When the New Orleans Saints are on the clock with their first pick on night one of the 2026 NFL Draft, they could adopt a philosophy of selecting the best player available or a player who would fill a need. The approach varies depending on the team making the pick, but when you have a top-ten pick in the draft, selecting the best available player is typically the path teams take.

For the Saints, who have several positions to fill, this will be a situation to watch closely. Will Mickey Loomis and the front office select a wide receiver, which the offense desperately needs, or will they seize an opportunity to draft a potential steal that may have slipped to them at pick No. 8? Only time will tell. It is crucial for the front office to have a ranked list of the team's needs and potential targets for all three days of the NFL Draft, as it navigates the ups and downs of the unpredictable weekend

The Saints' front office has a history of selecting former Ohio State Buckeyes, and Tate fits that bill. Tate could bring his experience of excelling as an offense's No. 2 option to New Orleans to pair himself with OSU alumnus Chris Olave. He figures to be the safest option out of the top-three wide receivers in this class.

It's safe to say that Bell would be the wide receiver that Shough most desires this year. The two were teammates at Louisville just a few years ago, and Shough has been lobbying for the front office to bring him to New Orleans since the early parts of the pre-draft process.

Everyone loves a good reunion, and for Thomas, who provided plenty of energy to the LSU wide receiver room, it'd be a great fit alongside Olave. He caught 60 passes for 493 yards in 2025 on a wide receiver corps that has four players entering the draft as Day 3 targets.

There has been some discussion about Bain's arm length and whether it will affect his ability to make an impact at the next level. However, it's important to recognize that many of his college successes did not rely on his arm length. Bain's skill in bending the edge and using a power rush are tools that he can bring to New Orleans.

As the 2026 Panini Senior Bowl concluded, there was considerable speculation that Height might be selected in the latter part of the first round. However, given the disappointing test results, this seems less likely. Still, his nine sacks and impressive grades have caught the attention of many teams.

Sapp's physicality and ability to defend the run make him a potential early Day 3 pick for the Saints. An interesting tidbit: When floating Sapp's name around to some people who have worked closely with the Florida edge defender, "Hall of Fame potential" came up as one response. He's certainly a name to keep an eye on.

Furthering the LSU-New Orleans connection would make sense for the Saints at pick No. 8 if they selected Delane. The 22-year-old cornerback has excellent instincts and the production to back himself up. He allowed just 14 receptions on 35 targets with the Tigers in 2025.

Scott distinguished himself during the pre-draft process with his impressive speed and agility. However, his age (24) raises some concerns, and he has occasionally struggled with man coverage. What Scott does excel at is zone schemes, making him a valuable asset as a versatile player in a defense that could benefit from such versatility.

Coming from an FCS school in Stephen F. Austin has been something that's come up quite a bit for Demmings throughout the pre-draft process, but he's consistently shown that he belongs at the next level. His elite-level athleticism and potential moldability make Demmings a potential fourth-round target for the Saints. Not to mention, one team has the 23-year-old ranked No. 1 among players in this class as it pertains to off-the-field character.

This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: 2026 NFL Draft: Saints team needs, prospects to watch in each round