The New Orleans Saints' 2022 draft class grew by two on Tuesday, March 15 with the addition of a pair of third-round compensatory picks in the upcoming NFL Draft.
The Saints' additional picks brings to seven the total number of picks the team currently is scheduled to make in the draft, which will be held April 28-30 in Paradise, Nev. In addition to the extra third-rounders – Nos. 98 and 101 overall – New Orleans already was scheduled to pick in the first (No. 18 overall), second (No. 49), fourth (No. 120), fifth (No. 161), and seventh (No. 237).
The compensatory picks were awarded in relation to the Saints losing defensive end Trey Hendrickson as an unrestricted free agent last season, and Atlanta hiring Terry Fontenot to be its general manager last offseason. Fontenot was New Orleans' assistant general manager/vice president of pro personnel in 2020.
New Orleans was awarded three compensatory picks last year; two third-rounders – one for Fontenot, due to a new NFL stipulation that when franchises develop minority coaches and front office executives that go on to become head coaches and general managers for other teams, they're awarded compensatory picks in consecutive years – and a sixth-rounder.
