Jan. 19, 2026, 6:55 a.m. CT
How are the New Orleans Saints going to get better in the 2026 NFL Draft? That’s a question we’ve got months to debate, but the latest round of mock drafts can give us some food for thought. With quarterback Tyler Shough locked in to start, upgrading his supporting cast is an obvious priority. But where to begin? Another offensive lineman would send the fanbase into revolt, but there are several options at the skills positions to consider. And that doesn’t even consider a pick on defense.
The way things stand right now, CBS Sports writer Josh Edwards likes the Saints to make Notre Dame star Jeremiyah Love the first running back off the board in 2026:
Running back may be a luxurious choice for the Saints, but they ended the season on a high note, and Jeremiyah Love’s selection would support Tyler Shough. Alvin Kamara is likely nearing the end of his playing career, and the team struggled with injuries at the position in 2025. In a stronger draft class, perhaps the Saints would go in another direction, but there is value in taking a player with whom the franchise has a clear vision. Running back was a staple in Kellen Moore’s last Philadelphia offense.
We’re well-established fans of Love here at Saints Wire. He has the big-play ability other rushers in the New Orleans backfield lack, with an extra gear to pull away from defenders in the open field we haven’t seen since Mark Ingram II was in his prime. Going with a running back this high would be a little controversial, but if the Saints can improve their offensive line during free agency before the draft, it could be a pick well spent.
However, Pro Football Focus NFL analyst Gordon McGuinness thinks they’ll pass on Love in favor of USC Trojans wide receiver Makai Lemon:
Expert NFL picks: Exclusive betting insights only at USA TODAY.
Rookie quarterback Tyler Shough showed enough in 2025 for the Saints to want to build around him with a playmaker like Lemon. The USC star logged an 81.0 PFF receiving grade against man coverage, caught 66.7% of contested targets and dropped just 2.5% of the catchable targets thrown his way this season.
Lemon looks like a riser in the 2026 draft class. There’s some debate about the order in which the top three receivers will be taken — Lemon is up there with Arizona State wideout Jordyn Tyson and Ohio State star Carnell Tate, with Tyson’s extensive injury history and Tate’s modest production before this season raising some eyebrows around the league. In this scenario, Tate and Tyson were picked at fifth and sixth overall, pushing Lemon to the Saints at eighth. If Lemon can crush the pre-draft process, he could absolutely be the Saints’ pick in April. But being picked before Love? We’ll have to see it to believe it.