Surveying 16 different mock drafts published over the last week revealed a lot. There were nine consensus picks (12 or more appearances), with three players seen as unanimous top-10 picks. A couple of others were left out of the top 10 just once or twice. Here are the consensus picks ordered by their average draft position, with unanimous choices in bold text:<\/p>\n
QB Fernando Mendoza, Indiana (16\/16): 1.0EDGE Arvell Reese, Ohio State (16\/16): 2.4EDGE David Bailey, Texas Tech (16\/16): 3.6LB Sonny Styles, Ohio State (15\/16): 4.9RB Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame (15\/16): 5.3WR Carnell Tate, Ohio State (14\/16): 6.6EDGE Rueben Bain Jr., Miami (14\/16): 7.6S Caleb Downs, Ohio State (14\/16): 7.8)CB Mansoor Delane, LSU (14\/16): 8.5<\/p>\n
Miami right tackle Francis Mauigoa wasn’t a consensus pick to go top-10, but he was closest among the outliers with 10 of these 16 mock drafts choosing him. He had an average draft position of 5.7. It would help the Saints a lot if he does go ahead of them as that would push a player at a position of need down to them. Other names to know include cornerback Jermod McCoy (Tennessee), who made the top 10 four times, while Utah right tackle Spencer Fano and USC wide receiver Makai Lemon each made the cut three times. Left tackle Monroe Freeling (Georgia), wide receiver Jordyn Tyson (Arizona State), tight end Kenyon Sadiq (Oregon), and defensive tackle Peter Woods (Clemson) all appeared at least once or twice.<\/p>\n
What about the Saints’ picks? Seven of the 16 mock drafts we surveyed had New Orleans taking a wide receiver, with three projections landing on Carnell Tate (Ohio State) while Tyson and Lemon were each picked twice. Five of them went with an edge rusher like Rueben Bain Jr. (Miami) or David Bailey (Texas Tech), with Bain chosen four times. LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane was the pick three times and Ohio State safety Caleb Downs was picked once. So that gives us a pretty good idea of which players could be available when the Saints go on the clock. Here’s the argument for each of them:<\/p>\n
Expert NFL picks: Exclusive betting insights only at USA TODAY.<\/a> Tyler Dragon<\/a>: “New Orleans ranked in the bottom half of the NFL in total offense last season. Chris Olave, who is routinely on the trading block, is entering the final year of his contract. Tyson will give the Saints necessary insurance if Olave leaves or would create a solid one-two punch on the outside for promising young QB Tyler Shough.”<\/p>\n The Athletic: Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State<\/p>\n Nick Baumgardner<\/a>: “The Saints also could go in a few different directions, and despite the recent addition of Travis Etienne Jr., their list probably should include Love \u2014 GM Mickey Loomis could be looking for an Alvin Kamara replacement.<\/p>\n As with Tet McMillan a year ago, Tate\u2019s 40 time didn\u2019t wow anyone \u2014 and no one should really care. He\u2019s an ascending weapon.”<\/p>\n ESPN: Rueben Bain Jr., EDGE, Miami<\/p>\n Peter Schrager<\/a>: “New Orleans said farewell to many defensive leaders this offseason, as\u00a0Cameron Jordan<\/a>,\u00a0Demario Davis<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Alontae Taylor<\/a>\u00a0will all likely be elsewhere next season. (Jordan is still a free agent.) And short arms be damned; the powerful and disruptive Bain is viewed as a top-10-worthy prospect after a 9.5-sack season. This seems like a good match.”<\/p>\n NFL.com: Rueben Bain Jr., EDGE, Miami<\/p>\n Rhett Lewis<\/a>: “Even if\u00a0Cameron Jordan<\/a>\u00a0re-signs with the Saints this offseason, the team needs to find another presence on the edge. Bain gives them a menace both as a pass rusher and run defender.”<\/p>\n CBS Sports: Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU<\/p>\n Josh Edwards<\/a>: “Cornerback was a point of weakness for New Orleans and Alontae Taylor departed in free agency. The Saints run a higher rate of zone coverage, which happens to be Mansoor Delane’s specialty. Delane is a smart cornerback who tested better than his athletic profile may have suggested..”<\/p>\n Yahoo! Sports: Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU<\/p>\n Nate Tice<\/a>: “The Saints could go in a few different directions and it would make sense. Wide receiver to give Chris Olave that desperately needed running partner was tempting here. But instead, the Saints go with Delane to not only shore up a glaring hole in Brandon Staley\u2019s sneaky good defense from last year (11th in FTN\u2019s weighted defensive DVOA metric), but turn a below-average spot into an outright good one with Delane, whose intelligence, ball skills and twitch would flourish in a zone-heavy defense that likes to mix it up.”