The New Orleans Saints entered the 2026 NFL offseason with a few key goals. At the top of the list: add weapons to the offense to support quarterback Tyler Shough in his second year.
Many mock drafts have the Saints selecting a wide receiver with their first-round pick (No. 8), but with a potential free agency departure of longtime tight end Taysom Hill, New Orleans seems to have focused on finding a second tight end to pair alongside veteran Juwan Johnson.
Enter Vanderbilt tight end Eli Stowers, who told OnSI he met informally with the Saints, a team that Stowers said asked "a lot" of background information during the brief interview.
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The Saints could add a tight end in the 2026 draft
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Vanderbilt tight end Eli Stowers (9) makes a catch as he warms up before playing against Tennessee at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn., Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025. | Mark Zaleski / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Stowers, 22, confirmed the visit during his Thursday afternoon media availability at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine, which was delayed for over three hours for an undisclosed reason.
When asked how he would fit into the Saints' offense, Stowers made it clear that he loves the way Tyler Shough operated in his first season.
"Tyler Shough had a heck of a year last year," Stowers said. "And I think that he's going to continue to get better and be a quarterback in the NFL that is going to be really successful."
The former Commodore tight end will turn 23 just over one week before the NFL Draft, which begins on April 23 — and Stowers isn't expected to be available for long. Sports Illustrated's Justin Melo [ranked Stowers](https://www.si.com/nfl/draft/onsi/rumors/2026-nfl-draft-te-rankings-big-board-tiers-predictions-01khtnwzgwt6) as his second-highest-ranked tight end in the draft class, behind Oregon's Kenyon Sadiq.
Stowers played three years of college football, two at Vanderbilt after transferring from his freshman season at New Mexico State. In 2025, he caught 62 passes for 769 receiving yards and four receiving touchdowns at Vanderbilt.
As for the Saints, Johnson is the only tight end under contract, and the soon-to-be 30-year-old has two years remaining on his deal. Adding a young tight end like Stowers would be a move for the future in an offense led by Tyler Shough for years to come.