As the New Orleans Saints prepare for the 2026 NFL Draft, we take a look at the top 10 ranked players at various positions. The 2026 NFL Draft big board rankings are reflective of Bucky Brooks' top five prospects by position, ESPN's NFL Draft "Best Available" list, plus other consensus draft boards. To keep track of the latest NFL mock drafts for the Saints, check out Mock Draft Monday. Part of the Saints Path to the Draft presented by Cox.
Arvell Reese earned 1st-Team Associated Press All-American honors and was named Big Ten Linebacker of the Year and 1st-Team All-Big Ten in 2025 after recording 69 tackles, 10.0 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks in 14 starts at Ohio State. He previously played in all 16 games with two starts for Ohio State’s national championship team in 2024, totaling 43 tackles and 3.5 tackles for loss. Reese appeared in eight games on special teams as a freshman in 2023 before moving into a larger defensive role the following seasons. He finished his collegiate career with 112 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss and seven sacks.
Arvell Reese's Combine Results
Height: 6-4 | Weight: 241 | Arms: 32 1/2 | Hands: 9 1/2
40-yard Dash: 4.46 | 10-yard Split: 1.58 | Vertical Jump: DNP
Broad Jump: DNP | 3-Cone: DNP | 20-yard Shuttle: DNP | Bench Press: DNP
Arvell Reese is the #4 overall prospect on Daniel Jeremiah’s Top 50 2.0 (EDGE2) and is Bucky Brooks’ top-ranked LB on his By Position 1.0. Reese and his Ohio State teammate Sonny Styles both ran a 4.46. Reese measured similarly to Rams Pro Bowl LB Byron Young.
Lance Zierlein on Arvell Reese:
"At 20 years old, Reese is still growing into his frame and his game, but learning from James Laurinaitis (linebackers coach) and Matt Patricia (defensive coordinator) should give him a head start in acclimating to the pro game. He plays off-ball linebacker and stand-up edge with the talent to post impact production from either spot. His third-down versatility adds alignment variety and helps camouflage defensive intent. His run diagnosis and angles of attack are average, but he flows quickly once he triggers, using assertive hands to stack and play off blocks. He’s fast in pursuit and his tackle finishing could become elite. His rush is kinetic and tough for tackles to mirror. It’s under construction, but Reese has already sprouted go-to moves and rush plans that need more refinement. He might need some runway to hit his stride, but his rare blend of traits, explosiveness and versatility could become a perfect storm of chaos once a defense decides how to deploy him."
Sonny Styles earned 2nd-Team Associated Press All-American and 1st-Team All-Big Ten honors in 2025 after leading Ohio State with 82 tackles in 14 starts while serving as a team captain. He previously earned 2nd-Team All-Big Ten recognition in 2024 after recording a career-high 100 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss and six sacks in 16 starts for the national championship team. Styles earned Honorable Mention All-Big Ten honors in 2023 after totaling 53 tackles and 4.5 tackles for loss in 12 starts and appeared in 10 games as a reserve in 2022. He finished his collegiate career with 244 tackles, 22.5 tackles for loss and nine sacks.
Sonny Styles' Combine Results
Height: 6-5 | Weight: 244 | Arms: 32 7/8 | Hands: 10
40-yard Dash: 4.46 | 10-yard Split: 1.56 | Vertical Jump: 43.5
Broad Jump: 11-2 | 3-Cone: 7.09 | 20-yard Shuttle: 4.26 | Bench Press: DNP
Styles is the #5 overall prospect on Daniel Jeremiah’s Top 50 2.0 (LB1) and is Bucky Brooks’ 2nd-ranked LB on his By Position 1.0. Styles (43.5”) recorded the 2nd-highest vertical jump by a linebacker at the Combine since 2003, behind only Cameron Wake’s 45.5” vertical in 2005. Styles measured similarly to 3-time Pro Bowl WR Vincent Jackson.
Lance Zierlein on Sonny Styles:
"Styles began his Ohio State career as a safety, but he settled in at linebacker in 2024. He’s improved in diagnosing play development. The former Buckeye diffuses block attempts with crisp hand strikes and leverages run fits with force/anchor strength. There are times when he slips back into a containment-based approach, but he has plenty of short-area quickness and pursuit speed to get where he needs to go. He can make an impact from multiple spots on the field and is a plus man-cover talent. Styles is an emerging player with the traits and versatility to garner longer looks by NFL evaluators. He could see his stock soar leading up to draft day."
