Jim Wilks: Best New Orleans Saints Draft Pick Ever?

Who is the best New Orleans Saints' draft selection of all-time?

And by "best", I'm not just talking about production on the field, but also value as well.

Sure, Rickey Jackson would be a good selection. After all, Jackson, who played 13 of his 15 seasons in New Orleans, is a 6-time Pro Bowler who was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2010.

You certainly couldn't go wrong with Willie Roaf, an 11-time Pro Bowler, who was enshrined into the Hall of Fame in 2012.

If the question would be "who is the best player the Saints ever drafted?" one of those guys would likely be the answer.

This question, however, takes into account where the player was drafted, determining what kind of value the team got for them, as well as production.

So, while Jackson and Roaf still certainly qualify as acceptable answers, the fact that they were drafted in the second and first rounds, respectively, makes me drop both of them down the list just a little.

Two players that were taken in the 2006 draft, and helped the team win it's first-ever Super Bowl title in 2009, offensive lineman Jahri Evans and receiver Marques Colston deserve consideration.

Evans, a fourth-round draft choice, is a 6-time Pro Bowler who has started 142 games over his nine seasons.

Colston, a seventh round selection has proved to be a tremendous pick, becoming the Saints' all-time franchise leader in receiving yards, yards from scrimmage, receiving touchdowns, total touchdowns, and total receptions.

Again, both good choices that are difficult to argue with.

My choice however, would be a guy that a lot of people forget about; defensive lineman Jim Wilks.

Wilks was selected in the 12th round, with pick number 305, in the 1981 NFL Draft.

It's going to be pretty tough to ever find better value than Wilks, as the draft is now seven rounds, as compared to 12 when he was drafted.

Part of the reason Wilks is forgotten is because he was part of arguably the best Saints draft class in franchise history, which also featured George Rogers, Rickey Jackson, Frank Warren, Hoby Brenner, and Hokie Gajan.

Another reason Wilks is overlooked is due to the fact that he was a defensive tackle/ defensive end, who did a lot of dirty work, but largely came away unnoticed.

Wilks played on the defensive line in 3-4 schemes used by both Bum Phillips and Jim Mora, a defensive scheme that just normally isn't a big accumulator, in terms of numbers, for a defensive lineman.

After being selected out of San Diego St. in 1981, Wilks went on to play 13 NFL seasons, all of them in New Orleans, where he was a starter in 11 of them.

Wilks never made a Pro Bowl roster, nor did he play on a team that ever won a playoff game, but was instrumental in the success of the Dome Patrol linebacking corps, occupying blockers so they could make tackles, and a pivotal part of a team that went 62-33 from 1987-1992, qualifying for the playoffs three times, the first three playoff appearances in franchise history.

The Saints became a winning organization in the late 80's and early 90's, as they built their team around an outstanding defense, and Wilks was a key contributor.

So, Wilks was a 12th round selection, and yet went on to play 13 seasons, starting 11,  was part of the best defensive unit in franchise history, and was a starter on the first three playoff teams in the history of the organization.

Yeah, Wilks was a pretty good pick.

With the 2015 NFL Draft now just two weeks away, let's hope the Saints find another Jim Wilks, or two.