Saints made first choice in second round with OT Charles Brown

Being this season’s defending Super Bowl champions, the New Orleans Saints are trying to make the best choices with their late draft picks. With the 32nd pick of the first round, they drafted cornerback Patrick Robinson, and then on Friday night, with still the last pick of the second round, they got offensive tackle Charles Brown from USC.

“This was a case of best available player, and the best available player for us on our board by far,” Saints general manager Mickey Loomis said. “There’s nothing wrong with stockpiling offensive linemen—and tackles in particular—and that’s part of our thinking here.”

The Saints have already had as many as four left tackles and they still added a new one because they believe tackles are usually versatile and can be moved to most other positions on offensive line and can still give good performance. Plus, the addition of rookie tackle like Charles Brown gives the Saints more advantages in contract negotiation with restricted free agent Jammal Brown, who threatens not to return for offseason workouts without a new long-team contract.

With height of 6-foot-5 and weight of 303 pounds, Charles Brown started his college football career as a tight end. He later converted to be a tackle and started two of his college seasons. He was first team All-Pac 10 in 2009 and was the 10th offensive tackle taken in the draft. He does have the strength and skills to play for the Super Bowl champions team, but at the beginning of his professional football career, the young rookie still has a lot to learn and needs to get stronger and work more on his technique before being given some playing time in his first season of wearing New Orleans Saints jersey.