Keep track of the latest NFL mock drafts to find out which prospects the experts think the New Orleans Saints will pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Part of the Saints Path to the Draft presented by Cox.
Saints Mock Drafts for 2026 NFL Draft
Out of 59 mock drafts tracked from March 2 - March 8, wide receiver was once again the most frequently mocked position to the New Orleans Saints in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, followed by running back and edge rusher.
| Player | 3/2-3/8 | Pre-Combine | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carnell Tate (WR, Ohio State) | 23 | 29 | 53 |
| Jeremiyah Love (RB, Notre Dame) | 13 | 51 | 67 |
| Makai Lemon (WR, USC) | 7 | 20 | 27 |
| Jordyn Tyson (WR, Arizona St.) | 4 | 35 | 39 |
| Rueben Bain Jr. (Edge, Miami) | 4 | 9 | 13 |
| David Bailey (Edge, Texas Tech) | 3 | 12 | 15 |
| Mansoor Delane (CB, LSU) | 3 | 3 | 6 |
| Caleb Downs (S, Ohio State) | 1 | 3 | 4 |
| Jermod McCoy (CB, Tennessee) | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Sonny Styles (LB, Ohio State) | 0 | 6 | 6 |
| Keldric Faulk (Edge, Auburn)) | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Peter Woods (DT, Clemson) | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Arvell Reese (Edge, Ohio State) | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Caleb Banks (DT, Florida) | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Cashius Howell (Edge, Texas A&M) | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Francis Mauigoa (OT, Miami) | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Spencer Fano (OT, Utah) | 0 | 1 | 1 |
These are the positions NFL draft analysts most commonly mock to the Saints with their 1st round selection in the 2026 NFL Draft.
| Position | 3/2-3/8 | Pre-Combine | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| WR | 34 | 84 | 119 |
| RB | 13 | 51 | 67 |
| Edge | 7 | 26 | 33 |
| CB | 4 | 3 | 7 |
| LB | 0 | 6 | 6 |
| DT | 0 | 4 | 4 |
| S | 1 | 3 | 4 |
| OT/OG | 0 | 2 | 2 |
Top 3 Most Mocked Players to Saints (March 2 - March 8)
1. Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State
Times Mocked to Saints (3/2-3/8): 23 (53 Total)
Experts Who Mocked Carnell Tate to the Saints
"The latest ready-made wideout product emerging from the Buckeyes' pipeline, he and fellow Ohio Stater Chris Olave would give second-year QB Tyler Shough quite a tandem – and Olave needs the help given Rashid Shaheed was New Orleans' second-most productive wideout in 2025 … despite getting traded halfway through the season." -Davis
"Tate is regarded as the best wide receiver in the draft class, but he may not make it this far. The 6-foot-2, 192-pound receiver isn't the quickest pass-catcher in the talent pool (4.53 40 time), so he's probably not a No. 1 option. However, he's quite polished, which could help make him an immediate star in New Orleans." -Buller-Russ
"Tate will be a big help for second-year QB Tyler Shough. Carnell didn't show top-end speed at the combine but his tape shows outstanding route-running and top-tier hands." -Schwartz
- Staff (Fantasy Pros) - 3/5/2026
- Dan Brugler (The Athletic) - 3/4/2026
- David Furones (Sun Sentinel) - 3/4/2026
- Luke Easterling (Athlon Sports) - 3/4/2026
- Nate Davis (USA Today) - 3/4/2026
- Scott Smith (4 For 4) - 3/4/2026
- Sean Newcomb (The Daily Targun) - 3/4/2026
- Brett Whitefield (Fantasy Points) - 3/3/2026
- Cody Williams (Fansided) - 3/3/2026
- Tim Crean (Clutch Points) - 3/3/2026
- Brent Sobleski (Bleacher Report) - 3/2/2026
- Cody Carpentier (Roser Watch) - 3/2/2026
- Kurt Blakeway (Fantasy Pros) - 3/2/2026
- Mark Schofield (SB Nation) - 3/2/2026
- Nate Davis (USA Today) - 3/2/2026
"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."
2. Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame
Times Mocked to Saints (3/2-3/8): 13 (67 Total)
Experts Who Mocked Jeremiyah Love to the Saints
"Jeremiyah Love is the rare exception to the rule that suggests NFL teams shouldn't spend early draft capital on running backs. He posted a 97th percentile forty-yard dash time at the NFL Combine, showing off his home run speed. Love piled up over 3,000 yards and 40 total touchdowns in just the last two seasons alone for Notre Dame...It's time to find their next game-changing offensive talent here with Love." -Infante
- Max Chadwick (Pro Football Focus) - 3/9/2026
- Nick Baumgardner (The Athlertic) - 3/9/2026
- Travis May (A To Z Sports) - 3/8/2026
- Draft Kings (Blake Krass) - 3/6/2026
- Justin Mark (Sports Gambling Podcast) - 3/6/2026
- Matthew Jones (Fantasy Pros) - 3/6/2026
- Staff (NFL Draft Files) - 3/6/2026
- Colin Cowherd (FOX Sports) - 3/4/2026
- Lucas Adams (Last Word on Sports) - 3/4/2026
- Daniel Flick (Sports Illustrated) - 3/3/2026
- Jordan Reid (ESPN) - 3/3/2026
"The Saints hit at quarterback with Tyler Shough last year, so let's get him a backfield mate to grow alongside. I believe that Love is the best player in this draft and could succeed Alvin Kamara, who will be 31 next season and in the last year of his contract. The Saints had the lowest percentage of 10-plus-yard runs last season (7.8%). Meanwhile, Love had 39 runs of 10 yards or more in 2025, fourth best in the FBS. He also had two 90-plus-yard touchdown runs. Adding him would not only give coach Kellen Moore an explosive runner but a capable pass catcher, too." -Reid
"Three-phase running back capable of stressing defenses with big-play speed and untapped pass-catching value. Love shared carries but was the heartbeat of Notre Dame's offense over the last two years. He runs with a fierce tempo and processes the front with adequate eyes to find entry points and burst through them. Urgency works in his favor, but he'll occasionally miss open lanes when he gets too deep too quickly. Outstanding speed erases pursuit angles to the corner and helps him pull away from tacklers once he opens his gait. He's live-legged with violent cuts in segmented bursts that can elude tacklers but slow his momentum. He's not a pile-mover but he runs through contact and squeezes out extra yards as a committed finisher. He's a talented route runner and pass catcher who can work from the slot and mismatch linebackers. Love is a three-down, scheme-independent player who would benefit from a complementary back to preserve his big-play ability."
3. Makai Lemon, WR, USC
Times Mocked to Saints (3/2-3/8): 7 (27 Total)
Experts Who Mocked Makai Lemon to the Saints
"The New Orleans Saints feel like they've found a potential franchise quarterback in Tyler Shough, so I would expect nothing less than for them to act like it during the 2026 offseason...The Saints could do worse in this spot than Makai Lemon, whose status as the possible WR1 of this class took a bit of a hit at the Scouting Combine. More people were talking about his small hands and funny demeanor at the press podium than they were talking about his on-field impact, but that is the focus here. Lemon is a fantastic route runner, he's got strong hands (even if they are small), and he's someone who wins after the catch. "
"The memes of Makai Lemon staring into your soul during his combine press conference were amusing, but don't let them distract you from the fact that he's the most natural wide receiver in the class." -Fornelli
"I could make a case for a few different positions for New Orleans here, but I'll go with filling an easy need, giving them Makai Lemon. Lemon makes sense as a stylistic pairing with Chris Olave and a schematic fit for an offense that utilized 11 personnel at the fourth-highest rate last season (66.7%). Over the last two seasons, Lemon has ranked sixth and 12th in yards per route run among FBS wide receivers with at least 50 targets, per PFF." -Brown
"High-skill, high-volume slot receiver with average size but extraordinary ball skills. Lemon has room for refinement, but not much. He's intelligent, confident and polished with the ability to make plays on all three levels. Tempo-driven route-runner who misdirects man coverage and separates out of turns but is fairly average after the catch. Quicker than fast, featuring early acceleration to open seam throws but flashes late burst when needed. More play strength is needed for NFL press and he needs to avoid rushing through multi-breaking routes. He's an exceptional ball-tracker with excellent catch timing and few focus drops. He wins more combat catches than he loses. Lemon is a plug-and-play, quarterback-friendly talent with first-round value and Pro Bowl upside."
