There's a lot to be said for the impact of good coaching -- just ask Jordyn Tyson. The New Orleans Saints' first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft benefited from working with NFL legend Hines Ward, his position coach at Arizona State. A veteran of 14 years in the pros, Ward built a strong resume for himself as one of the league's most physical players, regardless of position. It's a mentality he's worked to cultivate in his own players after exchanging his helmet for a headset.

Tyson opened up about his relationship with his coach on Wednesday before the draft kicked off in Pittsburgh. Tyson remembers a sense of urgency when Ward first began running the receivers room, but as they got more comfortable, it became smooth sailing: "When we first started working together, it was, it was more intense. It was like we need to get this down. Like come on. But um, once I got it down and it was kind of just easy and I was taking coaching very well."

Ward ranks 31st in NFL history with 12,083 receiving yards, having earned four Pro Bowl nods with a couple of Super Bowl rings in his trophy case. That success wasn't lost on Tyson. The former ASU wideout learned a lot about how to prepare and practice from one of the greats, and now he's ready to put those lessons to good use after making his own jump to the pros. Learning from Ward the last few years was an experience he isn't taking for granted.

"Yeah, it's amazing. Just he played my position for so long. Like he knows it. Should be in the Hall of Fame at my position, but um, hopefully soon. He's a great coach and even a better person," Tyson said.

We'll see if Ward gets into the Pro Football Hall of Fame some day, but in Tyson's book, his coach is already up there. Talk about having an ideal role model.

This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: 2026 NFL Draft: Saints rookie Jordyn Tyson on his coach Hines Ward