<\/p>\n Sporting News: Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State (trade down to No. 12 with Dallas Cowboys)<\/p>\n Vinnie Iyer<\/a>: “The Saints will be eyeing a top pass rusher but they also will be fine with sliding a few picks and addressing another need well in the first round. With Tate gone to the Chiefs in this mock, it is ideal for them to take this solid outside receiver to support Chris Olave and Tyler Shough.”<\/p>\n Athlon Sports: Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU<\/p>\n Luke Easterling<\/a>: “If Tate\u2019s off the board, the Saints should pivot to their many needs on defense, and they\u2019ve got some fantastic options in this scenario. They could easily opt for Ohio State safety Caleb Downs or Miami edge defender Rueben Bain Jr. here, but the opportunity to land the top corner in this year\u2019s class might be too much to pass up. Delane was an absolute shutdown artist for the in-state Bayou Bengals last season, and would immediately be the best corner on this roster.”<\/p>\n Pro Football Sports Network: Rueben Bain Jr., EDGE, Miami<\/p>\n Alec Elijah<\/a>: “With limited depth off the edge, the New Orleans Saints could look to address this need early by targeting Miami pass rusher Rueben Bain Jr. The Hurricane product has been one of the more intriguing evaluations in this draft cycle. While his arm length, measuring under 31 inches compared to the NFL average of 33, has been a talking point during the pre-draft process, it\u2019s one of the few concerns in an otherwise impressive profile.<\/p>\n He plays with a powerful base, shows impressive bend around the edge, and consistently finds ways to overwhelm offensive linemen. More importantly, he has a natural feel for finishing plays, regularly turning pressures into drive-altering sacks. That kind of production is exactly what New Orleans needs as it looks to reestablish its identity up front post-Cam Jordan.”<\/p>\n For The Win: Makai Lemon, WR, USC<\/p>\n Christian D’Andrea<\/a>: “We get two wideouts in the top-eight picks as flawed teams try to elevate their second-year quarterbacks. Lemon lacks the size and has slightly less straight line speed than Tate, but his ability to create space gives him a solid case as 2026’s top receiver available.”<\/p>\n Fox Sports: Rueben Bain Jr., EDGE, Miami<\/p>\n Colin Cowherd<\/a>: “The Saints have a lot of needs, but this kid lives in the backfield. I care a little bit about arm length. He’s a perfect replacement for Cam Jordan, who is a free agent and getting up there [in age]. So, you replace him with a dog \u2014 a guy that’s going to come in and pressure the quarterback. Everybody I talk to in the league loves Bain. Because of the measurements, he’s not going to be a No. 1 or No. 2 pick. But I haven’t talked to anyone in the NFL that doesn’t respect him as a player.”<\/p>\n CBS Sports: Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State<\/p>\n Jordan Dajani<\/a>: “The first wide receiver comes off the board at No. 8 to the Saints, who pair Chris Olave with another talented Ohio State pass-catcher who will allow Tyler Shough to build off his impressive rookie campaign. The Saints have plenty of needs, but Kellen Moore has his eyes set on offensive weaponry.”<\/p>\n NFL.com: Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State<\/p>\n Chad Reuter<\/a>: “Downs’ talent and leadership make him one of the truly special safeties worthy of a top-10 selection. Downs possesses similar versatility as a playmaker in the box and in the secondary as veteran\u00a0Derwin James<\/a>, who worked with Saints defensive coordinator Brandon Staley during their time together with the Chargers.”<\/p>\n The Draft Network: David Bailey, EDGE, Texas Tech<\/p>\n Jaime Eisner<\/a>: “The New Orleans Saints need to invest in long-term pass-rushing options, and David Bailey is a great place to start. Bailey was a wrecking ball in 2025, leading the nation in pressures while piling up 14.5 sacks. While some will nitpick his frame, his ability to convert elite pass-rushing instincts into consistent sack production was undeniable last season. The question is whether it can fully translate to the NFL and whether or not he is truly a high-end athlete moving laterally. However, he’s the clear EDGE2\u2014some have him as EDGE1\u2014and a worthwhile gamble given his immense upside.”<\/p>\n NFL Mocks: Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1775962106_923_89523706007-usatsi-24944179.jpg\")