CJ Allen earned 1st-Team Associated Press All-American and 1st-Team All-SEC honors in 2025 after leading Georgia with 88 tackles and adding 8.0 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks in 13 starts. He previously recorded 76 tackles with three tackles for loss and four pass breakups in 12 starts in 2024 after appearing in 14 games with five starts as a freshman in 2023. Allen finished his collegiate career with 205 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks and one interception.
CJ Allen's Combine Results
Height: 6-1 | Weight: 230 | Arms: 31 1/2 | Hands: 10 1/8
40-yard Dash: DNP | 10-yard Split: DNP | Vertical Jump: DNP
Broad Jump: DNP | 3-Cone: DNP | 20-yard Shuttle: DNP | Bench Press: DNP
CJ Allen is the #22 overall prospect on Daniel Jeremiah’s Top 50 2.0 (LB2) and is Bucky Brooks’ 3rd-ranked LB on his By Position 1.0. Allen did not participate in athletic testing at the 2026 Combine but measured similarly to All-Pro LB Roquan Smith.
Lance Zierlein on CJ Allen:
"'Green dot' linebacker and team captain more capable of rowing the boat than making big splashes. Allen plays with toughness and control, sorting through run fits with patience and leverage in pursuit. He has average trigger quickness and pursuit speed, which forces him to work harder to get to junction points when facing climbing blockers. He has adequate size and strength with good hand strikes to play off blocks. He doesn’t blow up blocks or disrupt on the other side of the line all that often, though. He’s an effective blitzer with average man-cover talent and is capable on all three downs. Allen is a dependable starting Mike ‘backer who raises the floor of a defense."
Anthony Hill Jr. earned 2nd-Team Associated Press All-American and 2nd-Team All-SEC honors in both 2024 and 2025 during his career at Texas. He recorded 69 tackles, 7.0 tackles for loss and four sacks in 10 starts in 2025 while tying for the team lead with three forced fumbles after missing two games with a broken hand. Hill previously led Texas with 113 tackles and 16.5 tackles for loss in 16 starts in 2024 while tying for fifth in the FBS with four forced fumbles. He earned Freshman All-American honors and was named Big 12 Co-Defensive Freshman of the Year in 2023 after recording 67 tackles and five sacks. Hill finished his collegiate career with 249 tackles, 31.5 tackles for loss, 17 sacks and eight forced fumbles.
Anthony Hill Jr.'s Combine Results
Height: 6-2 | Weight: 238 | Arms: 32 3/8 | Hands: 9 5/8
40-yard Dash: 4.51 | 10-yard Split: 1.58 | Vertical Jump: 37
Broad Jump: 10-5 | 3-Cone: DNP | 20-yard Shuttle: DNP | Bench Press: 21
Anthony Hill Jr. is the #42 overall prospect on Daniel Jeremiah’s Top 50 2.0 (LB3) and is Bucky Brooks’ 4th-ranked LB on his By Position 1.0. Hill measured similarly to Pro Bowl LB Devin Lloyd.
Lance Zierlein on Anthony Hill Jr.:
"Three-down linebacker with the playing demeanor and production of a future Pro Bowler. He posted 31.5 TFLs, 17 sacks and eight forced fumbles in his three seasons at Texas, making an impact in every phase. He’s instinctive, athletic and under control, transitioning seamlessly from read to react to finish. He plays with downhill thump to thwart interior blocks and the speed to pursue runners from sideline to sideline. Hill has plus cover talent in man or zone, proven credentials as a blitzer or edge rusher, and finishes plays as a strong, reliable tackler. Consistency and field command make him one of the safer linebackers in the class. His size, speed and versatility allow him to profile as an instant-impact rookie at Mike or Will ‘backer."
Jake Golday earned 1st-Team All-Big 12 honors in 2025 after leading Cincinnati with 105 tackles while adding 6.0 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks in 12 starts. He previously earned Honorable Mention All-Big 12 recognition in 2024 after recording 58 tackles, 7.0 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks in 12 games with eight starts. Golday began his career at Central Arkansas, where he led the team with 84 tackles in 11 starts in 2023 after appearing in 11 games as a reserve in 2022. He finished his collegiate career with 288 tackles, 25.5 tackles for loss and 10.5 sacks.
Jake Golday's Combine Results
Height: 6-4 1/2 | Weight: 239 | Arms: 31 7/8 | Hands: 9 1/2
40-yard Dash: 4.62 | 10-yard Split: 1.6 | Vertical Jump: 39
Broad Jump: 10-5 | 3-Cone: 7.02 | 20-yard Shuttle: 4.34 | Bench Press: DNP
Jake Golday is the #48 overall prospect on Daniel Jeremiah’s Top 50 2.0 (LB4) and is Bucky Brooks’ 5th-ranked LB on his By Position 1.0. Golday and Lions 1st-Team All-Pro LB Jack Campbell measured similarly.
