The New Orleans Saints enter the 2026 NFL Draft in an enviable position. The team appears to have its quarterback of the future in second-round pick Tyler Shough, and there’s no bigger competitive advantage in football than a franchise passer on a rookie contract. Now armed with a top-10 pick, New Orleans has a chance to re-establish itself as the best team in the NFC South with a strong offseason.
Only time will tell who they ultimately select, but Tony Pauline of Essentially Sports believes the Saints will target wide receivers and tight ends in the NFL Draft. Pauline’s article doesn’t say whether or not the Saints will use their first-round pick to address either need, but it’s safe to assume the team will invest early capital in a pass-catching weapon for Shough.
Saints Expected to Draft Wide Receiver, Tight End Early
Pauline’s report makes sense, as the New Orleans Saints desperately need more weapons to support this passing attack. While Chris Olave is a solid WR1, this team has no real depth behind him. After all, they traded Rashid Shaheed just a few months ago and parted ways with Brandin Cooks midway through the 2025 season. While Devaughn Vele had his moments last year, this team could use another set of hands.
As far as tight ends go, Juwan Johnson has quietly established himself as one of the game’s better receiving tight ends. While nobody will confuse him with prime Travis Kelce or Rob Gronkowski, the former undrafted free agent has emerged as a solid threat in the receiving game. Johnson finished the 2025 campaign with 77 receptions for 889 yards and three touchdowns while catching passes from Shough and Spencer Rattler. However, he’ll be entering his age-30 season next year and is much closer to the end of his career than the beginning.
Potential Fits
If the Saints use their first-round pick on either position, it will probably be wide receiver. The 2026 draft class doesn’t have much in terms of premium talent at the tight end position, and nobody justifies a first-round pick. Oregon’s Kenyon Sadiq is widely viewed as the best of the bunch, but he’ll probably go off the board in the back half of the first round.
Ohio State’s Carnell Tate, USC’s Makai Lemon, and Arizona State’s Jordyn Tyson could all be top-10 draft picks and would be welcome additions to the New Orleans Saints. While there is a chance one of these players is off the board while the Saints are on the clock, at least two of them should still be around. Tate will probably be the first receiver taken, which means New Orleans could be choosing between Lemon and Tyson.
Tyson is the more talented player and offers legitimate All-Pro potential if everything goes right. However, he has an extensive injury history, and using a top-10 pick on someone who has consistently struggled to stay on the field is a dangerous gamble. Lemon lacks Tyson’s elite measurables, but he’s a safer bet who could be a perennial 1,000-yard receiver in this offense.