Saints Draft Watch: Is Jordyn Tyson worth the risk at No. 8?

By Ross Jackson

The New Orleans Saints have tended to lean in on premium positions when picking in the top-15 of the NFL Draft. General manager Mickey Loomis said during Senior Bowl week that he and the team are intent on building around their young passer, Tyler Shough. The most effective ways to do so may be to continue building the offensive line and protecting him at a high rate, bolstering the run game and adding weapons to the offensive attack.

One of the best weapons in this year’s draft is Arizona State wide receiver Jordyn Tyson. While there’s not a full consensus on the matter, Tyson is widely considered the top wide receiver in this year’s draft class. His most common competitor for the title of “WR1” is Ohio State’s Carnell Tate, who was the highlight of a previous scouting report. 

Tyson is easily the best all-around wideout in this class but has an extensive injury history that will create concern.

Arizona State WR Jordyn Tyson

Age: 21

Height: 6-foot-2 (listed)

Weight: 200 pounds (listed)

Tyson’s intensity is hard to miss in his play style. He’s a crisp route-runner that can make acrobatic catches with great focus and a true No. 1 mentality. Beyond his demeanor, his ability to line up at numerous alignments and contribute in clutch situations are likely to be the dream of any offensive playcaller. He is a quintessential X-receiver with the versatility to move about the formation, making him a strong mismatch piece.

However, his injury history will give teams pause, making the medical checks at the NFL Scouting Combine and at Top-30 visits pivotal for his draft positioning. He missed 15 games between 2022 and 2023 with serious knee injury that included tears of multiple ligaments (ACL, PCL and MCL), missed a pair of games late in 2024 with a broken collarbone and then missed another three last year with a hamstring injury.

The broken collarbone isn’t likely to have a negative impact on his outlook. Bone breaks are usually not a big of a deal as soft tissue injuries. The knee and hamstring ailments, however, are sure to trigger some alarm bells. 

2025 Stats

Catches: 61

Receiving yards:711

Receiving TDs: 8

Yard per catch: 11.7

Yards per route run: 2.37

Drops: 1

• Tyson is a fierce competitor. There’s not doubt at any time when he gets to the line of scrimmage that he is the top option in the Sun Devils’ offense. Despite that, defenses still struggle to match up with him and limit him in big moments.
• He has a career drop percentage of just 7.6% per Pro Football Focus (PFF) and had just one drop during the 2025 season. He’s a reliable target with an extensive catch radius and strong hands to pull in catches outside of his frame.
• While he can stretch the field, I found that Tyson’s most reliable area is closer to the line of scrimmage. He pulled in 40 of his 47 targets inside of 10 yards from the line last year (85.1%). This would add another possession-style wideout to the Saints’ offense, complementing wide receivers Devaughn Vele and Chris Olave who serve as threats in the intermediate and deep areas.
• Tyson’s touchdown catches were distributed in multiple areas of the field. He caught three touchdowns on targets more than 20 yards downfield, two were caught between 10-19 yards from the line of scrimmage, another pair were converted from less than 10 yards out and another was brought in behind the line of scrimmage and converted with yards after the catch
• Operates the scramble drill well. Knows when to follow the path of his quarterback but also when to turn downfield for a big catch-and-run opportunity. 
• Plays aggressively as a run blocker.
• Tyson had less reliable production downfield than expected, reeling in just five of his 18 targets (27.8%) of 20 or more yards. 
• Averaged just 4.3 yards after catch per reception. Most of the damage Tyson will do (which can be a lot) is done before the catch.
• His injuries will continue to be a massive question mark throughout the pre-draft process. 

The Bottom Line

Tyson is still the top wide receiver in this year’s draft class, but will need to answer the availability question. He’s a remarkably talented player that can create highlights and shows up when needed, but he can only maximize those qualities if he’s on the field. Should medical checks go well throughout the pre-draft process, he’d be a strong choice for the Saints at No. 8. He would be a great complement to Vele and Olave and would give Shough a dominating presence to help lead the Saints’ offense.

If his medicals don’t check out well, he could fall.