Saints' Draft Dilemma: Tate or Bain?

0:00On April 5th, the New Orleans Saints are staring down a huge decision with the 8th pick in the 2026 NFL draft. They're in transition with defensive star Cameron Jordan hitting free agency and leaving a big gap on the edge. Offense needs a real spark to pair with Chris Olave and General Manager Mickey Lumis has to nail this for a franchise cornerstone. Take Ohio State wide receiver Carnell Tate, who's putting up big numbers with over 1,600 yards the last two seasons. At 6 foot 2 and 190 pounds, he smooth and routes and snags tough balls. But his 4.5-340 yard dash, at the combine, shows he lacks that top end speed to scared defences deep. Saints fans love Buckeye picks, but grabbing Tata A feels like overkill when Olave already runs those crisp routes. New Orleans can't splurge on a possession guy who struggles off the line against press. They need yards after catch beasts, not redundancy especially, with the D-line hurting.

1:01Then there's Miami's Rubin Bane Jr., the ACC defensive player of the year, with 15.5 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks last. Year sounds perfect to replace Jordan, right? But at 6 foot 2, 260 pounds, with arms just 37-8 inches long, he's no prototype against NFL tackles with. 34-inch wings. Lumis needs to stay disciplined, dodging these shiny college stars for elite athletes with ideal measurables. Passing on Tate and Bane keeps the Saints locked on a true foundational fit that builds their blueprint for years ahead. NFL News Today, powered by AI bringing you what matters on Game Day.