Kiper’s Grade Book: Mel Kiper Jr. Hands Saints a ‘B’ for 2026 Haul, Citing ‘Solid but Unspectacular’ Strategy
MEL’S VERDICT: High-floor, low-ceiling? New Orleans gets a passing grade but no style points.
The confetti has barely settled in Green Bay, and the 2026 NFL Draft grades are already being etched in stone—or at least in the thick legal pads of ESPN’s resident draft oracle. Mel Kiper Jr., fresh off his 42nd year of breaking down film and arguing with Todd McShay (wherever he is), released his annual post-draft report card Tuesday, and the New Orleans Saints find themselves squarely in the middle of the class.
Kiper gave the Saints a B for their seven-man haul.
It is not the “A+” Saints fans dreamed of when they woke up Thursday morning. But crucially, it is not the “C” or “D” that signals a front-office disaster. According to Kiper, General Manager Mickey Loomis and first-year head coach Kellen Moore played it safe, prioritized immediate needs, and left the weekend with a group that will contribute in 2026 but may not terrify the NFC South for the next decade.
“This was a workmanlike draft,” Kiper said on SportsCenter following the final round. “You look at New Orleans, and you see a team trying to win now while Derek Carr is still viable, but also trying to plug the holes in a sinking salary-cap ship. They didn’t swing for the fences. They hit six singles and a double. That’s a ‘B.’ It’s solid. It’s boring. But after last year’s 7-10 finish, boring might be what the doctor ordered.”
Round 1, Pick 9: Will Campbell, OT, LSU (A-)
The Saints did not overthink it. With the ninth overall pick, they stayed local, selecting the mauling left tackle from Baton Rouge.
Kiper was effusive about the value. Campbell, a two-time All-SEC selection, was widely considered the most pro-ready tackle in a thin class. For a Saints offensive line that allowed 47 sacks in 2025 and saw Ryan Ramczyk’s career wind down due to injury, this was an IV drip of stability.
“I loved this pick,” Kiper said. “Will Campbell is a plug-and-play right tackle who can slide to left if Taliese Fuaga struggles. He’s got heavy hands, he’s nasty in the run game, and he started 38 games in the SEC. No bust factor here. You want a guy who can protect Derek Carr’s blind side for the next ten years? That’s Campbell.”
The only reason Kiper didn’t give an “A” is the lack of sex appeal. With quarterbacks like Jaxson Dart and Shedeur Sanders still on the board, many pundits expected the Saints to take a swing at the future. Instead, they took a rock. A very large, very reliable rock.
Round 2, Pick 41: Malaki Starks, S, Georgia (B+)
With Marcus Maye aging and Tyrann Mathieu entering his age-34 season, the secondary needed a transfusion. Enter Malaki Starks, the Bulldogs’ rangy safety who ran a 4.46 forty at the combine.
Kiper praised the selection as a “Dennis Allen-style pick,” even though Allen is no longer the head coach. Starks is a tone-setter. He had four interceptions and 12 pass breakups over his final two years in Athens, and he loves to hit.
“Starks is a top-25 talent who fell because the run on wide receivers pushed him down,” Kiper explained. “He’s not a pure centerfielder, but he’s a chess piece. You can put him in the box, you can match him up on tight ends. For a defense that got roasted over the middle last year—specifically by Kyle Pitts and Drake London—this is a home run.”
The “B+” reflects a slight concern about his ball skills. Starks dropped three sure interceptions in 2025. In the NFC South, where turnovers are king, he needs to convert those chances.
Round 3, Pick 73: TreVeyon Henderson, RB, Ohio State (C+)
This is where Kiper started to furrow his brow.
Alvin Kamara is 31. Jamaal Williams is 30. The Saints needed a running back. But Kiper felt the third round was a reach for Henderson, a dynamic but injury-prone Buckeye who missed four games last season with a foot sprain.
“I love the player. I hate the value,” Kiper said bluntly. “TreVeyon Henderson when healthy is a home-run hitter. He’s got second-level burst. But you could have gotten him in the fourth round. You passed on a guard like Donovan Jackson (Ohio State), who went three picks later to Miami. You passed on a tight end. The Saints have so many holes, and you spent a third-rounder on a luxury speed back when you already have Kendre Miller.”
If Henderson stays healthy, he could be the change-of-pace back that Kellen Moore’s offense desperately needs. But Kiper’s grade reflects the risk. For a “B” draft, you need value in every round. This pick, in his eyes, was a gamble.
