What position should the Saints target in the NFL Draft?
The New Orleans Saints have a major decision to make in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft: Do they invest in the offense or help build the defense? As of now, both are on the table as they have needs on both sides of the ball. Regardless of their decision, they must select a playmaker who can be a franchise cornerstone for the foreseeable future.
General Manager Mickey Loomis spoke briefly about his outlook on the NFL Draft in a recent press conference. He was clear not to exclaim a certain position, rather, leaving multiple doors open.
“I think the depth of this draft class right now looks pretty good and I think we’re going to be in a position to kind of take the best player that’s available that can impact our team,” Loomis said. “As opposed to, we have to have this position or that position. Obviously, there’ll be positions that we prefer, but I don’t think we’re going to be in a position where we have to get a particular position.”
It’s clear that the Saints are going into the draft open minded and are willing to bypass a certain position to pick the best player available. This means a wide variety of options will be on the table and finding a consensus for the team will be challenging. Both sides of the ball are in play, but the question still remains: Is one side more appealing than the other?
On offense, the main priority should be getting weapons for Tyler Shough. It’s crucial that they add a receiver or running back early in the draft to bolster their top-end talent and add depth. Luckily for them, each of those positions has elite prospects who will be available at pick eight. They could go with an elite route runner in Jordyn Tyson, a dynamic backfield threat in Jeremiyah Love, a big bodied contested catch receiver in Denzel Boston, and many other ways.
Conversely, the Saints can select practically any position on defense. They could use an edge rusher opposite of Chase Young, a dominant interior defensive lineman, a successor to Demario Davis at linebacker, or a star in the secondary. None of them are desperate needs, but would all elevate the team. Some potential options are the disrupting interior presence of Peter Woods, the smartest player in college football with Caleb Downs, the all-around linebacker in Sonny Styles, or the defensive menace Rueben Bain.
Each fan will likely have their own perspective on what the team should select, and that’s perfectly warranted. The Saints will be one of the most interesting teams to discuss in the pre-draft process, as anything is an option.