One of the positions that most expect the New Orleans Saints to address early on in the 2026 NFL Draft is wide receiver. Given the state of the roster at the end of last season, it wouldn't at all be surprising if the Saints drafted two wideouts. If so, CJ Daniels from the Miami Hurricanes is one of a few names to watch at this position through the later rounds.
New Orleans has one productive receiver in Chris Olave, who is coming off his best season and likely gets a contract extension very soon. Behind Olave, Devaughn Vele and Ja'Lynn Polk have exciting potential but are both unproven and coming off injuries. This is mainly why the Saints are predicted to draft a receiver early. The thin nature of the depth chart is also why it wouldn't be surprising if the team added another pass catcher with a late round choice.
From Parkview High School in Georgia, Daniels made the decision to join the Liberty Flames to commence his collegiate career. He wouldn't see a lot of action during his freshman year of 2020, but still caught 11 balls for yards 220 yards and 3 scores. Daniels had 37 receptions for 634 yards in 2021, second on his team in both categories, with his 7 touchdowns leading all Independent programs. Injury cost him most of the 2022 season, but Daniels bounced back to lead the Flames with 55 catches, 1,057 yards and 10 scores in 2023 in being named 2nd Team All-Conference USA.
After the 2023 campaign, Daniels transferred to the LSU Tigers. He caught 42 passes for 480 yards with the Tigers in 2024, but didn't reach the end zone and transferred to the Miami Hurricanes for 2025. Daniels was an underrated weapon for a Hurricanes squad that reached the national championship game. His 7 touchdown receptions were second on the team, as he contributed 50 receptions and 557 yards.
Most projections have Daniels getting drafted in the late rounds, if at all. His lack of separation speed along with his age (24) will likely prevent him from going higher. However, he does have the tools to stick on a roster and even make a decent impact. Daniels is a crafty route runner with decent size and good hands with strong coverage recognition. He'll likely be most effective from the slot, where he could carve out a consistent role.
Young quarterbacks need a reliable slot target, which often speeds up their development. The Saints have such a quarterback in Tyler Shough and need a consistent weapon through the intermediate zones. New Orleans has had success with late-round and undrafted players at wide receiver. It's certainly too early to assume if CJ Daniels can have that kind of success, but he does have the skills to be a quarterback's security blanket and strengthen a team's depth chart.
This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: 2026 NFL Draft: Miami Hurricanes receiver CJ Daniels scouting report