Potential New Orleans Saints top-10 draft board

Every

team in the NFL has its own big board going into the draft, and they could be very different from one another. Certain archetypes/measurables the teams value, character issues, injuries, scheme fit, talent, and, potentially, needs (if they’re glaring) are all factors to consider when building a draft board.

For the New Orleans Saints, with all those different factors in mind, here is what their top 10 big board could look like.

Quick notes:

• Fernando Mendoza is not on it because the Las Vegas Raiders are taking him first, and the Saints have their QB)
• I can’t stress this enough. This is not my draft board; this is what the Saints could have for themselves.

Saints Big Board

1. LB/EDGE Arvell Reese
   • At #1, the Saints should have Arvell Reese here. For this defense, Reese’s versatility at LB and EDGE will allow him to fix two of the Saints’ needs at once, and he would be Brandon Staley’s favorite weapon on defense. In year 1, Reese does not have to be forced into a pass-rushing role and can play primarily at LB, then, in year 2, can develop more as a pass rusher and see if that works.
2. S Caleb Downs
   • One of the best defensive players in the draft, Caleb Downs, is exactly what the Saints would want on their roster. He was a captain at Ohio State, commands a defense, can be used throughout the defense, fits the Saints’ need at slot CB, and adds more flexibility in the safety room. There has been a rumor of a knee injury, and if true, it would knock him down the list, but it has not been confirmed.
3. RB Jeremiyah Love
   • Regardless of what the Saints did in free agency, Jeremiyah Love is still a top player in the draft, and if he’s available at 8, there’s a real chance the Saints draft him. Love is a high-character player who completely changes an offense with his ability on the ground and in the air, making the Saints’ RB room arguably the best in the NFL.
4. LB Sonny Styles
   • To round out the trio of Ohio State defenders, Sonny Styles should also be high on the Saints’ draft board. Like Downs, Styles was a captain on the defense and was a significant communicator on the field.
5. G Olaivavega Ioane
   • With the first shock (is it?) of the big board, I think the Saints are going to be unbelievably high on Olaivavega Ioane. Although need should not be a major factor, it is here. For an offense-focused HC like Kellen Moore, what happened with the interior offensive line will last in his mind. Also, with Tyler Shough entering year 2, having what could be the best offensive line in the NFL would help, and that is realistic with Ioane. He plays with power and is arguably the best pass protector in the draft.
   • Combining what was said above with positional value being thrown out the window in 2026 and Ioane being a leader, it makes too much sense for the Saints to have him high on their board. This situation would be very similar to Kelvin Banks’ last year.
6. EDGE Rueben Bain Jr.
   • This is another interesting situation. So far, the players listed have been clear-cut players the Saints would usually like, but Bain Jr. is not. He is undersized and has historically short arms. These are usually major red flags for the Saints that would knock players way down a board, but things may be changing. Also, since Kellen Moore was given free agency to build the offense, Staley should have a major say at 8, and if he likes Bain Jr., which he should, there’s a good chance he will be the deciding factor. Obviously, the other decision-makers would need to be okay with it, but this situation could easily happen.
   • Bain Jr.’s work ethic, clear dominance against high-level competition, being a captain at Miami, accepting the invite to the Senior Bowl (although he did not end up going), and versatility on the defensive line are all still factors that the Saints value.
7. WR Carnell Tate
   • Of course, we had to get back to the Ohio State prospects. Looking at the WR options, Carnell Tate is the likely top one for New Orleans. He fits perfectly in the Saints’ offense, has high character, won’t be 22-years old until after the 2026 season, and WR is still a need for the Saints.
8. CB Mansoor Delane
   • If all the other players listed earlier are off the board, Mansoor Delane would still be available, which would be great. The LSU CB is good in man and zone, shut down top-level talent in the SEC, and would automatically become CB1. It also helps that he ran a 4.35 40-yard dash.
9. OT/G Francis Mauigoa
   • Another offensive lineman the Saints could easily fall in love with is Francis Mauigoa, and although some teams may view him as a tackle, the Saints would value him as a guard. He has already been asked about this and has said he does not care where on the offensive line he plays, just that he gets on the field. This is the type of statement that the Saints would want to hear, and, like his teammate Bain Jr., Mauigoa was a captain last season.
10. EDGE Keldric Faulk
    • For the last player on this potential Saints big board, we have a player who would cause mayhem if selected at 8. If Bain Jr. was the outlier, that would go against much of what the Saints value at EDGE; Faulk is the complete opposite. He is 6-foot-6, has over 34-inch arms, is only 21, is a high character prospect, excellent against the run, and is the ultimate potential bet. Faulk is the definition of what the Saints have drafted in the past, and if evaluations are not changing, it’s likely he is high on their draft board.

Notable players left out

• WR Jordyn Tyson
  • Although Jordyn Tyson’s overall talent is the best among the WRs, his injury history could be enough for the Saints to not have him in their top-10.
• EDGE David Bailey
  • This is probably the most shocking player left out, but David Bailey does have some past character concern moments that could knock him off the Saints’ board entirely.
• WR Makai Lemon
  • If I extended the big board to one more spot, Makai Lemon would be there.