Lance Zierlein on Jake Golday:
"Golday is a big, explosive linebacker with a game best suited for work near the line of scrimmage. He attacks climbing blockers with heavy, aggressive hands. He also shows the strength to stack, compress gaps and finish with authority. While his performance at the point of attack stands out, he can be a little late diagnosing play design and needs to work with a more preemptive downhill trigger at times. He’s more powerful than elusive as a blitzer and is average in coverage. Golday’s traits, explosiveness and field demeanor should make him an early special teams standout with the potential to eventually start at Sam or inside linebacker."
Jacob Rodriguez earned 1st-Team Associated Press All-American honors and was named Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year and 1st-Team All-Big 12 in 2025 after recording 128 tackles, 11.0 tackles for loss, four interceptions and an FBS-leading seven forced fumbles while winning the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, Bednarik Award, Lombardi Award and Butkus Award and finishing fifth in Heisman Trophy voting. He previously earned 1st-Team All-Big 12 honors in 2024 after totaling 127 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss and five sacks in 13 starts. Rodriguez appeared in five games with four starts in 2023 before a foot injury ended his season and played in 12 games as a reserve in 2022 after transferring from Virginia. He finished his collegiate career with 317 tackles, 25.5 tackles for loss, six sacks, six interceptions and 13 forced fumbles.
Jacob Rodriguez's Combine Results
Height: 6-1 | Weight: 231 | Arms: 30 7/8 | Hands: 9 1/4
40-yard Dash: 4.57 | 10-yard Split: 1.6 | Vertical Jump: 38.5
Broad Jump: 10-1 | 3-Cone: 6.9 | 20-yard Shuttle: 4.19 | Bench Press: DNP
Jacob Rodriguez (6.90) had the quickest 3-cone among 10 linebackers to complete the drill and also tied for the quickest 20-yard shuttle (4.19). Rodriguez measured and tested similarly to current Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans.
Lance Zierlein on Jacob Rodriguez:
"Rodriguez arrived in college as an offensive “athlete” and leaves Texas Tech as a bigger-than-life, stat-stuffing linebacker. He’s uniquely productive, with elite tackle, interception and forced fumble production. He’ll occasionally bounce out of a run fit when chasing action, but he has the burst to race back inside and finish. He’s slippery working off blocks and navigating combo climbers. His lateral pursuit leaves the station on time and with a fast take-off. Rodriguez displays ballhawking instincts and outstanding hands but busted coverages were part of the package in 2025. His unbridled urgency and “make every play” mindset can inflate missed tackle totals, but the production should outweigh the occasional headaches. He projects as a long-term starting inside linebacker."
Josiah Trotter earned 1st-Team All-SEC honors in 2025 after leading Missouri with 84 tackles while adding 13.0 tackles for loss and two sacks in 12 starts. He previously earned Freshman All-American honors and was named Big 12 Defensive Newcomer of the Year in 2024 at West Virginia after recording 92 tackles in 12 games with 11 starts. Trotter redshirted in 2023 due to a lower leg injury before transferring to Missouri. He finished his collegiate career with 176 tackles, 17.0 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks and one interception. Josiah is the son of former NFL Pro Bowl LB Jeremiah Trotter.
Josiah Trotter's Combine Results
Height: 6-2 | Weight: 237 | Arms: 32 1/4 | Hands: 10 1/4
40-yard Dash: DNP | 10-yard Split: DNP | Vertical Jump: DNP
Broad Jump: DNP | 3-Cone: DNP | 20-yard Shuttle: DNP | Bench Press: 27
Trotter (27) completed the most bench reps among linebackers at the 2026 Combinee. Josiah measured taller than both his brother and father, who were both linebacker draft selections of the Philadelphia Eagles.
Lance Zierlein on Josiah Trotter:
"Ascending inside linebacker with NFL bloodlines and alpha energy. Trotter’s heavy hands allow him to fit and choke off gaps, but he’s inconsistent in doing so. Block collisions need to be balanced with efficient play-arounds to create more tackle tries. Pursuit speed to the flanks is average, but he is quick to cut and accelerate so he stays close to runs bouncing wide. He stacks backfield production with well-timed run blitzes and crafty rush work. Coverage is the concern, with spotty zone awareness/spacing and the risk of being mismatched in man. Trotter’s wiring and disruptive qualities make him easy to project as a productive, long-time starter in the middle but a defense might need to protect him in coverage."
