🏈 Saints NFL Draft Predictions 2026: Expert Mock Draft Picks, Team Needs, Best Fits & More
Coming off a 3-14 season with the No. 8 pick, the New Orleans Saints need to find a pass-rushing complement to a front seven that ranked among the league's worst in 2025 while giving second-year quarterback Tyler Shough more weapons under Kellen Moore's offense.
As part of our NFL draft predictions for every team, we break down the Saints' full draft picks, biggest team needs, ideal prospect fits, mock draft projections, and our prediction for which player New Orleans will draft in the first round, which begins tonight at 8 p.m. ET live on ABC, ESPN, and NFL Network.
📊 Saints draft picks 2026
See where the Saints rank by the latest Super Bowl odds for every team.
| Round | Pick(s) |
|---|---|
| 1 | No. 8 |
| 2 | No. 42 |
| 3 | No. 73 |
| 4 | No. 132, 136 |
| 5 | No. 150, 172 |
| 6 | No. 190 |
| 7 | No pick |
🆘 Saints team needs entering draft
We break down every team's projected NFL win totals with our best Over/Under picks by division.
- Team needs: EDGE, OL, WR, QB, CB
- Key additions: Travis Etienne (RB), David Edwards (OG), Kaden Elliss (LB), Noah Fant (TE), Zach Wilson (QB)
- Key departures: Cameron Jordan (EDGE), Demario Davis (LB, Jets), Alontae Taylor (CB, Titans), Taysom Hill (TE), Luke Fortner (C, Panthers), Jonathan Bullard (DL, Cowboys)
Jordan is still unsigned as a free agent and likely won't return, leaving a massive void off the edge that defined this defense for over a decade. Chris Olave desperately needs a running mate at receiver if Shough is going to continue developing in Moore's system, and the offensive line lost its starting center in Fortner. Etienne's signing also puts Alvin Kamara's future in question as the 30-year-old running back enters what could be his final season.
🏈 Saints draft prospect fits
I asked NFL draft expert Rob Paul to pick the Saints' best prospect fit in a dream scenario, their safest pick, and their best upside pick tonight:
| Pick type | No. 8 pick | Grade | Paul's take |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🌟 Dream pick | Rueben Bain Jr., DL, Miami | 7.35 | If Bain's arm length and off-field questions push him out of the top five, New Orleans should sprint to the podium - he's the most dominant pass rusher in the class and would be an ideal Cameron Jordan replacement with his power and relentless motor |
| 🛡️ Safe pick | David Bailey, EDGE, Texas Tech | 7.30 | If Bain is gone, Bailey would be a strong consolation prize with his explosive first step and ability to convert speed to power, giving the Saints a cornerstone edge rusher for the next decade |
| 🚀 Upside pick | Caleb Downs, SAF, Ohio State | 7.40 | This doesn't address the Saints' biggest need, but Downs is one of the three best players in the draft and would immediately upgrade New Orleans' secondary with his football IQ and violent playing style |
NFL draft prospect profiles
➡️ Arvell Reese draft profile: Scouting report, team prediction & draft odds
➡️ David Bailey draft profile: Scouting report, team prediction & draft odds
➡️ Rueben Bain Jr. draft profile: Scouting report, team prediction & draft odds
➡️ Sonny Styles draft profile: Scouting report, team prediction & draft odds
➡️ Jeremiyah Love draft profile: Scouting report, team prediction & draft odds
➡️ Carnell Tate draft profile: Scouting report, team prediction & draft odds
➡️ Jordyn Tyson draft profile: Scouting report, team prediction & draft odds
➡️ Makai Lemon draft profile: Scouting report, team prediction & draft odds
📝 Saints mock draft consensus picks
I went through the final mock drafts from 10 top experts across the industry and gathered their NFL mock draft consensus picks for the New Orleans Saints' first pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Here's who they expect New to draft:
| Expert | Pick |
|---|---|
| Mel Kiper (ESPN) | Rueben Bain Jr., EDGE, Miami (No. 8) |
| Peter Schrager (ESPN) | Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State (No. 8) |
| Daniel Jeremiah (NFL.com) | Arvell Reese, EDGE/LB, Ohio State (No. 3) |
| Lance Zierlein (NFL.com) | Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State (No. 8) |
| Todd McShay (The Ringer) | Rueben Bain Jr., EDGE, Miami (No. 8) |
| Dane Brugler (The Athletic) | Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State (No. 8) |
| Mike Renner (CBS Sports) | Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State (No. 8) |
| Tice & McDonald (Yahoo) | Rueben Bain Jr., EDGE, Miami (No. 8) |
| Albert Breer (Sports Illustrated) | Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU (No. 8) |
| Rob Paul (Sportsbook Review) | Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State (No. 8) |
🎯 Saints first position drafted
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New Orleans needs both a pass-rusher to replace Cameron Jordan and a receiver to pair with Chris Olave as Tyler Shough develops under Kellen Moore. The experts are split between edge rusher and receiver for the Saints at No. 8, with some projecting a trade-up, while the market is clearly expecting a receiver here with so many strong options.
I broke down the latest NFL draft position odds for all 32 teams ahead of the first round.
🔮 Saints draft prediction 2026
See Rob Paul's expert NFL mock draft for projections and analysis of all 32 first-round picks.
Paul's pick at No. 8: Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State
- Pro comparison: Bigger DeVonta Smith
- Measurables: 6'2" | 192 lbs | 21 years old | RAS: N/A
This player-team fit makes plenty of sense for several reasons. First of all, New Orleans Saints GM Mickey Loomis loves drafting Ohio State players in Round 1 (he's done it four times). Second, the Saints need a wide receiver opposite former Buckeye Chris Olave as Kellen Moore tries to develop Tyler Shough. Carnell Tate gives Shough a big-play threat capable of winning 50/50 balls (85.7% contested-catch rate in 2025) with top-tier ball skills (zero drops in 2025).
🏈 NFL draft predictions by team
See the live NFL draft odds for the top picks from the best NFL betting sites.
Ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft, I broke down every team's full draft capital, their biggest needs and ideal prospect fits, the latest mock draft consensus from industry experts, and our draft prediction for their first pick this week:
AFC East: Bills | Dolphins | Jets | Patriots
AFC North: Bengals | Browns | Ravens | Steelers
AFC South: Colts | Jaguars | Texans | Titans
AFC West: Broncos | Chargers | Chiefs | Raiders
NFC East: Commanders | Cowboys | Eagles | Giants
NFC North: Bears | Lions | Packers | Vikings
NFC South: Buccaneers | Falcons | Panthers | Saints
NFC West: 49ers | Cardinals | Rams | Seahawks
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