Every year in the first round of the NFL Draft, there are at least a few surprise selections. The New Orleans Saints are no exception to this, having pulled the trigger on a few eyebrow raising picks of their own (ie; Payton Turner, Cesar Ruiz, Marcus Davenport). New Orleans comes into the 2026 NFL Draft with the eighth overall choice in the first round. It's the highest the Saints have drafted since trading up to select defensive tackle Sedrick Ellis with the seventh overall choice in the 2008 NFL Draft.
New Orleans comes into this year's draft with needs at edge rusher, wide receiver, and defensive back. Plenty of people have predictions on what the Saints will do with that first pick. But, will the team pull any surprises in terms of the position they target or specific player they draft? Listed from slightly surprising to biggest stunner, here are five players who would be shockers if drafted by the Saints with their number eight pick.
Love may be the closest thing to a ''can't miss'' prospect. His talent and probable impact isn't in question. Whether he's available when the eighth pick comes around would be the surprise. The Saints may have anticipated this when they signed running back Travis Etienne early in free agency. With the status of Alvin Kamara in question beyond the 2026 season, however, don't be surprised if the Saints add another running back somewhere in the draft. If Love somehow falls to 8, it would be extremely tempting to select him and address their needs with later picks.
New Orleans needs an edge rusher to complement Chase Young. There's a strong chance they do that in the first round. However, what will they do if the top-graded rushers David Bailey (Texas Tech) Arvell Reese (Ohio State) and Rueben Bain (Miami) are off the board? Perhaps the Saints roll the dice and take a chance that a Malachi Lawrence (UCF), Zion Young (Missouri), or R Mason Thomas (Oklahoma) are available in the second round at pick number 42. New Orleans may also not want to take that chance and instead target a different edge rusher with a first-round grade.
Mesidor, Bain's teammate with the Hurricanes, is projected by many to go in the first round, perhaps as early as midway through the first night. Therefore, it wouldn't necessarily be a huge reach to see him go in the top-10. He was actually more disruptive than Mesidor this past year, but some could be swayed away by Mesidor's age (25). Remember though, that the Saints were criticized in drafting an ''older" prospect in Tyler Shough last year.
See scenario outlined above if the top three pass rushers get selected in the first seven picks. At least Mesidor has proven production and is an almost consensus first round prediction. Faulk's projections are based almost entirely on potential upside and physical measurables. This is what lands someone on the 'draft bust' list if the gamble goes wrong. The Saints have been down this road twice recently with Payton Turner and Marcus Davenport.
After losing Alontae Taylor in free agency, most believe that the Saints will select a cornerback early in the draft. While edge rusher and wide receiver are bigger needs, corner is also plausible in the first round. It's a position, like wideout, that has some depth into the second day. However, nobody should be surprised if New Orleans crosses off this need with their first choice.
The talents of McCoy shouldn't be in question. Before a knee injury last offseason that sidelined him all of 2025, many believed that he was a sure top-12 selection. As it is, several prognosticators still believe McCoy will be a first round choice. The concern here is durability. McCoy impressed at his Pro Day at Tennessee, running a 4.37 in the 40 and performing well in both the vertical and broad jumps. However, recent (unfounded) reports have suggested that his surgically repaired ACL might also include a degenerative knee condition. A report from NFL insider Tom Pelissero just days ago stated that McCoy may need a second surgery to repair a bone plug in his knee to repair a cartilage defect that could cause him to miss time in 2026. Jermod McCoy is the definition of ''buyer beware'' for a New Orleans team that has had major injury issues at several positions in recent years.
Make no mistake, any team that could have Cesar Ruiz as a starter has a need at guard. The Saints made a big splash in free agency when signing David Edwards to step in as the starting left guard, but Ruiz is still likely to be the starter at the other spot. New Orleans will likely draft an interior offensive lineman, but likely with a middle round choice.Vega Ioane is a talent, no questioning that. He is the highest-rated at his position and is likely a first round pick. Perhaps even getting his name called within the first 15 selections. But by the Saints? New Orleans has drafted an offensive lineman in the first round in three of the last four years and four times in the last six years, including each of the last two drafts. Yes, the logic and temptation might be there to do it again in 2026. It would also cause both shock and disbelief, making Ioane the biggest potential surprise choice the Saints could make in the first round.
This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: 2026 NFL Draft: 5 surprise first-round prospects for the Saints