Saints Mock Drafts for 2026 NFL Draft
Out of 59 mock drafts tracked from April 6 - April 12, edge rusher was the most frequently mocked position to the New Orleans Saints in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, followed closely by wide receiver and cornerback.
Rueben Bain Jr. was the most mocked player to the Saints this week with Mansoor Delane as strong second place. We continue to see Carnell Tate, Jordyn Tyson, Makai Lemon, and David Bailey on a lot of Saints mock drafts. See the most commonly mocked players to the Saints in the later rounds.
| Player | 4/6-4/12 | 3/30-4/5 | 3/23-3/29 | 3/16-3/22 | 3/9-3/15 | 3/2-3/8 | Pre-Combine | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rueben Bain Jr. (Edge, Miami) | 18 | 12 | 7 | 8 | 11 | 4 | 9 | 69 |
| Mansoor Delane (CB, LSU) | 14 | 4 | 8 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 39 |
| Carnell Tate (WR, Ohio State) | 7 | 9 | 9 | 11 | 10 | 23 | 29 | 98 |
| Jordyn Tyson (WR, Arizona St.) | 4 | 0 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 35 | 55 |
| Makai Lemon (WR, USC) | 4 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 7 | 20 | 51 |
| David Bailey (Edge, Texas Tech) | 4 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 12 | 47 |
| Sonny Styles (LB, Ohio State) | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 18 |
| Arvell Reese (LB, Ohio State) | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| Jeremiyah Love (RB, Notre Dame) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 13 | 51 | 69 |
| Caleb Downs (S, Ohio State) | 1 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 17 |
| Jermod McCoy (CB, Tennessee) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | |
| Francis Mauigoa (OT/OG, Miami) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
These are the positions NFL draft analysts most commonly mock to the Saints with their 1st round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
| Position | 4/6-4/12 | 3/30-4/5 | 3/23-3/29 | 3/16-3/22 | 3/9-3/15 | 3/2-3/8 | Pre-Combine | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Edge | 22 | 19 | 16 | 17 | 15 | 7 | 26 | 122 |
| WR | 15 | 14 | 21 | 22 | 15 | 34 | 84 | 205 |
| CB | 15 | 4 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 42 |
| LB | 4 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 20 |
| RB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 13 | 51 | 69 |
| S | 1 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 17 |
| OT/OG | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
| DT | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 5 |
| TE | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Top 3 Most Mocked Players to Saints (April 6 - April 12)
1. Rueben Bain Jr., Edge, Miami
Times Mocked to Saints (4/6-4/12): 18 (69 Total)
Experts Who Mocked Rueben Bain Jr. to the Saints
"The Saints have a lot of needs, but this kid lives in the backfield. I care a little bit about arm length...Everybody I talk to in the league loves Bain. Because of the measurements, he's not going to be a No. 1 or No. 2 pick. But I haven't talked to anyone in the NFL that doesn't respect him as a player." -Cowherd
"One of the most physically imposing edge defenders in the draft, Bain brings a combination of length, power, and burst that gives offensive linemen fits. He was incredibly disruptive at Miami with a pressure rate that was among the best in the country. Plus, he has the frame to add functional strength without losing quickness. New Orleans has prioritized getting after the quarterback, and Ruben Bain Jr. is exactly the kind of player who accelerates that effort." -Flowers
"Even if Cameron Jordan re-signs with the Saints this offseason, the team needs to find another presence on the edge. Bain gives them a menace both as a pass rusher and run defender." -Lewis
"The Saints seem to have their young quarterback. Now, they can stand to add some help getting to the opposing quarterback. Bain's arm size was a concern at the Combine, but there is no denying the results he produced on the field. He's still arguably the top EDGE in this draft and would be a nice pick here." -Rooney
"Note taker, grudge holder and block destructor with a compact frame and defensive tackle play strength. Bain is ill-tempered with his take-ons, hitting blockers with heavy hand strikes. He plays through tight ends and can anchor against tackles and double teams. However, his lack of length can lead to him being smothered if he doesn't land the first strike. He can bend and flip his hips at the top of the rush, swipe away punches and generate a strong bull rush. His playoff run showed an ability to generate quick wins if tackles are passive in setting to him. He can rush off the edge or mismatch guards as a sub-package rusher. Bain's explosive power and toughness should translate, giving him a high floor as an NFL starter."
2. Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU
Times Mocked to Saints (4/6-4/12): 14 (39 Total)
Experts Who Mocked Mansoor Delane to the Saints
"The Saints absolutely need to upgrade their receiving corps, but they may have their eye on one of Tyler Shough's former teammates later on. New Orleans could also benefit from having a new CB1, and there's little debate that LSU product Mansoor Delane is the best in the class after clocking a blistering 4.38-second 40-yard dash and allowing zero touchdowns while not committing any penalties in 2025." -Buller-Russ
"If Tate's off the board, the Saints should pivot to their many needs on defense, and they've got some fantastic options in this scenario. They could easily opt for Ohio State safety Caleb Downs or Miami edge defender Rueben Bain Jr. here, but the opportunity to land the top corner in this year's class might be too much to pass up. Delane was an absolute shutdown artist for the in-state Bayou Bengals last season, and would immediately be the best corner on this roster." -Easterling
"The Saints could go in a few different directions and it would make sense. Wide receiver to give Chris Olave that desperately needed running partner was tempting here. But instead, the Saints go with Delane to not only shore up a glaring hole in Brandon Staley's sneaky good defense from last year (11th in FTN's weighted defensive DVOA metric), but turn a below-average spot into an outright good one with Delane, whose intelligence, ball skills and twitch would flourish in a zone-heavy defense that likes to mix it up." -Yahoo Staff
"Delane is one of the top cornerbacks in a CB-rich draft. He excels in press coverage, altering release timing with punches and slides. Smooth hips and efficient footwork keep him connected in man coverage, while his processing allows for quick transitions in off-man and short zone looks. He has good top-end speed for vertical phasing but is inconsistent turning to find the football. While he locks in on the route at times, he's rarely oblivious to the quarterback's actions, allowing him to slam catch windows shut and play the football. He played through a core muscle injury for much of the 2025 season and still performed at an elite level. Delane's emergence over the past two years might be indicative of what's to come, as he's shown lockdown potential."
3. Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State
Times Mocked to Saints (4/6-4/12): 7 (98 Total)
Experts Who Mocked Carnell Tate to the Saints
"The draft board plays right in the hands of the Saints who select Carnell Tate with the No. 8 overall pick in the draft. With Tyler Shock looking like the long-term starter for the Saints, getting him another down-the-field weapon to pair with fellow Ohio State alum Chris Olave is the focus here for the Saints. This tandem will have an opportunity to be special down in the Bayou which will help Shock be even more effective at the QB position in Year 2." -Basile-Vaughan
"The Saints are the start of the "keep calm and carry on" section of the 2026 NFL Draft, meaning if these next three teams just don't panic and make a silly move, they will have excellent players and great fits fall to them at the back half of the top 10. For the Saints, that means getting arguably the best pass-catcher in this class with Carnell Tate. He will immediately make the Saints offense better and help in Tyler Shough's development." -Crean
"Ascending "Z" receiver who continues to step out from the shadow of Ohio State teammate Jeremiah Smith. Tate has good size but would benefit from more play strength. He builds momentum quickly on intermediate and deep routes, utilizing speed and tempo to pressure cornerbacks. He can win over the top on verticals or separate over the first two levels with route savvy and separation burst. Tate tracks throws at top speed and makes his adjustments to run under them. He combines timing, body control and catch radius to dominate air space and consistently lands on the winning side of contested catches. Pass catching comes effortlessly with soft, strong hands and he consistently works back on throws to keep ballhawks from hawking. Tate displays rare polish for a player his age and has the talent to become a heralded pro within his first three seasons."
More Saints 1st Round mock draft projections
4. Jordyn Tyson (WR, Arizona St.) — 4 mocks
5. Makai Lemon (WR, USC) — 4 mocks
6. David Bailey (Edge, Texas Tech) — 4 mocks
7. Sonny Styles (LB, Ohio State) — 2 mocks
8. Arvell Reese (LB, Ohio State) — 2 mocks
9. Jeremiyah Love (RB, Notre Dame) — 1 mock
10. Caleb Downs (S, Ohio State) — 1 mock
Top 10 Most Mocked Day 2 & 3 Players to the Saints
1. Chris Bell (WR, Louisville) - 10 mocked
- Staff (ESPN) - 4/2/2026
- Jeremy Bissett (The Bissett Perspective) - 4/11/2026
- Cody Zeeb (Sports Gambling Podcast) - 3/31/2026
- Staff (A To Z Sports) - 3/27/2026
- Jacob Infante (Pro Football Network) - 3/25/2026
- Jared Feinberg (Sports Illustrated) - 3/21/2026
- T.J. Randall (Pro Football Network) - 3/21/2026
- Chad Reuter (NFL.com) - 3/20/2026
- Staff (USA Today) - 3/16/2026
- Jacob Infante (Pro Football Network) - 1/31/2026
