Another loss means the New Orleans Saints’ draft position keeps improving, which is at least one positve you can take from Monday. With needs across the roster, moving up will give New Orleans some great options.
Here are two of those prospects that the Saints can select at their new draft position, the 7th pick:
South Carolina EDGE Dylan Stewart
Let’s have the Dylan Stewart conversation. This probably isn’t the best way to introduce the prospect, but we need to address it before we get to what he would bring to the Saints. South Carolina
has had a bad season, and the team has suspended Stewart. At times, he yelled at coaches and refused to get off the field. Before the season, this didn’t seem like an issue (though it could have been happening behind closed doors). This team has been a mess, so several factors could have led to the outburst.
Because of this suspension, nobody really knows whether Stewart will go to the draft or even get selected in his projected range, but for now, let’s consider him a top-10 pick because that’s his talent. Stewart is one of the most athletic pass rushers in CFB. He is so quick off the line, can go right past offensive tackles, and few players can run away from him. He has clear potential to be the best edge rusher in the NFL, and his floor is solid, too. That should scare people who hear it, but the potential is extremely enticing.
For the Saints, the character concerns may take Stewart out of their draft research, but his talent could make the team reconsider. Adding Stewart across from Chase Young would instantly make the Saints’ pass rush 10x better than it was in 2026.
Ole Miss DT Will Echoles
Sticking with the defensive line, we are going to the interior. Going into the season, Echoles wasn’t expected to be the best DT in the draft, but this season has shown he should at least be considered. Echoles is a game changer in both pass rush and run defense, can use his strenght to push offensive linemen into the QB’s lap, and has a slew of rush moves that allow him to go right past blockers. This is the definition of a top-10 DT, and for the Saints, they need it.
Against the Falcons, we saw what this interior looks like right now. Vernon Broughton is a good pass rusher, but can struggle against the run; Davon Godchaux’s time in New Orleans should be over after this season, and they do not have a starter for the other 3-4 DE spot. Hopefully the Saints can start playing Christen Miller in Godchaux’s spot because they need to develop the young DT, and maybe Bryan Bresee can come back healthy and ready, but they need to add a high-level player to this group. Echoles would be a game changer on this defensive line, and if the Saints can’t get a top-tier EDGE in this class, go with the DT, then go with a pass rusher later.
