B
New Orleans Saints
A solid, sensible weekend for the Saints: B.
by Komicozzy ·
2026 NFL Draft
· 8 picks
· 2 steals
· 1 reaches
The Saints torched the value chart for Darrell Jackson Jr., taking him 33 spots sooner than anyone had him slotted.
That is an offensive lineman worth more than the slot they spent on him, plainly. Leaving running back unaddressed is the roster risk they will have to answer for in the fall. On the needs board they went 7 of 8, with edge rusher the one that mattered most.
Building through the lines is a philosophy, and they stuck to it.
All told, a solid class that does its job everywhere but running back.
Pick-by-Pick
A clean, defensible pick in the Round 1 slot with a little surplus value in David Bailey. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
No drama and no debate, Chris Bell went about where he belonged in Round 2, Pick 10. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
They talked themselves into Darrell Jackson Jr. at No. 73, and the board did not agree. It fills a real need, too.
Will Lee III in the 132nd pick is fine work, a shade of surplus and no downside. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
No edge and no loss on Cade Klubnik in the 136th overall pick; it is a wash and a sensible one. The roster fit checks out.
They let Eli Raridon come to them and pounced at pick No. 150. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.
Louis Moore at the Round 5 slot nudges the ledger their way without any fuss. It thickens a room that could stand to be thicker.
Aamil Wagner is a better player than slot 190 suggests; smart patience, rewarded. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.