Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images
By Ross Jackson
This week, the New Orleans Saints’ draft potential took a small hit with quarterback Dante Moore making his decision to return to Oregon for 2026 rather than declaring for the draft. Now, the team’s best-case scenario at pick No. 8 overall relies on a common disconnect between NFL clubs and those that cover them: offensive linemen.
The idea is for multiple players that the Saints may not be interested in, or are at positions the team doesn’t need to address, to go off the board before they select. With the quarterback pool further diminishing, the likelihood of multiple passers being selected before New Orleans has reduced.
However, there’s still hope for the Saints to see multiple players of interest fall to them at No. 8. Most public expectations of the modern-day NFL Draft are built off of mock draft simulators. Those simulators rely on non-NFL scouting staff evaluations, rankings and various computer thinking systems.
Those are not the same things that make up the actual NFL Draft.
Over the last six NFL selection processes, at least one offensive lineman has been selected within the top seven picks. In three of those years, two offensive linemen went in that range.
With Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza expected to be the first player chosen this year, Utah offensive tackle Spencer Fano and Miami lineman Francis Mauigoa could very easily be picked before the Saints select.
That would drive multiple players at offensive skill positions like Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love, Arizona State wide receiver Jordyn Tyson and Ohio State wideout Carnell Tate down the board. It would also drive a cluster of defensive playmakers such as Ohio State defenders Arvell Reese and Caleb Downs as well as Miami edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr. down the board.
The Saints’ potential in the draft is now no longer connected to the number of signal callers chosen, but instead now, their protectors.
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