NEW ORLEANS — The New Orleans Saints enter the 2026 NFL Draft with the No. 8 overall pick after a 6-11 finish that left the Superdome hungry for a spark. Head Coach Kellen Moore and the front office now stand at a crossroads. While the top five picks usually grab the headlines, the real value in this class lies in the “sleepers”—players whose physical traits or scheme fit could make them far more valuable than their current draft projection suggests.
If the Saints want to fix an offense that often looked stagnant in 2025, Jordyn Tyson is the name to watch. The Arizona State standout is coming off a massive stretch where he caught 11 touchdowns in 2024 and followed it up with a 711-yard campaign in a shortened 2025 season. Tyson isn’t just a possession receiver; he is a deep-ball specialist who forces safeties to stay deep.
Adding Tyson to the roster would give Moore a weapon who can win outside and create space for the rest of the unit. New Orleans has lacked a consistent threat who can turn a simple slant into a 50-yard house call. Tyson brings that explosive gear. He changes how defensive coordinators approach the game, making him a high-upside play at the eighth spot.
The Saints have built their modern history on tough, physical secondary play. Mansoor Delane fits that mold perfectly. After transferring to LSU for the 2025 season, Delane earned Unanimous All-American honors and recorded 11 pass breakups. He is a high-IQ corner who rarely gets fooled by double moves or complex route trees.
Some scouts worry about his 30-inch arms, but his tape tells a different story. Delane didn’t allow a single touchdown in 2025. He is a technician who uses his feet to stay connected to receivers. In a division with high-flying passing attacks, a lockdown corner with Delane’s discipline is a necessity, not a luxury. He has the edge and the “dog” mentality that New Orleans fans expect from their defense.
Rueben Bain Jr. might be the most physically imposing defender in this class. The 2025 Ted Hendricks Award winner finished last season with 9.5 sacks and 15.5 tackles for loss for Miami. He plays with a level of raw power that simply bullies offensive tackles.
The Saints’ pass rush needs a transfusion of youth and violence. Bain provides both. He isn’t a finesse rusher who tries to win with speed alone; he uses his 263-pound frame to collapse the pocket from the outside in. Watching him work is like watching a wrecking ball. He finishes plays with bad intentions, and that kind of energy could transform the entire front seven in New Orleans.
“We aren’t just looking for starters at No. 8; we are looking for players who change the math for the opposition. We need guys who make the other team uncomfortable from the first whistle.”
— Kellen Moore, New Orleans Saints Head Coach
With the draft only weeks away, the Saints are hosting official visits for all three prospects. The current standings show a team that is just a few elite pieces away from competing in the NFC South again. If they bypass the “safe” picks and grab a high-ceiling talent like Bain or Tyson, the 2026 season could look very different. The focus now shifts to the final Pro Day evaluations where these three will look to solidify their status as top-10 locks.
