Saints’ 2026 NFL Mock Draft roundup after NFL Combine

The New Orleans Saints are ready to take a massive step forward during year two under head coach Kellen Moore. New Orleans only went 6-11 in 2025, but that is an impressive feat considering the state of their roster. If the Saints want to make that leap, they’ll need to improve the roster over the next few months.

New Orleans got off to a good start in NFL free agency, signing a few players who could transform the offense. But the Saints have more work to do if they want to become a fringe playoff team.

The 2026 NFL Draft will be incredibly important to the future of the Moore regime. But which players might the Saints target in the draft?

Here is a roundup of which players are being mocked to the Saints following the NFL Scouting Combine.

Note: This Saints 2026 NFL Mock Draft roundup only includes mock drafts released on March 2nd or later following the Combine.

RB Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame

Jordan Reid, ESPN; Danny Kelly, The Ringer; Ryan Wilson, CBS Sports; Trevor Sikkema, PFF

Saints fans should not be surprised to see that Love is a popular pick for the Saints.

Love was already regarded as the top running back in the 2026 draft class. But he rose up draft boards after putting up a 40-yards dash time of 4.36 seconds at the Combine. For comparison, that just so happens to be the same time that Lions RB Jahmyr Gibbs had in the 40 back in 2023.

Now Love is considered to be a locked in top 10 pick, with few analysts mocking him below that range.

One important note is that only one of these mocks (Yates) was published after New Orleans agreed to sign Travis Etienne to a $52 million contract on Monday.

The 27-year-old running back boasts many of the same strengths that Love has. In a vacuum, selecting Love could still make sense for New Orleans even with Etienne in the building. After all, he is worth it if he’s the best player available.

That said, the Etienne signing could easily change which players are mocked to the Saints over the next month.

It is also fair to wonder if Etienne, Love, and veteran Alvin Kamara could all coexist in the same backfield. New Orleans did fiddle with Kamara’s contract on March 6th, suggesting he could be on the move soon.

WR Carnell Tate, Ohio State

Tim Crean, ClutchPoints

Why not add another Ohio State wide receiver next to Chris Olave?

Tate is one of the best receivers in the 2026 draft class. However, he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.53 seconds at the Combine. This has caused some to question whether he has the necessary speed to play receiver at a high level in the NFL.

Speed was never an issue for Tate at Ohio State, as he dominated on the Buckeyes’ stacked offense.

The Saints should not be picky about who they add next to Olave at wide receiver. Their depth at the position leaves plenty to be desired.

Fun fact: NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein’s pro comparison is none other than… Chris Olave.

LB Sonny Styles, Ohio State

Field Yates, ESPN

Yates has the Saints grabbing an elite middle linebacker prospect who could have a career like Demario Davis did in New Orleans. Davis recently left the Saints to join the Jets during NFL free agency.

Style dominated at the Combine, but Yates explained that he bring more than just pure athleticism to the table.

“The safety-turned-linebacker had the entire football world buzzing with his combine performance, but he’s much more than just a workout star,” Yates wrote. “Styles has excellent range, a quick-trigger in the running game and strong coverage instincts.”

You might be wondering how Styles is still available at the eighth overall pick. Yates has the Titans passing on him for Tate, the Giants selecting Ohio State safety Caleb Downs, and the Commanders picking Love. Styles has been mocked to all of those teams in the past.

Styles looks like one of the best prospects in the entire draft class. It would be a shock if he’s still on the board at eight.

But if that does happen, the Saints would be foolish to pass on him. He’s that good.

CB Mansoor Delane, LSU

Charles Davis, NFL.com

Davis went in a completely different direction, pairing the Saints with Delane.

The LSU product would be right at home in New Orleans, both literally and figuratively. Delane is one of the best cornerback prospects in the entire draft and could immediately become the CB1 for the Saints.

The Saints already have Kool-Aid McKinstry, Quincy Riley, Isaac Yiadom, and Rejzohn Wright at the cornerback position. Adding Delane could be a force multiplier, moving every cornerback one spot down the depth chart and improving the entire unit.

Delane going off the board at eight might be a surprise to some. But it is hard to argue with picking an elite prospect as a valuable position in that spot.

This would be an excellent pick by the Saints.