’s who are being groomed for the day when Brees does retire in Chase Daniels and last years drafty Sean Canfield they are in the boat that our Lions need to be in.

How many lumps you want Doc?

by davis0169 on Apr 23, 2011 5:31 PM EDT up reply actions

I voted yes

No matter who the Saints have on their roster now, I feel LeShoure is an upgrade. They spent a second round pick last season on LT Charles Brown. I never heard any NFL HC ever say

" We have to many good runningbacks."

This is the Motor City. And this is what we do...
And God sayeth onto Abraham. "Goeth and spread my word of the P.C.P. and all will well with your people."

by JCruize on Apr 23, 2011 2:41 PM EDT reply actions