Jan. 23, 2026, 12:16 p.m. CT

ESPN’s longtime NFL draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. shared his latest mock draft, and he predicts a lot of pass-catchers and defenders to go off the board in Round 1. This isn’t the year to need a quarterback, which is good news for the New Orleans Saints and second-year passer Tyler Shough. So who could be on the board when they pick at No. 8 overall?

Kiper agrees with the consensus that Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza will be the first player drafted in 2026, going to the Las Vegas Raiders; after that, he’s in step with other forecasters that see top-10 picks in store for Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese and wide receiver Carnell Tate, Miami right tackle Francis Mauigoa and edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr., plus Texas Tech edge rusher David Bailey.

That sets the Saints up to take one of the top weapons available or a blue-chip defender in Ohio State safety Caleb Downs. At this time, though, the question comes down to Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love or Arizona State wide receiver Jordyn Tyson. And Kiper likes the idea of pairing Tyson with Chris Olave in the New Orleans receiving corps. Here’s why:

After rumors swirled about Chris Olave being on the trade market ahead of the deadline this season, it looks as if New Orleans is hanging onto its star wideout. However, Olave is under contract for only one more year, and even if the Saints extend him, they still need more pass-catching options for second-year quarterback Tyler Shough. Consider that Rashid Shaheed was the only other Saints wide receiver with over 300 receiving yards this season, and he was dealt at the deadline. Tyson could immediately be a red zone target for Shough thanks to his strength and ability on contested catches.

Love and Downs went off the board immediately after this, so it looks like we’re right on the money putting those three playmakers in our cloud at No. 8. But is Tyson really the right choice? His injury history is already raising red flags on the draft media circuit, and you’ve got to wonder what his ceiling is if the Saints extend Olave’s contract. At the same time, he does offer some much-needed physicality at the position. His success on contested catches at the college level (17 of 31 the last two years) and knack for scoring touchdowns (18 of them in 24 games) stands out.

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But the question keeps coming back to availability. Tyson has missed almost half of his teams’ games over thee years due to a variety of different injuries. If the goal is to get Shough some help he can rely on, then Love looks like the safer choice. It’s a debate we’ll be having for months to come.