Saints Mock Drafts for 2026 NFL Draft
Out of 82 mock drafts tracked from April 13 - April 19, wide receiver was the most frequently mocked position to the New Orleans Saints in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, followed by cornerback and edge rusher.
Carnell Tate was the most mocked player to the Saints this week with Rueben Bain Jr. and Mansoor Delane following closely behind. See the most commonly mocked players to the Saints in the later rounds.
| Player | 4/13-4/19 | 4/6-4/12 | 3/30-4/5 | 3/2-3/29 | Pre-Combine | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carnell Tate (WR, Ohio State) | 19 | 7 | 9 | 53 | 29 | 117 |
| Rueben Bain Jr. (Edge, Miami) | 16 | 18 | 12 | 30 | 9 | 85 |
| Mansoor Delane (CB, LSU) | 16 | 14 | 4 | 18 | 3 | 55 |
| Jordyn Tyson (WR, Arizona St.) | 9 | 4 | 0 | 16 | 35 | 64 |
| Makai Lemon (WR, USC) | 7 | 4 | 5 | 22 | 20 | 58 |
| Caleb Downs (S, Ohio State) | 6 | 1 | 2 | 11 | 3 | 23 |
| Sonny Styles (LB, Ohio State) | 3 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 6 | 21 |
| Jermod McCoy (CB, Tennessee) | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 6 | |
| David Bailey (Edge, Texas Tech) | 2 | 4 | 7 | 24 | 12 | 49 |
| Arvell Reese (LB, Ohio State) | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| Jeremiyah Love (RB, Notre Dame) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 17 | 51 | 69 |
These are the positions NFL draft analysts most commonly mock to the Saints with their 1st round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
| Position | 4/13-4/19 | 4/6-4/12 | 3/30-4/5 | 3/2-3/29 | Pre-Combine | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WR | 35 | 15 | 14 | 92 | 84 | 240 |
| CB | 19 | 15 | 4 | 20 | 3 | 61 |
| Edge | 18 | 22 | 19 | 55 | 26 | 140 |
| S | 6 | 1 | 2 | 11 | 3 | 23 |
| LB | 4 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 6 | 24 |
| RB | 0 | 1 | 0 | 17 | 51 | 69 |
| DT | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 5 |
| OT/OG | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
| TE | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Top 3 Most Mocked Players to Saints (April 13 - April 19)
1. Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State
Times Mocked to Saints (4/13-4/19): 19 (117 Total)
Experts Who Mocked Carnell Tate to the Saints
"When it comes to Ohio State wide receivers, people should not overcomplicate things. Tate's 40 time was middling, but if you've really studied his tape you already knew that — and you don't really care. Like current Saints WR and fellow former Buckeye Chris Olave, Tate is a well-schooled, complete receiver prospect who will make an impact as a rookie." -Baumgardner
"Pass rusher, cornerback, and safety all felt like possibilities for New Orleans at No. 8, and there are great options at every position here...While Bain, Delane or Downs could certainly make an impact on a defense moving on from a few veteran leaders, Tate feels like he could have the biggest impact on New Orleans' future. An Olave-Tate duo would be formidable for Shough to target, all while providing the Saints with a bit of long-term security at the position. Tate is a proven deep threat, a strong route runner, and a winner of contested targets. In addition to his producing on his own, Tate could really open things up for the other players in the Saints' offense." -Allen
"If the Saints truly believe in Tyler Shough, this could be a power move. One of the more popular setups is to have a split end on the outside to take the heat off your featured WR operating as the slot/flanker. Tee Higgins/Ja'Marr Chase, George Pickens/CeeDee Lamb, Davante Adams/Puka Nacua, etc. Kellen Moore had AJ Brown and DeVonta Smith in Philadelphia, and Carnell Tate and Chris Olave could be that for him in New Orleans. They extended tight end Juwan Johnson and just added Travis Etienne, so this offense could be dangerous all of a sudden." -Cooper
- Geoff Schwartz (FOX Sports) - 4/15/2026
- John Daigle (Establish the Run) - 4/15/2026
- Dane Brugler (The Athletic) - 4/14/2026
- Emory Hunt (CBS) - 4/14/2026
- Justin Bales (FF Today) - 4/14/2026
- Sean Newcomb (The Daily Targum) - 4/14/2026
- Dennis Sosic (Fantasy Pros) - 4/13/2026
- Michael Renner (CBS) - 4/13/2026
- Nicholas Rome (Saturday Blitz) - 4/13/2026
"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."
