Copyright yardbarker
The New Orleans Saints are an NFL organization that is in desperate need of an identity under head coach Kellen Moore. To no fault of Coach Moore, he walked into a situation with a team that was depleted of talent and impact players. This is a full-scale rebuild, and everyone should have known that this wasn’t going to be a quick turnaround. It might not be November yet, but Saints fans everywhere already have their eyes toward the 2026 NFL Draft class. It’s an opportunity for this team to fill some major needs and solve that aforementioned identity crisis. In order to fill those holds, A to Z Sports Saints writer Adam Holt and I wanted to give a little preview of the draft and some players that could be on the Saints' radar. In short, Holt, being the Saints expert, gave insight into the biggest needs for the team. I also allowed him to put together the 7-round mock draft. In response, I graded the haul to determine just how excited the fans of the team should be. 2026 NFL Draft needs for the Saints Needs are vast when it comes to the future roster of the New Orleans Saints. They can no longer succumb to any luxuries or “wants” when it comes to roster acquisitions via trades, free agency, or the NFL Draft. As they enter the 2026 NFL Draft class, a handful of positions stand out the most to me when it comes to help needed along the depth chart, including both upside and depth. Quarterback: The future of the franchise at QB most likely isn’t on the roster for the Saints as of now. If they continue to spiral and hold a top 3-5 pick, taking a QB seems nearly required for Kellen Moore in 2026. EDGE rusher: Chase Young has impressed while healthy this season, but the lack of upside when it comes to getting to the QB is crystal clear. This should be Cameron Jordan’s final season in the pros, and Carl Granderson is a potential trade piece at the deadline. Past them, there’s zero proven commodities off the edge for the Saints right now. Pass catcher: I’ll loop both wide receiver and tight end in together here. Juwan Johnson has been a miss after getting an extension this past offseason. The team lacks an exciting, big-bodied option in the passing game for whoever is the QB going forward. It feels unlikely that both Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed are in the fold past this season too, only further elevating this need. Secondary: Both the cornerback and safety room are vastly unproven. Kool-Aid McKinstry seems to be the DB with the most upside as a young player, but they are missing a true CB1 on the roster. At safety, Justin Reid is a solid veteran, but relying on him as he nears 30 years old may be risky. Any help on the back end of the defense makes sense in the 2026 rookie class. 7-round Saints mock draft and grade Round 1, Pick 1: Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana
