B-
New Orleans Saints
Good, not great, for the Saints: B-.
by BRON2X ·
2026 NFL Draft
· 9 picks
· 2 steals
· 4 reaches
The move everyone will second-guess came early. The Saints reached some 38 spots for Bryce Boettcher, and value like that does not grow back. It does the job without flash, and the B- reflects it.
That is an interior defensive lineman worth more than the slot they spent on him, plainly. They will regret leaving offensive lineman for another day if the season turns on it.
Job largely done: edge rusher settled and 6 of 8 of the wish list covered. They reloaded the coverage unit in bulk.
Bottom line, more hits than misses and a roster nudged the right way.
Pick-by-Pick
In the 8th overall pick they get a downhill hitter at safety. Need was not the driver here.
A market-rate wide receiver, with the board and the slot shaking hands on Chris Bell. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
Lee Hunter at Round 3, Pick 9 is a first-round grade at a bargain-bin price, no notes. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.
This one needs a full-page explanation: Mikail Kamara in the Round 4 slot, miles early. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.
A wild overpay on Bryce Boettcher in No. 136, the sort that defines a class for the wrong reasons. Useful body for a position without much behind the starter.
They read the board right and Hezekiah Masses was the payoff at pick No. 150. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
They liked Dae'Quan Wright enough to skip the value, taking him in pick No. 180. A need, and now a little less of one.
Zavion Thomas in No. 190 is a reach so steep the board needed a second look to believe it. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
Sawyer Robertson in the Round 7 slot lands just on the right side of the ledger. It fills a real need, too.