No. 40

by Canal Street Chronicles Jerod Mayo Linebacker Tennessee

With the 40th overall selection in the 2008 SB Nation NFL Mock Draft, the New Orleans Saints have selected Tennessee linebacker Jerod Mayo.  SB Nation's newest NFL blogger, Saintsational of Canal Street Chronicles, made the selection and joins us now to explain his first ever SB Nation Mock Draft selection:

  We know the Saints are looking to improve their defense this off-season and I think they plan on using their first two picks to do so before they start looking at offense.  Therefore, Mayo is our guy. I also think he is too good to pass up at this point in the draft, and I am surprised he is still available. With Jonathan Vilma now on the inside, Mayo will probably be asked to switch to the outside. Whether he can do that, and do it well, remains to be seen.

Before Kentwan Balmer got picked up by the Falcons, that definitely was the direction I was looking. TE's Fred Davis and Dustin Keller are both enticing as well. The Saints could definitely use more of a threat at that position and I won't give in to the Jeremy Shockey trade rumors just yet. But because our defense held us back so much, I think Mayo is the way to go.
 
Matt Miller, host of this site as well as owner of New Era Scouting, provides his analysis below:

  I was so happy to see Mayo get drafted, I almost forgot that New Orleans signed Jonathan Vilma. I really like Mayo, but I like him as an inside linebacker. He did play outside 'backer for a while at Tennessee, so he has the tools to do it. This move is good because it adds talent to a defense that has little in the back seven. Mayo may not be an All Pro outside linebacker, but he won't miss tackles or blow assignments. This is also amazing value for the Saints. I'm still giving it an A!

Grade: A  ::  Jerod Mayo Scouting Report - New Era Scouting :: Matt Miller's Top Five Prospects Remaining: 1.  LB Shawn Crable, 2.  RB Jamaal Charles, 3.  WR Earl Bennett, 4.  TE Fred Davis, 5.  QB Chad Henne

The Buffalo Bills, represented by Buffalo Rumblings, are now on the clock.  Their pick will be coming your way at 8PM Eastern this evening.