New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton held a brief press conference to discuss the decision to trade up and select center Erik McCoy in the 2019 NFL Draft, which was broadcast live from the team’s official social media accounts.
“We felt strongly he wouldn’t make it to 62,” Payton explained, noting that the team graded McCoy as an early second-round pick. When a run on offensive linemen began to kick off the next round of selections, Payton and the Saints made the decision to be proactive and move up to pick him.
“He’s one of those players that in the process stood out,” Payton continued, referencing Texas A&M game film.