Saints Shake Up Day 2: Drafting Georgia TE Oscar Delp at No. 73 Due to Three Key Factors
METAIRIE, La. – The New Orleans Saints front office raised eyebrows—and drew some cautious applause—on Friday night by selecting Georgia Bulldogs tight end Oscar Delp with the No. 73 overall pick in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
At first glance, the selection seemed like a luxury. The Saints already employ veteran Juwan Johnson, fresh off a career-best 889-yard season, and signed former first-round pick Noah Fant in free agency. However, General Manager Mickey Loomis and first-year head coach Kellen Moore identified a specific mismatch opportunity. Here are the three major reasons New Orleans invested a top-75 pick in the Georgia product.
Reason No. 1: The “Flashes” Outweigh the Stats
There is no sugarcoating Oscar Delp’s college production; it is underwhelming on paper. Over four seasons in Athens, he never surpassed 25 receptions in a single year, caught only one touchdown in his senior season, and finished 2025 with a modest PFF receiving grade of 62.1.
So why the rush to draft him? “Grading to the flashes.”
Despite the low usage, NFL scouting reports rave about the specific athletic traits Delp possesses at 6-foot-5 and 245 pounds. Analysts note that Delp runs routes with “little gear-down,” snapping off his breaks to create separation against college linebackers. He averaged 13.8 yards per catch as a senior, showcasing the ability to pick up chunk yardage after the catch, an area where he generated 135 yards this past season.
“He is a prime candidate to be a better pro than he was a college player,” reads a prominent scouting report in The Beast, comparing his situation to other underutilized college tight ends who thrived in the NFL. The Saints are betting that Delp’s speed down the seam—a trait scouts have labeled a legitimate “weapon”—was buried beneath Georgia’s run-heavy offensive structure and the presence of other elite talents.
Reason No. 2: The Kellen Moore “Joker” Mismatch
While the Saints have bodies at tight end, they lacked a specific moveable chess piece for Moore’s offense.
Juwan Johnson is a converted wide receiver who thrives as a big slot, but he is not an inline blocker. Noah Fant is a vertical threat, but he is not known for winning in the dirty areas. Veteran Taysom Hill, while unique, is 35 years old.
Delp offers the specific versatility Moore covets. He is strong enough to inline block on C-gaps (though he needs technical refinement) and fluid enough to flex out wide or into the backfield as an H-back. Reports out of the Senior Bowl circuit noted that Delp models his game after blockers who can catch, not just big receivers.
“Delp is a multi-functional tight end who has run and pass blocking ability to aid on all three downs,” one pre-draft scouting report noted. “His speed down the seam is a weapon; second and third level defenders have to respect it”.
For a Saints offense looking to stabilize around quarterback Tyler Shough, having a tight end who can seal the edge on a run play and then leak out for 20-yard gain is the ideal “12 personnel” (one back, two tight ends) partner to Johnson.
Reason No. 3: Future-Proofing and Value
The third reason for the pick is strictly pragmatic: contracts and health.
Juwan Johnson is entering his age-30 season and is in the middle of an expensive veteran contract. While Noah Fant is on the roster, his deal is shorter-term. Beyond 2026, the Saints tight end room looks very thin.
Furthermore, Delp arrives with a chip on his shoulder. He played the 2025 season with a hairline fracture in his left foot—an injury flagged at the NFL Combine that prevented him from working out for scouts. This injury might have suppressed his stock just enough for him to fall to the third round.
“I’ve been counted out before,” Delp seemed to imply through his fall to Day 2, looking to prove he is more than the sum of his Georgia stats. The Saints, picking at No. 73 (the ninth pick of the third round), felt they grabbed a player with a first-round athletic profile but third-round medical flags.
The Instant Reaction
Immediately following the pick, draft analysts gave New Orleans a “B-” grade. The logic is sound: the Saints need playmakers around Shough, and Delp has the highest upside of any tight end available at that juncture.
“Limited college production can be a concern, but the traits and upside are clearly there,” one review stated. “Learning alongside Juwan Johnson and Noah Fant could be a major benefit”.
If Delp can refine his blocking technique—specifically his pad level and hand placement—he has the potential to be the long-term answer at the Y-tight end position. If not, he will still likely serve as a dangerous red-zone threat and special teams contributor.
For a Saints team that finished the 2025 season hot but needs to sustain success, this is a bet on athleticism over experience. The Oscar Delp era in New Orleans will be defined by whether those “flashes” from Georgia finally turn into a steady flame in the NFL.
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