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Saints draft Brandin Cooks after trading up to No. 20

The New Orleans Saints have added a much-needed infusion of speed to their aging offense.

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The Saints traded up with the Cardinals to select Oregon State wide receiver Brandin Cooks at No. 20 overall in the 2014 NFL Draft. It's the first time the team has used its first pick on offense since drafting Robert Meachem in 2007.

Arizona will receive New Orleans' No. 27 pick as well as the Saints' third-round selection (No. 91) in this year's draft.

The fastest wide receiver in this year's class, Cooks set a Pac-12 record with 1,730 receiving yards on 128 receptions en route to winning the Biletnikoff Award last season. He generated more plays of 20+ yards than any skill-position player in college football.

Much like Tavon Austin of the Rams, Cooks is electric in space. Unlike St. Louis play-caller Brian Schottenheimer and quarterback Sam Bradford, Saints offensive mastermind Sean Payton and pinpoint passer Drew Brees will be able to get the ball in Cooks' hands with room to run.

Cooks projects as a Pro Bowl slot receiver, with Jimmy Graham, Marques Colston and Kenny Stills spreading the field in a high-flying aerial attack.

The Saints not only provided their fan base with a crowd-pleasing playmaker but also restocked a wide receiver corps that had grown stale over the past two years.

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