When the NFL released its draft order last week, the New Orleans Saints were in line to have eight selections this coming spring.
But it turns out, the NFL made a mistake — one that will now benefit the Saints.
The Saints gained an additional compensatory seventh-round pick after the league's management council informed teams of a recalculation of this year's comp picks. As a result, the Saints earned pick No. 254 — previously held by the Cleveland Browns.
The changes removed an additional pick originally awarded to the Miami Dolphins and moved back the selections of the Browns and Los Angeles Chargers by one pick.
"The NFL Management council erred on including Cedrick Wilson Jr. as a compensatory free agent, which opens up that 7th round 2025 comp pick to the Saints for Isaac Yiadom going to (San Francisco)," tweeted Over The Cap's Nick Korte, an expert on the NFL's compensatory formula.
Wilson, signed by New Orleans last year to a two-year deal, was not eligible to count as a compensatory free agent because the Dolphins had previously shortened his old contract, Korte wrote.
With the Saints' gaining an additional seventh rounder, the franchise now has nine selections in this year's draft (sorted by round-overall selection):
1-9
2-40
3-71
3-93 (from Washington)
4-112 4-131 (from Washington)
6-184
7-248 (from Philadelphia through Washington)
7-254