Saints Mock Draft: Bain Jr. projected at No. 8

By Ross Jackson

With the NFL Draft just a week away, it’s time to shift our weekly mock drafts from scenarios to true predictions, at least for the first round.

This mock draft represents what I think the Saints will do to start the first round, assuming the board falls appropriately. I’ll have another predictive mock with trades and accounting for Arizona State wide receiver Jordyn Tyson’s private Friday workout on Monday. 

But before knowing whether or not Tyson impresses NFL teams with his individual showcase (a’la Indianapolis Colts tight end Tyler Warren last year), here’s a look at how I think things could play out for the Saints’ first-round selection. 

Off The Board

1.1: Las Vegas Raiders Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza

1.2: New York Jets select Texas Tech EDGE David Bailey

1.3: Arizona Cardinals select Miami OL Francis Mauigoa

1.4: Tennessee Titans select Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love

1.5: New York Giants select Ohio State LB Sonny Styles

1.6: Dallas Cowboys (via CLE) select Ohio State LB Arvell Reese

1.7: Washington Commanders select Ohio State WR Carnell Tate

On The Board

Ohio State safety Caleb Downs

Miami EDGE Rueben Bain Jr. 

LSU CB Mansoor Delane

Arizona State WR Jordyn Tyson

USC WR Makai Lemon

My Selection

If I were calling the shots with this board, my pick would be between Downs and Tyson. I think Downs is the best player in this draft. He’d give the team a double-digit year leader and standard-bearer for its future. His versatility, disruptive news and football IQ are all very hard to pass up on, even though he’s a safety. 

Tyson is a close second, as well. Adding a dominant wide receiver opposite Chris Olave can only help the Saints’ offense and quarterback Tyler Shough. Everything about the investment stands to make the Saints better. However, injury concerns will often overshadow these conversations. If his workout goes well Friday, he may propel to the top of my personal board for the Saints. 

But considering tendencies, impact and likelihood of panning out at the next level, I’m taking my first prediction swing ahead of the draft with another extremely talented defender that checks a lot of boxes for New Orleans. 

My Prediction

Round 1, Pick 8: Miami EDGE Rueben Bain Jr.

Bain would give the team the young pass rusher they desire opposite veteran EDGE Chase Young, but one not as one-dimensional as a typical rookie coming into the league. Bain can stand up and run from the outside, put his hand in the dirt and defend the run from over the tackle and would partner well with Young in rotation with Carl Granderson. 

Age: 21 

Height: 6-foot-2

Weight: 263 pounds

Arm length: 30 ⅞ inches

Hand size: 9 ⅛ inches

A lot will be made of Bain’s arm length, which would be the shortest ever recorded by a first-round edge rusher. At least, that is until Texas A&M’s Cashius Howell is potentially drafted later in the round. But the Saints seek production when investing in outliers. Another box that Bain checks. 

Total tackles: 54

Tackles for a loss: 15.5

Pressures: 83

Sacks: 9.5

Pass Rush Win Rate: 22.9%

Passes defended: 1

Fumble forced: 1

Interceptions: 1

Finally, the Saints often lean into the trenches and at premium positions when drafting in the top-half of the first round. Bain satisfies both tendencies. 

A lot of signs are currently pointing to Bain being the right guy for New Orleans.  As long as they are okay with his measurements and are satisfied with the explanation around his 2024 fatal car accident, which appears to publicly lack some of the key elements of being stock-altering, it’s hard to not imagine him suiting up in black and gold next year if available at No. 8 overall, unless Tyson convinces them otherwise.