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The 2015 NFL Draft was the first draft where the New Orleans Saints held nine picks at the start of the selection meeting since 2002. With the 13th pick overall, New Orleans selected Stanford T Andrus Peat and with the 31st pick, the Saints picked Clemson ILB Stephone Anthony. This was the fifth time in franchise history that New Orleans selected two players in the first round. The other years this occurred was 2002 (DE Charles Grant and WR Donte’ Stallworth), 1993 (T William Roaf and TE Irv Smith), 1981 (RB George Rogers and QB Dave Wilson – supplemental) and 1975 (WR Larry Burton and G Kurt Schumacher). With the selection of Peat, it is the first time that New Orleans has selected an offensive lineman in the first round since T Jammal Brown in 2005. Peat is the sixth tackle to be picked by New Orleans in the first round, joining Brown, Kyle Turley (1998), Roaf, Jim Dombrowski (1986) and Stan Brock (1980). The 6-foot-7, 316-pound Peat started his last 27 games played at left tackle for Stanford. In 2014, the first-team All-Pac-12 selection opened every contest and was selected a first-team All-American by The Sporting News, SI.com and ESPN.com and earned second-team honors from the Associated Press. A native of Mesa, Ariz., Peat’s father Todd, played six seasons in the NFL for the St. Louis/Phoenix Cardinals (1987-89) and Los Angeles Raiders (1990, 1992-93). Anthony was the first linebacker taken in the first round by New Orleans since Mark Fields in 1995. Anthony is only the fourth linebacker taken in the first round by New Orleans all-time, joining Fields, Alvin Toles (1985) and Rick Middleton (1974). In four seasons at Clemson, Anthony finished his career with 330 tackles, 34.5 tackles for loss, 9.5 sacks, three interceptions, 13 passes defensed, five forced fumbles and one fumble recovery over 52 games (35 starts).In 2014 as a senior, Anthony was a consensus first-team All-ACC selection, Butkus Award semifinalist and team co-captain, who had a team-high 90 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, one interception, four passes defensed and two forced fumbles in 13 games (12 starts). As a junior in 2013, the Anson, N.C., native was a second-team All-ACC selection by Phil Steele and third-team selection by league media and coaches, as he had a team-high 131 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, four sacks, one interception, five passes defensed and one fumble recovery, over 13 games, all of which he started. In the Orange Bowl against Ohio State, he had a game-high 11 tackles and an interception on the Buckeyes’ last drive that clinched the victory.

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New Orleans Saints notes from Round 1 of the 2015 NFL Draft

Saints had two first-round picks