Ranking the top 100 prospects on the New Orleans Saints 2026 big board
With the No. 8 overall pick and eight total selections, here’s how the board could fall for a Saints team in transition
NEW ORLEANS — The Kellen Moore era is officially underway, and the franchise’s identity is being reshaped. The New Orleans Saints, coming off a 6-11 campaign that secured the No. 8 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, face a pivotal three days in Pittsburgh beginning April 23 .
The philosophy appears clear: get younger, cheaper, and more explosive. While veteran additions like running back Travis Etienne Jr. and tight end Noah Fant patch immediate holes, the draft is where this roster will be rebuilt . With eight picks, including two fourth-rounders and two fifth-rounders, General Manager Mickey Loomis has capital to move—potentially up for a blue-chip defender or down to accumulate even more assets .
Moore, speaking recently about the roster construction, emphasized versatility. “People like to say in the receiver room, you always kind of want it to feel like an NBA starting five. You don’t want all the same-looking bodies,” Moore said . That mantra applies to every position on this big board.
The Saints’ needs are acute: wide receiver, edge rusher, defensive tackle, and cornerback/safety . Based on consensus rankings from over 100 analysts—and cross-referenced with team visits and scheme fits—here is the definitive ranking of the top 100 prospects on the New Orleans Saints’ 2026 draft big board.
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Tier 1: The No. 8 overall pick targets
The debate at the top of the Saints’ board isn’t about who is the best player available. It is about which position moves the needle most in 2026.
1. Arvell Reese, LB/EDGE, Ohio State
The buzz is undeniable. Multiple mock drafts have the Saints trading up for Reese, with Todd McShay recently projecting a blockbuster move to No. 3 . At 6-foot-3 and 240 pounds, Reese is a positionless weapon. Brandon Staley’s defense historically thrives with a versatile chess piece who can rush off the edge or drop into coverage. While Ohio State didn’t ask him to rush full-time, his athletic ceiling is higher than anyone else in this class .
2. Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State
If the Saints stay at No. 8 and want to help quarterback Tyler Shough immediately, Tate is the pick. The smooth Buckeye has drawn comparisons to Nico Collins—a big-bodied, polished route runner who doesn’t need manufactured touches . With Chris Olave needing a true running mate and the departure of Rashid Shaheed, Tate fits the “NBA starting five” mentality Moore wants .
3. Rueben Bain Jr., EDGE, Miami
Mel Kiper Jr. has linked Bain to New Orleans, and it’s easy to see why . While his arm length (30 7/8 inches) scares some analytics models, his explosive get-off and motor do not. The Saints rotated heavily at defensive end last year, and with Cameron Jordan’s future uncertain, Bain could immediately slide into a rotation with Chase Young and Carl Granderson .
4. David Bailey, EDGE, Texas Tech
Daniel Jeremiah’s mock draft darling, Bailey is the pure speed rusher the Saints lack . He has elite first-step quickness, though he needs refinement against the run. If the medicals check out and the Saints believe they can coach up his technique, he offers the highest pass-rush upside in the class .
5. Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU
The local product is rising fast. Yahoo Sports’ latest mock has Delane going to the Saints . With Alontae Taylor leaving in free agency, the nickel spot is vacant . Delane lacks elite size, but his instincts are off the charts. He is the “willing tackler” Staley needs to play that hybrid star role .
6. Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State
If the top edges and receivers are gone, this is a home run. Downs is arguably the best pure football player in the draft. He profiles as a future defensive captain—the heir apparent to Demario Davis’s leadership mantle .
7. Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame
This is the wild card. Taking a running back in the top 10 is old-school, but Love is a new-school weapon. He averaged over 7.0 yards per carry and is a receiving threat. However, with Alvin Kamara ($11M) and Travis Etienne ($11.8M) already on the books, drafting Love at No. 8 would create a logjam—or signal an impending Kamara departure .
8. Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State
The other Buckeye linebacker. While Reese is the flash, Styles is the thumper. If the Saints want to replace Demario Davis’s physicality, Styles is the best tackler in the class. He rarely misses .
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Tier 2: Day 2 difference-makers (Rounds 2-3)
Picks: No. 42, No. 73
The Saints have done extensive homework on the second-tier receivers and defensive tackles. This is where the draft is won.
9-15: The Receiver Cluster
If New Orleans waits until Round 2, the board is deep. Makai Lemon (USC) is scrappy and productive . Jordyn Tyson (Arizona State) is nearly a complete receiver but carries durability concerns . KC Concepcion (Texas A&M) is a triple threat who excels in the slot . Denzel Boston (Washington) is a riser who wins contested catches.
16-25: The Trenches
Peter Woods (Clemson) is a quick-penetrating 3-technique who could finally unlock Bryan Bresee . Kayden McDonald (Ohio State) is arguably the best run-stuffer in the class—exactly what the Saints need to stop the run up the middle . Olaivavega Ioane (Penn State) is a guard-only prospect, but he is a mauler who could immediately upgrade the interior run game .
