[Quesadilla Joe]

Whoever Payton picks will succeed. He knows what he’s looking at:

Jordan Spieth drove over to the Saints’ facility for a treat: In town for the Zurich Classic, Spieth and Palmer were invited to sit in the Saints’ draft room for the first round. Spieth’s a huge football fan. “I’d never been in a war room before, and I was excited,” Spieth, three-time major winner, recalled last week.

Payton took the golfers on a tour of the facility. “We really like this Patrick Mahomes kid,” Payton told them. “He’s the steal of the draft. I’m not sure everyone knows that.”


At one point, Drew Brees and a couple of Purdue friends walked in—they were going to watch the round, too. That created a bit of an awkward situation.

Spieth said: “Sean came up to us and said, ‘First time Drew’s ever shown up for the draft. He doesn’t know [about the interest in Mahomes]. So if it comes to it, I’m gonna have to tell him.’ “

…
In Metairie, La., home of the Saints, high-fives all around. Now the Saints knew they’d either be left with Mahomes or Lattimore, which led to euphoria in the room. They’d love either guy. Last week, in separate phone calls, Payton said he thinks they’d have taken Mahomes if both were there; Loomis said the same. Of course, that’s easy to say now, with Mahomes winning three Lombardis in his first six years playing. But I buy it.

In Arizona, the Cardinals had hope. They were three picks away from Mahomes.

Then, over the tinny speaker in every team’s draft room, there was an announcement from draft HQ in New York: There’s been a trade. Kansas City is trading with Buffalo. The Chiefs have the 10th pick. The Chiefs are on the clock.

Spieth told me: “Right away, Sean said, ‘Watch. Andy Reid knows. He’s gonna take Mahomes.’”

Then the announcement: Kansas City chose Mahomes 10th overall, with the pick just acquired from Buffalo.

Payton texted Dorsey a one-word expletive.

https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profoo...eter-king-fmia