By Ross Jackson<\/p>\n
The NFL Scouting Combine kicks off this week and the New Orleans Saints are looking to build off of an outstanding 2025 draft by hitting another home run in 2026.<\/p>\n
Throughout this week there will be numerous whispers about where the Saints may be looking to go in the draft. All of which will change and shift by the time April\u2019s selection process actually rolls around.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Before all of the smokescreens, rumors and aggregated reports swarm the cycle, I wanted to provide a pre-Combine look at how the Saints could look to load up on talent in this year\u2019s draft.<\/p>\n
Setting the Scene<\/p>\n
In this draft, we\u2019re assuming a few things. Veteran defenders Cameron Jordan<\/a> and Demario Davis<\/a> return, the Saints sign a starting-caliber guard in free agency and hand wide receiver Chris Olave<\/a> a multi-year contract extension.\u00a0<\/p>\n However, the team will have to rebound from the loss of cornerback Alontae Taylor<\/a> in this hypothetical. While signing some free agency talent elsewhere helps to bolster depth, the Saints enter this scenario with many opportunities to add to their team on both sides.<\/p>\n Who\u2019s Off the Board?<\/p>\n 1.1:Las Vegas Raiders Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza<\/a><\/p>\n 1.2: New York Jets select Miami EDGE Rueben Bain Jr.<\/a><\/p>\n 1.3: Arizona Cardinals select Texas Tech EDGE David Bailey<\/a><\/p>\n 1.4: Tennessee Titans select Ohio State WR Carnell Tate<\/a><\/p>\n 1.5: New York Giants select Ohio State LB Arvell Reese<\/a><\/p>\n 1.6: Cleveland Browns select Miami OL Francis Mauigoa<\/a><\/p>\n 1.7: Washington Commanders select Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love<\/a><\/p>\n Round 1, Pick 8: USC WR Makai Lemon<\/a> Age: 21 2025 Stats<\/p>\n Catches: 79 A bit of a curveball here, but if the medical checks don\u2019t go well for Tyson during the combine, things could get interesting quickly. Lemon is without a doubt the best separator in this wide receiver class and could immediately fit in alongside wide receivers Olave and Devaughn Vele<\/a> without offering too much redundancy.\u00a0<\/p>\n His 3.13 yards per route run ranks second in this year\u2019s class of wideouts, per Pro Football Focus<\/a>. He also tied for third with 21 forced missed tackles, showing a propensity for picking up yards after the catch and compiled 31 explosive gains. He\u2019s a big-play factor to pair with a big play quarterback in Tyler Shough<\/a>.<\/p>\n Makai Lemon | WR | USC \u279579 Rec 1,156 yds 11 TDs \u2796Size & Play Strength \u2014 Omari (@OmariiBrown) February 22, 2026<\/a>\n<\/p>\n Round 2, Pick 42: Miami CB Keionte Scott<\/a> Age: 24 2025 Stats<\/p>\n Combined tackles: 64 In this scenario, the Saints have lost Taylor in free agency to a team offering an outside corner role that comes with outside corner pay. In that case, the energetic and incredibly disruptive Scott would be a perfect investment at this point in the draft. New Orleans has a tendency to pursue Day Two defensive backs, Scott is one on which defensive coordinator Brandon Staley should have his eye keenly focused.<\/p>\n Keionte Scott is a fun nickel to study.<\/p>\n Extremely disruptive at the LOS due to his speed, balance and competitive toughness. Has been playing at this level all season for Miami. pic.twitter.com\/W2ac3OBYSi<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Dane Brugler (@dpbrugler) December 22, 2025<\/a>\n<\/p>\n Round 3, Pick 73: Notre Dame RB Jadarian Price<\/a> Age: 22 2025 Stats<\/p>\n Rushes: 113 While much of the draft community focuses on Love, and for good reason, another Notre Dame rusher is likely to fly under the radar with the general public. Teams, however, won\u2019t be so quick to miss the talented Fighting Irish back.\u00a0<\/p>\n Price\u2019s elite vision sets him apart from the rest of the class, he\u2019s a patient and talented rusher with quick feet and the speed necessary to win on the perimeter.\u00a0<\/p>\n My favorite part of Jadarian Price\u2019s game at Notre Dame is in one clip. He has a great feel for the blocking scheme and development, while fluidly creating downhill pressure on almost every carry. He trusts what is on the other side of the OL\u2019s rear, every time. pic.twitter.com\/L68zyqBXHw<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 \u1d04\u1d0f\u1d05\u028f \u1d04\u1d00\u0280\u1d18\u1d07\u0274\u1d1b\u026a\u1d07\u0280 (@CodyCarpentier) February 15, 2026<\/a>\n<\/p>\n Round 4, Pick 132: Iowa State DT Domonique Orange<\/a> Age: 21 2025 Stats<\/p>\n Combined tackles: 18 Orange has one of the best nicknames in this year\u2019s draft, \u201cBig Citrus.\u201d And while that pseudonym is elite, it\u2019s the tackle\u2019s elite size and fit as a 3-4 nose tackle that led me to select him for the Saints here.