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Tier 3: The full top 100 big board
Here is the consensus ranking of the top 100 prospects, filtered for scheme fit and positional value for the New Orleans Saints . (Indicates a player with a top-30 visit or heavy Saints interest)
1. Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana
2. Arvell Reese, LB, Ohio State
3. Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame
4. Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State
5. Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State
6. Rueben Bain Jr., EDGE, Miami
7. David Bailey, EDGE, Texas Tech
8. Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU
9. Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State
10. Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami
11. Spencer Fano, OT, Utah
12. Makai Lemon, WR, USC
13. Olaivavega Ioane, OG, Penn State
14. Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State
15. Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee
16. Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon
17. Monroe Freeling, OT, Georgia
18. Dillon Thieneman, S, Oregon
19. Keldric Faulk, EDGE, Auburn
20. Avieon Terrell, CB, Clemson
21. Kadyn Proctor, OT, Alabama
22. Peter Woods, DT, Clemson
23. Akheem Mesidor, EDGE, Miami
24. Denzel Boston, WR, Washington
25. KC Concepcion, WR, Texas A&M
26. Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, S, Toledo
27. Caleb Lomu, OT, Utah
28. Omar Cooper Jr., WR, Indiana
29. Kayden McDonald, DT, Ohio State
30. T.J. Parker, EDGE, Clemson
31. Colton Hood, CB, Tennessee
32. Blake Miller, OT, Clemson
33. CJ Allen, LB, Georgia
34. Chris Johnson, CB, San Diego State
35. Cashius Howell, EDGE, Texas A&M
36. Max Iheanachor, OT, Arizona State
37. Caleb Banks, DT, Florida
38. Ty Simpson, QB, Alabama
39. D’Angelo Ponds, CB, Indiana
40. Zion Young, EDGE, Missouri
41. Emmanuel Pregnon, OG, Oregon
42. Brandon Cisse, CB, South Carolina
43. Lee Hunter, DT, Texas Tech
44. Christen Miller, DT, Georgia
45. R Mason Thomas, EDGE, Oklahoma
46. Jacob Rodriguez, LB, Texas Tech
47. Chase Bisontis, OG, Texas A&M
48. Anthony Hill Jr., LB, Texas
49. Malachi Lawrence, EDGE, UCF
50. Gabe Jacas, EDGE, Illinois
51. Chris Bell, WR, Louisville
52. Jake Golday, LB, Cincinnati
53. Germie Bernard, WR, Alabama
54. Jadarian Price, RB, Notre Dame
55. Chris Brazzell II, WR, Tennessee
56. A.J. Haulcy, S, LSU
57. Keionte Scott, CB, Miami
58. Keith Abney II, CB, Arizona State
59. Eli Stowers, TE, Vanderbilt
60. Derrick Moore, EDGE, Michigan
61. Josiah Trotter, LB, Missouri
62. Treydan Stukes, CB, Arizona
63. Zachariah Branch, WR, Georgia
64. Gennings Dunker, OG, LSU
65. Max Klare, TE, Ohio State
66. Antonio Williams, WR, Clemson
67. A’Mauri Washington, DT, Oregon
68. Emmett Johnson, RB, Nebraska
69. Elijah Sarratt, WR, Indiana
70. Dani Dennis-Sutton, EDGE, Penn State
71. Domonique Orange, DT, Iowa State
72. Joe Royer, TE, Cincinnati
73. Malach Fields, WR, Notre Dame
74. Keylan Rutledge, OG, Georgia Tech
75. Joshua Josephs, EDGE, Tennessee
76. Jonah Coleman, RB, Washington
77. Ted Hurst, WR, Georgia State
78. Romello Height, EDGE, Texas Tech
79. Davison Igbinosun, CB, Ohio State
80. Dallen Bentley, TE, Utah
81. Zakee Wheatley, S, Penn State
82. Donovan Edwards, RB, Michigan
83. Bud Clark, S, TCU
84. Malik Muhammad, CB, Texas
85. Gracen Halton, DT, Oklahoma
86. Kamari Ramsey, S, USC
87. Skyler Bell, WR, UConn
88. Chandler Rivers, CB, Duke
89. Genesis Smith, S, Arizona
90. Darrell Jackson Jr., DT, Florida State
91. Mike Washington, RB, Arkansas
92. Jaishawn Barham, LB, Michigan
93. Bryce Lance, WR, North Dakota State
94. Donovan McMillon, S, Pittsburgh
95. Deion Burks, WR, Oklahoma
96. Keyron Crawford, EDGE, Auburn
97. Donovan Kaufman, S, Auburn
98. Jalen Rivers, OT, Miami
99. Jalon Kilgore, S, South Carolina
100. Julian Neal, CB, Arkansas
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The bottom line
The Saints enter this draft with a clear identity crisis. Are they competing for the NFC South now with veterans, or building for 2027? The first pick will answer that.
If they go Arvell Reese or Mansoor Delane, Staley gets his defensive lynchpin. If they go Carnell Tate, they are betting on Tyler Shough’s arm. If they go Jeremiyah Love, they are ready to move on from a franchise legend.
But one thing is certain: With eight picks and a new coaching staff eager to put its stamp on the roster, New Orleans will be one of the most active—and fascinating—teams on the clock .