Kyle Louis earned 2nd-Team All-ACC honors in 2025 after recording 81 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, three sacks and two interceptions in 11 starts at Pittsburgh. He previously earned 2nd-Team Associated Press All-American and 1st-Team All-ACC honors in 2024 after leading the team with 101 tackles, 15.5 tackles for loss, seven sacks and four interceptions in 13 starts. Louis appeared in nine games with two starts in 2023 and redshirted in 2022 after playing four games as a reserve. He finished his collegiate career with 201 tackles, 25.5 tackles for loss, 10 sacks and six interceptions.
Kyle Louis' Combine Results
Height: 6-0 | Weight: 220 | Arms: 31 1/4 | Hands: 9 1/2
40-yard Dash: 4.53 | 10-yard Split: 1.58 | Vertical Jump: 39.5
Broad Jump: 10-9 | 3-Cone: 6.97 | 20-yard Shuttle: 4.26 | Bench Press: DNP
Kyle Louis is Bucky Brooks’ 2nd-ranked safety on his By Position 1.0. Louis (220 lbs) was the lightest player among all DL and LB at the 2026 Combine and measured similarly to Pro Bowl LB Kwon Alexander.
Lance Zierlein on Kyle Louis:
"Undersized linebacker/box safety who had more production and made fewer mental mistakes in 2024. Louis has the speed, athleticism and recognition to quickly find the football. Whether in lurker mode from zone or clinging to the route in man, he’s very decisive in coverage and has the ball skills to flip the field. He struggles to take on blocks and leverage his gap in the run game. He often catches contact and becomes a drag-down tackler near the line and in space. Teams need to have a plan for how to use him, but versatile sub-package defenders with speed and cover talent are valuable in the league."
Deontae Lawson earned 2nd-Team All-SEC honors in 2025 after leading Alabama with 89 tackles in 15 starts while serving as a team captain. He previously earned 3rd-Team All-SEC recognition in 2024 after recording 76 tackles and 6.5 tackles for loss in 11 starts before a lower-leg injury ended his season. Lawson started 11 games in 2023 and totaled 67 tackles and three sacks after recording 51 tackles in 11 games with four starts in 2022. He finished his collegiate career with 283 tackles, 19 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks and one interception.
Deontae Lawson's Combine Results
Height: 6-3 | Weight: 226 | Arms: 31 7/8 | Hands: 9 1/4
40-yard Dash: DNP | 10-yard Split: DNP | Vertical Jump: DNP
Broad Jump: DNP | 3-Cone: DNP | 20-yard Shuttle: DNP | Bench Press: DNP
Lance Zierlein on Deontae Lawson:
"Lawson is twitchy and covers ground quickly when scraping to the football or knifing inside to disrupt as a run blitzer. His quick flow and pursuit is countered by a lack of play recognition/patience that can place him in the wrong place at the wrong time. He’s much better at slipping blocks than he is at taking them on. He has the reactive agility to become an above-average open-field finisher, but his wrap-and-drive fundamentals run hot and cold. Lawson’s athleticism shows up in man coverage and when expanding his zone influence. He projects as a run-and-chase Will linebacker with three-down potential but a limited ceiling."
Harold Perkins Jr. earned 3rd-Team All-SEC honors in 2025 after recording 56 tackles, eight tackles for loss, four sacks and three interceptions in 12 games with 11 starts while playing a hybrid linebacker/defensive back role at LSU. He previously earned 2nd-Team All-SEC honors in both 2022 and 2023, including a Freshman All-American season in 2022 when he totaled 72 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks and four forced fumbles. Perkins started four games in 2024 before suffering a torn ACL that ended his season. He finished his collegiate career with 220 tackles, 35.5 tackles for loss, 17 sacks, five interceptions and eight forced fumbles.
Harold Perkins Jr.'s Combine Results
Height: 6-1 | Weight: 223 | Arms: 31 3/8 | Hands: 8 1/8
40-yard Dash: DNP | 10-yard Split: DNP | Vertical Jump: DNP
Broad Jump: DNP | 3-Cone: DNP | 20-yard Shuttle: DNP | Bench Press: DNP
Lance Zierlein on Harold Perkins Jr.:
"Slightly undersized off-ball linebacker with solid 2025 production but less in-game impact than he showed in 2022 and 2023 before his ACL tear in 2024. Perkins is decisive against the run and knifes into the backfield when lanes open. He’s adequate in block take-ons and finishes tackles near the line with good physicality. He can still run but lacks his previous explosiveness in close-outs and pursuit. His instincts in space are average and he can get lost in coverage, but he has the athletic ability coverage requires. Perkins is at his best when deployed in a scheme that allows him to play free and attack the line as often as possible."
