The New Orleans Saints’ dramatic 2017 turnaround was largely credited to improved scouting under Jeff Ireland’s direction. The former Miami Dolphins general manager took over the college scouting department in 2015 and began revamping it, bringing in his own personnel and evaluation methods.
Since taking full control of scouting in 2016, Ireland has brought the team three Pro Bowlers (Michael Thomas, Marshon Lattimore, and Alvin Kamara) while being promoted to assistant general manager and seeing his contract extended with New Orleans.
But Ireland’s biggest accomplishment may have been the players he’s identified in middle of the draft once the biggest names are off the board.