The New Orleans Saints traded up in the first round of the 2018 NFL draft for defensive end Marcus Davenport at pick No. 14, a move that took many analysts by surprise but showed again how aggressive the team's front office is. Davenport, out of Texas-San Antonio, was seen as a bookend to the dominant Cameron Jordan. Davenport went on to spend 5 seasons in the Black and Gold before joining the Minnesota Vikings in the 2023 offseason for one season. He signed to the Detroit Lions in the 2024 offseason.
Next, the Saints selected Central Florida wide receiver Tre'Quan Smith at pick No. 91. With the injury of wide receiver Ted Ginn Jr. at the beginning of the 2018 season, Smith stepped into a large role for the Saints immediately. He instantly made an impact, catching his first touchdown in the "Monday Night Football" game against Washington, when quarterback Drew Brees found Smith on a 62-yard touchdown pass to secure the NFL's all-time passing yardage record. Smith spent five seasons in New Orleans before joining the Denver Broncos practice squad in 2023. He has signed with the Detroit Lions for the 2024 season.
The Saints selected tackle Rick Leonard (127), safety Natrell Jamerson (164), cornerback Kamrin Moore (189), running back Boston Scott (201), and center Will Clapp (245) with their remaining selections.
Scott and Clapp were the only two to come out of training camp with a role in New Orleans. Scott played with the Saints practice squad before signing with the Philadelphia Eagles on Dec. 11. Clapp also played on the practice squad, but saw action in final three games of 2018. Clapp is now on the Buffalo Bills roster.
2018 draft summary:
The Saints traded up to select Davenport. The Saints didn't have a second round selection after trading that selection to San Francisco. In the third round the Black & Gold selected Smith. New Orleans would then draft Leonard (127) and Jamerson (164) in the fourth and fifth round. The Saints had two picks in the sixth round, where they would draft Moore (189) and Scott (201). To complete their 2018 NFL draft, New Orleans selected LSU's Clapp with the 245th pick overall.
Check out some of the best photos of the New Orleans Saints' additions from the 2018 NFL Draft.
2018 New Orleans Saints draft picks:
| Pick # | Position | Player | College |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14 | DE | Marcus Davenport (choice from Green Bay) | Texas-San Antonio |
| 91 | WR | Tre'Quan Smith | Central Florida |
| 127 | T | Rick Leonard | Florida State |
| 164 | DB | Natrell Jamerson | Wisconsin |
| 189 | DB | Kamrin Moore (choice from Arizona) | Boston College |
| 201 | RB | Boston Scott | LA Tech |
| 245 | G/C | Will Clapp | LSU |
2018 New Orleans Saints draft pick trades:
| Pick # | Trade Details |
|---|---|
| 59 | Traded to San Francsico |
| 147 | Traded to Green Bay in exchange for the rights to draft Marcus Davenport |
