B-
New Orleans Saints
The Saints kept it disciplined and banked a B-.
by skaarman ·
2026 NFL Draft
· 8 picks
· 0 steals
· 2 reaches
The Saints' one glaring miss is edge rusher, a need they left exactly as they found it. It does the job without flash, and the B- reflects it.
If Jefferson pans out, nobody remembers the price. If not, this is the pick they hear about. On the needs board they went 5 of 8, with cornerback the one that mattered most. Nearly every premium pick went to that side of the ball.
A competent weekend that does not make headlines and does not need to.
Pick-by-Pick
In the 8th pick they get a green-dot type in the middle at fair value. More want than need.
They did well to land Brandon Cisse in the Round 2 slot, just ahead of his grade. The biggest hole on the depth chart just got a whole lot smaller.
Malachi Fields at slot 73 is right where the board had him, plain and simple. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
Fair-plus on Trey Zuhn III, a quiet win that adds up over a draft. Better still, it is exactly the hole they had to fill.
Good price on Joe Royer in pick No. 136, a hair ahead of his grade with no real quibbles. One more legitimate question on the roster, answered.
Rayshaun Benny in Round 5, Pick 10 is early enough to raise a brow, if not a full objection. The roster fit checks out.
Caleb Douglas at No. 172 is a sensible buy, a touch better than market for the wide receiver. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
They reached a country mile for Justin Jefferson at pick 190, and the board is aghast. Stacking talent where they were already deep.