Saints' 2026 NFL Mock Draft: Top Safety Target

0:00On April 6th, Saints fans peeped this 2026 NFL mock draft buzz. New Orleans sits pretty at the 8th overall pick, eyeing young pass rushers like Miami's Rubin-Bane Jr. or Texas Tech's David Bailey. They could grab a wide receiver weapon too, think Ohio State's carnaltate or USC's Mackay Lemon to boost the offense. But hold up, safety might still the show as a hidden need. Current crew, with Justin Reed holding it down as a vet starter, Julian Blackman solid when healthy. And Jonas Fanker still growing. They're decent. Yet mocks from Spotslight Bleacher reports say, don't sleep on adding elite help there. Enter Ohio State's Caleb Downs, arguably the draft's most talented player overall. He's polarizing because safety's ain't valued like pass rushers or quarterbacks early on, keeping him out of top five talks. Still, with Reed's deal ending after 2027 and Blackman in his last year,

1:03the Saints front office led by Mickey Lumas might snag. Downs as best player available. If he goes early, they got eyes on day two gyms, like Penn State's Zaky Wheatley or USC's Kamari Ramsey, could use that third round pick at 73rd overall or trade up in round four to land one. Deeper into day three, Texas's Michael Tafe, or Ohio State's Lorenzo Styles Jr. bring grades and athletic pops worth developing. Bottom line, Saints brass balancing premium positions with long-term secondary depth keeps this draft class wide open. Smart moves could lock in. Contenders for years. Football news, powered by AI. This is NFL News Today.