\u00a0<\/p>\n New Orleans is trending in the right direction with its run defense, Orange, after some development, could help to keep that trajectory going in future years. His stats from 2025 won\u2019t inspire much confidence, but turn on the tape and it doesn\u2019t take long to see the big man\u2019s impact.\u00a0<\/p>\n Iowa State DT Domonique Orange 6\u20194 325<\/p>\n In his last two seasons at Iowa state he recorded 23 pressures, 29 stops and 4 qb hits<\/p>\n Strong at the point of attack and engaging blockers one on one, good pop in his hands and maintains pad level pic.twitter.com\/UTL7XhCJFy<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Yuri (@Yuri_Ravens) February 15, 2026<\/a>\n<\/p>\n Round 4, Pick 136: Western Michigan EDGE Nadame Tucker<\/a> Age: 25 2025 Stats<\/p>\n Combined tackles: 55 Ideally, it\u2019s been proven that drafting older prospects isn\u2019t the worst path to finding impact. Tucker tied for the lead in the nation in both sacks and tackles for a loss. He\u2019s versatile and can move around the defensive line while rushing from 2 and 3-point stances. He\u2019s disruptive and put on a show at the 2026 Senior Bowl, proving that he can win even when matched up with higher-level talent than that which he faced at Western Michigan.\u00a0<\/p>\n He could be a strong complement opposite Saints defensive end Chase Young<\/a> in rotation with Carl Granderson<\/a> and, in this case, Jordan, should he return to the game.<\/p>\n Western Michigan\u2019s Nadame Tucker tied for second in the FBS last season with 14 sacks.<\/p>\n This is why. He also rag-dolled two different Michigan State left tackles for sacks, so strength of competition isn\u2019t really an issue. pic.twitter.com\/q1my1UaEam<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Doug Farrar \u270d (@NFL_DougFarrar) February 19, 2026<\/a>\n<\/p>\n Round 5, Pick 148: Alabama IOL Jaeden Roberts<\/a> Age: 23 2025 Stats<\/p>\n Combined pressures allowed: 2 Roberts might not be the most athletic player and could use some work on his balance, but his imposing size and power on the interior are great foundations upon which to build.\u00a0<\/p>\n Addressing guard must be one of the Saints\u2019 first priorities in free agency, but adding a talented player like Roberts in the mid-rounds of the draft to continue to develop would be a wise move in addition. Continuing with my hypothetical here, the Saints have now achieved both.<\/p>\n Round 5, Pick 170: Cincinnati WR Cyrus Allen<\/a> Age: 23 2025 Stats<\/p>\n Catches: 51 Doubling up at wide receiver could make sense for the Saints who should be taking multiple swings this offseason, with an abundance of resources, to put weapons around Shough and bolstering head coach Kellen Moore<\/a>\u2019s offense.\u00a0<\/p>\n After selecting Lemon in the first round, I turned to the New Orleans native who led the Big 12 in touchdown receptions in 2025. He did so while taking 92.2% of his snaps from the slot. It\u2019s very likely that Allen goes much earlier than this because of his scoring acumen and big-play ability, but if he\u2019s available around the time New Orleans might consider double-dipping at wideout, he\u2019d be a perfect fit back home in the Crescent City.<\/p>\n Cincinnati WR Cyrus Allen had himself a week during Senior Bowl Practices \ud83d\udcaa \u2014 SleeperCFB (@SleeperCFB) January 30, 2026<\/a>\n<\/p>\n
\nBio Info<\/p>\n
\nHeight: 5-foot-11
\nWeight: 195 pounds<\/p>\n
\nReceiving yards: 1,156
\nTouchdown receptions: 11
\nRushing touchdowns: 2<\/p>\n
5\u201911 190 \ud83c\udf4b<\/p>\n
\u2795Strong Hands
\u2795Run after Catch ability
\u27953.13 YPRR \/ 2.5% Drop rate
\u2795Short area quickness<\/p>\n
\u2796Vertical Threat projection ADOT < 10.0
\u2796Primarily worked out of slot (70%)
\u2796Catch Radius\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/XzLiJCxWF6<\/a><\/p>\n
\nBio Info<\/p>\n
\nHeight: 6-foot
\nWeight: 195 pounds<\/p>\n
\nTackles for a loss: 13
\nSacks: 5
\nInterceptions: 2 (both touchdowns)
\nPassed defended: 5
\nFumbles forces: 2
\nFumbles recovered: 2<\/p>\n
\nBio Info<\/p>\n
\nHeight: 5-foot-11
\nWeight: 210 pounds<\/p>\n
\nRushing yards: 674
\nTouchdown runs: 11
\nTouchdown receptions: 2<\/p>\n
\nBio Info<\/p>\n
\nHeight: 6-foot-4
\nWeight: 325 pounds<\/p>\n
\nTackles for a loss: 0.5
\nSacks: 0
\nPassed defended: 1<\/p>\n
\nBio Info<\/p>\n
\nHeight: 6-foot-3
\nWeight: 250 pounds<\/p>\n
\nTackles for a loss: 21
\nSacks: 14.5
\nPassed defended: 1
\nFumbles forced: 4<\/p>\n
\nBio Info<\/p>\n
\nHeight: 6-foot-5
\nWeight: 327 pounds<\/p>\n
\nSacks allowed: 1
\nQB hits allowed: 0
\nHurries allowed: 1<\/p>\n
\nBio Info<\/p>\n
\nHeight: 5-foot-11
\nWeight: 180 pounds<\/p>\n
\nReceiving yards: 674
\nTouchdown receptions: 12<\/p>\n
pic.twitter.com\/7miDlHHTLM<\/a><\/p>\n