The New Orleans Saints could go a number of directions with the eighth pick in the 2026 NFL draft.
The Saints went into last year's draft searching for a quarterback due to Derek Carr's uncertain status from a shoulder injury.
They might have found one in Tyler Shough, which eliminates at least one position with their top pick.
The Saints addressed guard, running back, linebacker, tight end and punter with this year's top free agency signings but lost slot cornerback Alontae Taylor to the Tennessee Titans. The team still has needs on both sides of the ball that they'll look to fill with their eight picks.
Will the Saints draft for need or look for the best player available? Despite signing running back Travis Etienne could they take a player like Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love if he's available, or do they home in on a specific position?
On Tuesday, draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah put his backing behind a few specific players for the Saints, saying, "two that I keep coming back to are [Miami defensive end Rueben] Bain and [Arizona State wide receiver] Jordyn Tyson."
Here's a look at three needs for the Saints based off the current roster and what the team could be looking for when the draft begins on April 23.
Wide receiver
The state of the wide receivers room was fairly dire by the end of the Saints' 2025 season. Shough's final two touchdown passes of the season were to Kevin Austin Jr. and Ronnie Bell, two players who had spent time on the practice squad last year. Such distress was due to injuries and attrition after the Saints parted ways with both WRs Brandin Cooks (Nov. 19) and Rashid Shaheed (Nov. 4).
While the Saints have some receivers with potential, such as Devaughn Vele and Ja'Lynn Polk, they have a No. 1 wideout in Chris Olave and then a big gap to the rest of the room. Polk, a 2024 second-round pick who was acquired via a preseason trade with the New England Patriots, spent 2025 on IR. Vele, acquired from the Denver Broncos, had a successful five-game stretch with Shough at the end of the season but did not finish the last three games due to an injury.
The lack of snaps for the majority of the receivers in the room make this a significant need, although that doesn't mean it's a sure thing the Saints use their top pick on the position or wait until later in the draft.
The Saints haven't taken a wide receiver in the first round since they drafted Olave out of Ohio State with the 11th pick in 2022.
Before that, their first-round receivers were Cooks (2014) and Robert Meachem (2007). Michael Thomas was a second-round pick out of Ohio State in 2016.
Receiver has not been a top priority for the organization for many years considering Hall of Fame quarterback Drew Brees' tendency to elevate undrafted and late-round picks, like Marques Colston and Lance Moore from 2006-20. Such strategy hasn't had much recent success outside of Shaheed -- an undrafted wideout and All-Pro kick returner out of Weber State who was traded to the Seattle Seahawks in the fall.
Other recent receiver picks haven't panned out -- Bub Means in the fifth round of the 2024 draft, A.T. Perry in the sixth round of the 2023 draft and Kawaan Baker in the seventh round of the 2021 draft have combined for 21 total catches in five seasons.
Now that the Saints have a young quarterback, investing in pass catchers will likely become a bigger emphasis.
"I just keep coming back to what they accomplished last year with Tyler Shough and getting the quarterback position squared away," Jeremiah said. "A lot of times when you have a young quarterback and you feel like you've hit on him, you want to get him some weapons and some toys to get a chance to watch him expand and grow."
If Tate is available at No. 8, he could join the successful run of Ohio State receivers like Olave and Thomas. USC wide receiver Makai Lemon and Tyson are also considered potential Day 1 picks.
A later pick like Shough's former Louisville teammate Chris Bell or Georgia State wideout Ted Hurst, who had a successful showing at the Senior Bowl, could also make sense.
Defensive end
The Saints have spent a lot of time fortifying both sides of their lines via high picks in the draft. DEs Payton Turner (2021), Marcus Davenport (2018) and Cameron Jordan (2011) were all first-round picks and the Saints also took two defensive tackles in the first round in the last 15 years.
The Saints haven't been able to find their next Jordan, who missed only one game to injury in his Saints career, was a team captain and owns the franchise sack records with 132. Efforts to replicate that with Davenport and Turner failed, partially due to their availability, as neither ever had an injury-free season with the Saints.
Most recently, they signed former No. 2 overall pick Chase Young to a one-year deal in the 2024 free agency period. Young got a new deal worth $17 million a year in 2025 and proved the Saints right by amassing 10 sacks in 12 games.
But Young's success doesn't mask the fact that this is an underrated need for the Saints. Carl Granderson has two years remaining on a deal that averages $13 million each year, but he hasn't been a superstar in his seven seasons, with his best stats coming during a 8.5-sack season in 2021.
Jordan is currently a free agent after spending his entire career with the Saints, but appears to be taking his time with his decision, citing opportunity and fit as something he's looking for on former teammate Terron Armstead's podcast recently.
If Jordan doesn't return, then Young and Granderson would likely assume the biggest portion of the defensive end rotation.
The Saints are going to need more manpower in their defensive line rotation. Jordan will turn 37 in July so his presence on the roster shouldn't change their long-term plans. They'll still be looking for their next long-term pass rusher.
Jeremiah said a player such as Bain would make sense for the Saints in the first round, as he can not only set the edge but could also rush from the inside. Jeremiah said he also thinks he would bring a type of attitude that Saints defensive coordinator Brandon Staley would want.
"Having been around Brandon Staley, I know he'll appreciate how hard he plays," Jeremiah said.
Defensive back
The Saints had time to prepare for the departure of Taylor, who signed a $19 million-per-year deal with the Titans. With Taylor's departure, the Saints have lost two of their top three players in terms of defensive snaps, with linebacker Demario Davis also leaving in free agency.
That also means there's an open space at the star/nickel position, depending on how the Saints want to fill out their DB room.
Last year, rookie safety Jonas Sanker, a third-round pick, got a lot of unexpected playing time after Julian Blackmon was injured in the season opener. Blackmon was someone who Staley had shown a lot of interest in signing at various spots over the years, and that interest obviously remains after the Saints re-signed Blackmon this spring.
Justin Reid was the Saints' other starting safety while Kool-Aid McKinstry and rookie Quincy Riley got the majority of snaps at outside corner. The Saints could also look to add another outside corner like LSU's Mansoor Delane, or perhaps they look at Ohio State's Caleb Downs to play either safety or in the star role.
While this position won't get as much attention as wide receiver at the beginning of the draft, it's another position the Saints may consider if the board falls a certain way.