Day 3 Highlights: The “Double” That Saved the Grade
While Day 2 had its ups and downs, Kiper credited the Saints’ front office for a strong finish on Saturday.
Round 4, Pick 112: Ja’Tavion Sanders, TE, Texas (B-)
A receiving tight end to replace Juwan Johnson. Sanders is a mismatch nightmare who struggles to block. “He’s a big slot,” Kiper said. “But Carr loves his tight ends. Good value in the fourth.”
Round 5, Pick 149: Javon Solomon, Edge, Troy (A-)
Kiper’s favorite hidden gem. Solomon led the Sun Belt with 16.5 sacks last year. At 6’1” he’s undersized, but he has a Justin Houston-like dip around the edge.
“This is the kind of pick that turns a ‘B’ into a ‘B+’ later on,” Kiper noted. “Carl Granderson and Cam Jordan need help. Solomon is a rotational demon on third down.”
The Rest:
· Round 6, Pick 188: Jarvis Brownlee Jr., CB, Louisville – Feisty nickel corner. Special teams ace. (Grade: C+)
· Round 7, Pick 235: Drake Nugent, C, Michigan – Smart, gritty interior depth. (Grade: B)
The Big Picture: Why a ‘B’ Feels Right
To understand Kiper’s logic, you have to look past the individual grades and examine the context.
The Saints entered the draft with the 28th-ranked offense in DVOA and a defense that forced only 17 turnovers (tied for 25th). They also had the least amount of salary cap flexibility in the league, meaning they couldn’t solve problems in free agency. This draft had to produce three immediate starters.
Kiper argues it will.
· Campbell starts at right tackle on Day 1.
· Starks starts at safety next to Mathieu.
· Henderson plays 40% of the snaps as a rotational back.
“That is three quality starters,” Kiper said. “In a vacuum, that’s a winning weekend.”
So why not an “A”? Because the Saints failed to address the quarterback of the future. In a draft where six quarterbacks went in the first two rounds, New Orleans took zero. They are hitching their wagon to Derek Carr (who turns 35 in September) and Jake Haener. If Carr gets hurt again—he missed five games in ‘25—this team is drafting top-five in 2027.
“You cannot win a Super Bowl with Derek Carr alone unless the roster is perfect,” Kiper argued. “This roster is not perfect. They needed a young guy to sit and learn in the Kellen Moore system. They passed on Spencer Rattler in the 3rd. They passed on Michael Pratt in the 5th. That’s a bet on 2026 working immediately. It’s a risky bet.”
Furthermore, Kiper criticized the lack of a true wide receiver. After losing Michael Thomas (retirement) and watching Chris Olave deal with concussion issues, the Saints have Rashid Shaheed and a bunch of question marks. They didn’t take a receiver until the sixth round (they didn’t—they didn’t take any WR). That fact stunned Kiper.
“How do you not take a wideout?” he asked. “In a league built on passing? You’re going to ask Carr to throw to A.T. Perry and Cedrick Wilson? That’s malpractice. That alone drops the grade from a B+ to a B.”
Final Verdict from the Hair
As Kiper shuffled his papers and adjusted his microphone on the conference call, he left Saints fans with a modicum of hope mixed with a warning.
“The New Orleans Saints are better today than they were Thursday morning,” Kiper said. “Will Campbell is a pillar. Malaki Starks is a player. But in a division where Atlanta has Bijan Robinson and Drake London, and Tampa has Baker Mayfield playing like a top-10 guy, ‘solid’ isn’t ‘special.’
“Kellen Moore is a great offensive mind. But you gave him a tackle, a safety, and a brittle running back. Mickey Loomis did his job. He didn’t do anything stupid. But he didn’t do anything brilliant either. That’s a B. And in the NFC South, a B might get you nine wins. But it won’t get you past the Eagles in January.”
Score: B
Best Pick: Will Campbell, OT, LSU (Round 1)
Biggest Question Mark: The complete absence of a quarterback or wide receiver.
Nightmare Scenario: Derek Carr gets hurt Week 3, and the offense runs through a RB room of glass cannons.
Dream Scenario: Henderson stays healthy, Campbell makes the Pro Bowl, and the Saints win a weak division at 10-7.
The 2026 season hinges on whether that “B” draft card turns into straight “A” execution on the field. For now, Saints fans can take the grade—and hope Mel is underestimating them. He usually is. Eventually.
