The New Orleans Saints are in a great spot with the eighth overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Add in their second and third rounders, along with two fourths and a few more picks down the board, and this year’s draft should be a good one for New Orleans.
But what will the Saints do with their picks? The Saints have a solid roster, but there are two clear spots the team could go after this NFL Draft: wide receiver and defensive tackle.
ESPN’s Ben Solak is urging the Saints to “throw picks” at both of those positions in the NFL Draft. Edge rusher is a need as well, but Solak’s focus is on defensive tackle and wide receiver for the Saints in this year’s class.
Saints urged to ‘throw picks’ at DT and WR in 2026 NFL Draft
“Instead, the Saints should pepper the roster with youth as they prepare for aggressive free agent spending in the next few seasons,” Solak writes. “The bottom line: Throw picks at receiver and defensive tackle.”
Coming into the NFL Draft this year, the Saints have a few needs, with WR and DT being two of the biggest. Solak want’s the Saints to throw a lot of capital at those spots in this year’s class.
At wide receiver, if Carnell Tate makes it to the eighth pick, he’d be a no-brainer for the Saints. Jordyn Tyson out of Arizona State and Makai Lemon out of USC are other options, though they’re not as intriguing as Tate.
At defensive tackle, there isn’t a realistic option with the eighth pick, but a trade-down or a trade-up with their second rounder could have Ohio State’s Kayden McDonald, Georgia’s Christen Miller, Clemson’s Peter Woods, or Florida’s Caleb Banks in play.
If the Saints take Tate with their first rounder, Banks has a decent chance to make it to No. 42 in the second round. And if the Saints pass on WR in Round 1, they could go after Chris Bell out of Louisville or Alabama’s Germie Bernard on Day 2.
This is a great draft to need a wide receiver, and a solid year to need a defensive tackle while owning an early Day 2 pick. The Saints are in good shape to land a top player at both spots, and could even double-dip like Solak is urging.
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