🏈 2026 NFL Draft Consensus
Top 100 Prospects · 23 Mock Analysts · 6 Ranking Sources — April 23-25, Pittsburgh
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🏆 #1 Pick: Fernando Mendoza (QB, Indiana) 📺 ESPN · ABC · NFL Network 📍 Acrisure Stadium, Pittsburgh 257 Picks · 7 Rounds
Last Updated: April 23, 2026

New Orleans Saints

📋 6-11 🏟️ NFC South 🎯 8 picks in 2026 Draft

📋 2026 Draft Picks

Round 1 #8
Round 2 #42
Round 3 #73
Round 4 #132, #136
Round 5 #150
Round 6 #172
Round 7 #190

🎯 Top Needs

🔥 WR Edge CB DL OL
WR: Receiving weapons
Edge: Pass rush
CB: Secondary coverage
DL: Interior defensive line
OL: Offensive line protection

⭐ Our Pick

R1 Pick #8 EDGE
Rueben Bain Jr.
EDGE · Miami (FL) · 6'2 · 263 lbs
Explosive edge from Miami. Saints need pass rush after losing key pieces. Kiper, Iyer, Brugler all agree.
ACC Defensive Player of the Year. 9.5 sacks, 83 pressures (FBS leader per PFF). Ted Hendricks Award winner. Sub-31-inch arms could limit draft spot, but hands and motor compensate.

📊 Analyst Mock Projections

NFL.com (Band) CB Mansoor Delane (8 · NO)
FantasyPros WR Carnell Tate (8 · NO)
WalterFootball TE Kenyon Sadiq (8 · NO)
NFL.com (Band v2) CB Mansoor Delane (8 · NO)
OutKick (v2) CB Mansoor Delane (8 · NO)
FOX Sports CB Mansoor Delane (8 · NO)
Kiper (ESPN) EDGE Rueben Bain Jr. (8 · NO)
Brugler (Athletic) WR Carnell Tate (8 · NO)
McShay (Ringer) EDGE Arvell Reese (3 · NO (via ARI)) OT Spencer Fano (8 · ARI (via NO))
Iyer (TSN) EDGE Rueben Bain Jr. (8 · NO)

💭 Dream Draft — All 8 Picks

R1 #8 EDGE Arvell Reese Ohio State
R2 #42 OG Emmanuel Pregnon Oregon
R3 #73 CB Davison Igbinosun Ohio State
R4 #132 Target: DL — Interior defensive line
R4 #136 Target: OL — Offensive line protection
R5 #150 Target: Edge — Pass rush
R6 #172 Target: WR — Receiving weapons
R7 #190 Target: CB — Secondary coverage

👀 Players to Watch

#3 EDGE Arvell Reese Ohio State · 6'4 · 241 lbs
#4 EDGE David Bailey Texas Tech · 6'4 · 251 lbs
#6 OT Francis Mauigoa Miami (FL) · 6'6 · 329 lbs
#7 CB Mansoor Delane LSU · 6'0 · 187 lbs
#8 WR Carnell Tate Ohio State · 6'2 · 192 lbs
#10 OT Spencer Fano Utah · 6'6 · 311 lbs
#11 EDGE Rueben Bain Jr. Miami (FL) · 6'2 · 263 lbs
#12 OG Olaivavega Ioane Penn State · 6'4 · 320 lbs
#13 WR Makai Lemon USC · 5'11 · 192 lbs
#14 CB Jermod McCoy Tennessee · 6'1 · 188 lbs

🎯 Mock Draft Consensus — Pick #8

21 of 23 analysts project a pick for this slot. Here's who they're mocking:

4/21 (19%)
NFL.com (Band), NFL.com (Band v2), OutKick (v2), FOX Sports
4/21 (19%)
Kiper (ESPN), Iyer (TSN), Schrager (FOX), USA Today (Sim)
3/21 (14%)
FantasyPros, Brugler (Athletic), Fantasy Alarm
2/21 (10%)
Jeremiah (NFL), NFL.com (Filice)
2/21 (10%)
WalterFootball, Campbell (WF)
2/21 (10%)
Yahoo Collab, DraftTek
1/21 (5%)
CBS (Wilson)
1/21 (5%)
PrizePicks
1/21 (5%)
McShay (Ringer)
1/21 (5%)
PFF

Full Analyst Breakdown

Jeremiah (NFL) EDGE David Bailey
NFL.com (Filice) EDGE David Bailey
CBS (Wilson) LB Sonny Styles
PrizePicks S Caleb Downs
FantasyPros WR Carnell Tate
Brugler (Athletic) WR Carnell Tate
Fantasy Alarm WR Carnell Tate
NFL.com (Band) CB Mansoor Delane
NFL.com (Band v2) CB Mansoor Delane
OutKick (v2) CB Mansoor Delane
FOX Sports CB Mansoor Delane
McShay (Ringer) OT Spencer Fano
PFF WR Makai Lemon
Kiper (ESPN) EDGE Rueben Bain Jr.
Iyer (TSN) EDGE Rueben Bain Jr.
Schrager (FOX) EDGE Rueben Bain Jr.
USA Today (Sim) EDGE Rueben Bain Jr.
WalterFootball TE Kenyon Sadiq
Campbell (WF) TE Kenyon Sadiq
Yahoo Collab WR Jordyn Tyson
DraftTek WR Jordyn Tyson

🏢 Front Office & Cap Situation

General Manager
Mickey Loomis
Head Coach
Kellen Moore (2nd year)
Cap Space
$13.9M
Dead Cap
$112.1M (2nd highest)

🔄 Key Offseason Moves

🟢 Key Arrivals
Limited due to cap constraints
🔴 Key Departures
Demario Davis (to NYJ), cap casualties across roster

🎲 Draft Day Scenarios

✅ Dream Scenario
Land Rueben Bain Jr. to revitalize the pass rush. Loomis cap magic creates enough space to compete in the NFC South.
❌ Nightmare Scenario
Dead cap albatross ($112M) prevents any meaningful additions. Carr's contract remains an anchor.

📜 Recent Draft History (First Round)

2025 #9 OT Kelvin Banks Jr. Texas Starting LT
2024 #14 OT Taliese Fuaga Oregon State Starting RT
2023 #29 DT Bryan Bresee Clemson Rotational
2022 #11 WR Chris Olave Ohio State WR1
2021 #28 EDGE Payton Turner Houston Injury bust
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