MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA - JANUARY 09: Jeremiyah Love #4 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish poses after defeating the Penn State Nittany Lions 27-24 in the Capital One Orange Bowl at Hard Rock Stadium on January 09, 2025 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Thaddaeus McAdams/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Finally, it’s mock draft season, and with the New Orleans Saints having eight picks (for now), they are going to get some great players throughout the draft. If this year is anything like 2025, the Saints would find foundational players in the 2026 NFL Draft, and for the first time this offseason, I’m going to point out some options at each of their selections.
Here is my Mock Draft 1.0.
Round 1, Pick 8 – RB Jeremiyah Love
I know what people are going to say with this selection: “A RB in the top 10? for a rebuilding team with other needs? Why!?” That idea needs to be thrown out the window. Jeremiyah Love, the RB out of Notre Dame, is different. He is not just an RB. Love is a player who can take over no matter where he is on the field. He is a home run play waiting to happen, is excellent at breaking tackles and making people miss, is really patient with blocks, is dynamic as a pass catcher, and is great at picking up tough yards.
For the Saints, RB is a massive need, especially with the long-term future of Alvin Kamara in doubt. New Orleans could find some fine options in free agency, but no one will do what Love will do for this team. Adding him to this offense would take so much pressure off Tyler Shough and Kellen Moore; he would make teams respect the run game and lead the Saints to wins. I get the worry of selecting an RB early, especially after the Las Vegas and Jeanty last season, but the Saints are ahead of where the Raiders were last season, and hopefully they can get an OG in free agency before the draft. Love would unlock the Saints’ offense.
Round 2, Pick 42 – EDGE Gabe Jacas
Now that the first fun pick is out of the way, we are back to the defense with this selection, specifically a pass rusher. Gabe Jacas, from Illinois, is a great pass rusher who can win with a mix of power and speed. He is not a one-dimensional pass rusher who relies on a single move too much. Jacas can attack tackles, and if any forget how powerful he is, the QB will get hit hard. His athleticism is also great, and his work ethic is something clearly noticeable with Jacas. The main issue with Jacas is his run defense, but his floor is not terrible. He is going to be more than a designated pass rusher, and if Jacas can improve that run defense, he could be a franchise EDGE for New Orleans.
Oh, he’s also a Senior Bowl player.
In Brandon Staley’s scheme, Jacas has the ability to play throughout the defensive line, but his main position should be OLB. The expectation for Jacas right away should be a depth piece that can come in when Chase Young or Cam Jordan (if he is still on the roster) are subbed out. But, quickly, it wouldn’t be shocking to see him skyrocket up the depth chart.
Round 3, Pick 73 – OG Keylan Rutledge
This may be a pick that I do in every mock draft moving forward. With the Saints’ dire need at interior offensive line, they must try to fix it before the draft, but even if they do, one guard will probably be cheaper than the other. Maybe a short-term fix. If that is the case, or even if the Saints just sign one guard, they need to find one on day 2, and that is Keylan Rutledge. Also a Senior Bowl prospect, Rutledge plays like he hates defensive linemen. Rutledge is a great run blocker who excels at creating space, while also being solid against the pass rush.
Rutledge is not a perfect prospect, but for the Saints, he may be highly value especially with their offensive line needs. I would not be surprised if New Orleans even trades up from this pick to get him, or even drafts him in the second round. Rutledge is definetly a player to keep in the back of your mind while we go deeper in draft season.
Round 4, Pick 132 – WR Josh Cameron
After the first three selections, I was able to hit some massive needs, but WR is the one remaining. The issue with that is the Saints have to wait a while after their third-round selection, but there was still a clear option: WR Josh Cameron from Baylor. This is the third Senior Bowl prospect in a row, and spoiler alert, the next four are also from that event.
Cameron did not have an exceptional Senior Bowl, but he did show enough for scouts/teams to take note of him. He is extremely smart with his hands when the ball is coming his way; contested catches are a strong suit, and he is a threat everywhere on the field. Last season, he showed how dangerous he is after the catch, and he makes tacklers bounce right off of him. Separation is an issue, and that will keep him from being a WR1, but the Saints do not need a WR1; they need someone to partner with Chris Olave, and Cameron can be that.
Round 4, Pick 136 – DT Chris McClellan
Four picks later, the Saints have their second selection of the fourth round, and we are going back to the trenches for this one. DT Chris McClellan, from Missouri, is 6-foot-3, 323 lbs. McClellan is decent against the run and can rush the QB pretty well. When faced with double teams, McClellan is not a DT that can deal with them well, and that’s going to be a main thing he needs to work.
Still, when facing a single offensive lineman, McClellan is great at beating them and blowing up a play in the backfield. Definitely needs some development, but for now, he can be a good depth piece.
Round 5, Pick 148 – CB Thaddeus Dixon
Here is one of my favorite day 3 options for the Saints, similar to how I felt about Quincy Riley last season. Thaddeus Dixon is the exact CB the Saints would love in their defense. He can play in the slot and outside; he plays well in both man and zone and can be utilized as a blitzer. Tackling is a massive issue, and although he has some big hits, it’s way too inconsistent. Dixon not starting right away is smart, but, as with Jacas earlier, he could easily become a starter quickly.
Round 5, Pick 170 – EDGE Romello Height
Even with selecting Jacas earlier, the Saints EDGE room could use some more depth, and that’s where Romello Height comes into play. The Texas Tech OLB is the definition of a pass rush specialist. He is so dangerous as a pass rusher that it would legitimately make tackles worried when he is on the field. The reasons he is even available at this point are that he is very undersized and that he struggles in the run defense. The size is fine in the Saints’ scheme because he can play OLB, and he is already good in coverage, but the run defense limits him to only passing downs.
Round 6, Pick 189 – TE Sam Roush
And with the last pick of the mock draft, the Saints go with TE Sam Roush. In the offense, Roush would be TE2 right away, and for Tyler Shough, he would be a safe option every time he is on the field. Roush is really good at sitting in space and securing the catch. He is not an athletic TE like Juwan Johnson, but after the catch, he is very hard to tackle, and it takes multiple players to bring him down. Roush is also a good blocker.
(@sfdata9ers) 