T-2nd. Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU
Times Mocked to Saints (4/13-4/19): 16 (55 Total)
Experts Who Mocked Mansoor Delane to the Saints
"The Saints lost Alontae Taylor in free agency and now need to find a running mate for Kool-Aid McKinstry. Delane and McCoy both could stake a claim toward being the top corner selected, but Delane – who allowed just a 31.2 passer rating in 2025 – may have a slight edge on McCoy, who missed all of last season while recovering from a torn ACL." -Camenker
"This pick still feels like a major pivot point, with wide receiver and edge rusher easy to justify for New Orleans, but cornerback becomes harder to ignore if the draft's top cover man is available. Following Alontae Taylor's departure in free agency, Delane gives the Saints a premium-position answer who can compete immediately opposite Kool-Aid McKinstry. The LSU connection only sharpens the fit, while Delane's reported 4.38 speed and CB1 profile make him a clean top-10 pivot." -Band
"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." - Nate Tice, Yahoo
"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."
T-2nd. Rueben Bain Jr., Edge, Miami
Times Mocked to Saints (4/13-4/19): 16 (85 Total)
Experts Who Mocked Rueben Bain Jr. to the Saints
"Arm length -- or the lack thereof -- surely will not stop everyone in the top 10 from drafting Rueben Bain Jr., right? His since-dropped 2024 reckless driving citation also raised eyebrows, but according to CBS Sports' Jonathan Jones, most teams are OK with his explanation of the matter. The talent overshadows the concerns in this case." -Bahns
"I believe it's safe to assume the Saints will take a wide receiver, edge defender, or cornerback in Round 1. Bain is clearly one of the top overall players in the class and would be a great value at a premium position. Though the arm length isn't ideal, he otherwise fits the mold of thicker rushers like Khalil Mack and Joey Bosa that defensive coordinator Brandon Staley had with the Chargers." -Chappine
"With as much conversation that has been sparked from Bain Jr.'s arm length measurements, this is a Top-10 caliber prospect. The New Orleans defensive line needs some juice, especially when rushing the passer. The Miami product is a vicious, dominating defender when he gets going, possibly filling that hole instantly." -Harper
"The most dominant defensive player down the stretch of the college football season is also a historical outlier. While Rueben Bain Jr. led the country in pressures (83) with a 23.5% pass rush win rate, his arm length is in the 1st percentile for edge rushers (30 7/8"). Although his arm length and questions about an off-field incident could push him down the board, New Orleans Saints GM Mickey Loomis will have a hard time passing on a Cameron Jordan replacement." -Paul
"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."
More Saints 1st Round mock draft projections
4. Jordyn Tyson (WR, Arizona St.)
- Ben Fawkes (Yahoo) - 4/19/2026
- Ryan Heckman (The Landry Hat) - 4/19/2026
- Ryan Sanudo (The Sun) - 4/18/2026
- Connor Rogers (NBC Sports) - 4/17/2026
- Staff (A To Z Sports) - 4/17/2026
- Ayrton Ostly (USA Today) - 4/16/2026
- Ryan Noonan (4for4) - 4/15/2026
- Dan Zaksheske (Outkick) - 4/14/2026
- Jack McKessy (USA Today) - 4/14/2026
5. Makai Lemon (WR, USC)
6. Caleb Downs (S, Ohio State)
7. Sonny Styles (LB, Ohio State)
8. Jermod McCoy (CB, Tennessee)
9. David Bailey (Edge, Texas Tech)
10. Arvell Reese (LB, Ohio State)
Top 10 Most Mocked Day 2 & 3 Players to the Saints
Chris Bell (WR, Louisville) - 12 mocked
- Chris Gregory (Rotoballer) - 4/17/2026
- Luke Easterling (Athlon Sports) - 4/16/2026
- Jeremy Bissett (The Bissett Perspective) - 4/11/2026
- Staff (ESPN) - 4/2/2026
- 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
Germie Bernard (WR, Alabama) - 8 mocked
- Vinnie Iyer (Sporting News) - 4/15/2026
- Tim Crean (Clutch Points) - 4/14/2026
- Lou Scataglia (NFL Spin Zone) - 4/12/2026
- Luke Easterling (Athlon Sports) - 4/9/2026
- Chad Reuter (NFL.com) - 4/3/2026
- Vinnie Iyer (Sporting News) - 4/1/2026
- Ryan Wilson (CBS Sports) - 3/30/2026
- Ryan Roberts (A To Z Sports) - 3/5/2026
