We are finally here. It’s NFL Draft week!
The draft is my favorite time of the year, and the New Orleans Saints’ draft class from last season is a perfect example why. Free agency is great, but a strong draft class can completely turn around an organization. The Saints were projected to be the worst team in the NFL, and it looked like that was the case at the beginning of the season, but an infusion of youth changed that.
Kelvin Banks Jr. was excellent throughout the entire year, but it took some time
for the other rookies to start playing. QB Tyler Shough has created a palpable feeling of optimism with this team; S Jonas Sanker was one of the best defensive players on the roster at one point; LB Danny Stutsman made all of his snaps, even if limited, matter; CB Quincy Riley looked like a starting CB right away; RB Devin Neal stepped up when healthy; Even Vernon Broughton made some plays in his one game before getting injured.
For my final mock of the 2026 NFL Draft, here is how I think the Saints will attempt to repeat their 2025 success.
Round 1, Pick 8 – S Caleb Downs
With the moves the Saints have made in free agency, I truly believe they go with the top defensive player available at 8. Brandon Staley got the best out of this defense last season, but as of now, the group is worse. Improvements need to be made for that side of the ball to have another good year, and adding Ohio State S Caleb Downs would do that.
Having the same first name as me is always a plus, but even removing that, Downs is one of the best players in the draft. His ability to read an offense and know exactly what the opposing team is trying to do is phenomenal to watch happen. There is no chance for the play to succeed because Downs completely blows it up. Also, as a captain last season, Downs’ level of communication can lead the entire defense to play better, and with the miscommunications in the Saints’ DB room last season, that can be a major difference-maker.
Staley will be able to use him throughout the defense, but primarily, Downs can fill the wide-open slot position left by Alontae Taylor. It also helps that Downs and Kool-Aid McKinstry were teammates in 2023. I usually do not put any stock in player comps, but one I saw for Downs that I can not get out of my head is Eric Weddle.
Round 2, Pick 42 – OG Emmanuel Pregnon
Now, here is an interesting scenario. The WR and EDGE classes are deep this year, and they are also the Saints’ top needs. Going with one of those positions at 42 is likely, but again, with the depth in mind, going BPA here could easily happen, and that’s the outcome in this mock. With RG still being a need, Oregon’s Emmanuel Pregnon is still available, and he will be Cesar Ruiz’s replacement. Picking Pregnon here would allow the flexibility of trading Ruiz ASAP, which could be for another draft pick this year or in 2027.
Looking at what Pregnon can add to the offense, he would be a starter right away next season. At 24-years old, he is a bit of an older prospect, but just like Shough last year, who cares. His strength is great, and while some other offensive linemen may lack the athleticism to match it, Pregnon is different. He doesn’t have excellent athletic ability, but what he does have, combined with his strength, makes for a special combination. Also, he has only given up 1 sack in his entire college career.
Round 3, Pick 73 – EDGE Dani Dennis-Sutton
As I mentioned earlier, the Saints need to address EDGE and WR, and round 3 is where they make that happen. At 73, the Saints can look at what WRs and EDGEs are available, and in this case, the EDGE group has started to really run out of day 2 talent, but the WR group still has enough available. Which means EDGE had to be the pick here, and Dani Dennis-Sutton is that selection.
With Penn State, Dennis-Sutton never really reached his potential, but he is a type of bet the Saints can easily make in the third round. His athletic testing was excellent, fits the Saints’ ideal measurements, and he was at the Senior Bowl. Dennis-Sutton wins with power and speed in pass rush, but he still needs development in this area. What helps is his snap timing, which, at times, is impressive to watch. The run defense is really where Dennis-Sutton is going to make an impact right away in the NFL.
Round 3, Pick 82 (Trade) – WR Skyler Bell
I do fully believe that the Saints will make one trade to get back into the top-100, and this is the perfect scenario. As I mentioned, there was still a decent number of WRs available at 73, so when a run began at 80, trading for the 82nd pick to get one of them needed to happen. In this move, New Orleans sent #132, #136, #190, and a 2027 4th for #82 and #244. Still having 7 picks was a goal going into this deal, and by giving up the 2027 pick (which can be replaced by a 4th-round pick in a Ruiz trade), that goal was met.
The WR that I had the Saints trading for was UConn’s Skyler Bell. At 6-feet tall, Bell had an excellent combine performance. He showed the speed he brings to a team, which makes him a very dynamic player after the catch and deep. Bell is also a great route runner, and in contested situations, he steps up. Like with Pregnon, Bell is 24, but again, who really cares? If they are good, they are good, and Bell would be WR2 right away.
Round 5, Pick 150 – LB Kaleb Elarms-Orr
We are now in the lesser-needs area for the Saints, and the best available is LB Kaleb Elarms-Orr. The TCU LB brings a strong mix of run defense, blitzing, pass coverage, and is a good tackler. A Senior Bowl participant, Elarms-Orr can be a perfect complement to Danny Stutsman and Kaden Elliss. He has a mix of everything that gives him a pretty good floor to start, and in the 5th round, that would be an absolute steal for New Orleans.
Good luck to any opposing RB that tries to block him.
Round 5, Pick 172 – TE Marlin Klein
With how much work the Saints have done on the TE position, they need to grab one somewhere, and that is why Marlin Klein is the selection here. With a mixture of 6-foot-6 height and a 4.61 40-yard dash, Klein brings a combination of size and speed that any offensive coach would love to have on their roster. He is also a good route runner and is not a bad blocker.
On the Saints, Klein would be TE3, but, like Stutsman, he can fight for reps quickly and become a valuable depth piece. Long-term, Klein has the potential to be a TE1 in the NFL, and for the Saints, that would be a dream outcome.
Round 7, Pick 244 (Trade) – DT Deven Eastern
And with the last pick of my final mock draft of the 2026 NFL Draft, I have the Saints upgrading the DT room. In the Bell trade, the Saints got back that 7th-round pick, and with that selection, they chose Deven Eastern.
The Saints really do not need another pass-rushing DT that can play as a 3-4 DE, but they do need an NT. Being 6-foot-5, 315lbs, and having 34-inch arms, Eastern has the ability to take up space and fit right into Staley’s scheme. It also helps that Eastern can fit a 3-4 DE role if needed.
