
Mets in free fall after losing 10th straight game
Mets suffer 10th consecutive loss after Cubs victory
The New Orleans Saints are focusing on the top 100 prospects for the 2026 NFL Draft, particularly in key positions like wide receiver and edge rusher. Consensus rankings from over 100 analysts highlight potential players who could significantly impact the team's performance.
Who are the best prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft? More importantly, which of this year's best players could do the most to help the New Orleans Saints win games in the fall? Wide Left's Arif Hasan did the hard part of collecting rankings from more than 100 different draft analysts to find a consensus on this year's top 300 prospects. We'll be thinning the field out to just top-100 prospects at the Saints' top positions of need: wide receiver, edge rusher, defensive tackle, and defensive back. You could make an argument for right guard to be a high priority, too, but there isn't a player the Saints could realistically draft who would push Cesar Ruiz out of the lineup. Unless we just jinxed it. Hasan's consensus rankings are a big undertaking, and we'll continue to lean on this resource throughout the draft. Be sure to support his work.
The top wide receiver prospects include Carnell Tate, Makai Lemon, and Jordyn Tyson, ranked 9th, 12th, and 14th respectively.
The Saints are prioritizing wide receiver, edge rusher, defensive tackle, and defensive back in the 2026 NFL Draft.
With the eighth overall pick, the Saints have the opportunity to select a top-tier wide receiver, which is crucial for enhancing their offensive capabilities.
The Saints' 2026 big board features a narrowed list of the top 100 prospects based on consensus rankings from over 100 draft analysts.

Mets suffer 10th consecutive loss after Cubs victory

Northern Huskies struggle with command in 15-1 loss to East Fairmont

Check out the 2025-26 All-Area boys basketball team featuring 10 schools!

Calvary pulls off a stunning 4-3 victory over Bishop Walsh with just nine players!
Golden Knights and Mammoth clash in NHL playoffs; Game 1 preview

Northern Huskies lose 7-4 to Fairmont Senior due to errors
See every story in Sports — including breaking news and analysis.
Honorable mentions are due for UC wideout Ja'Kobi Lane (No. 101) and Ole Miss receiver De'Zhaun Stribling (No. 105). Opinions are split on the first-round targets, and it isn't hard to find someone who puts Tyson or Lemon ahead of Tate. But there are three viable receivers the Saints could look at with the eighth overall pick. With that said, they've done a ton of homework on the receivers in this class, and it shouldn't shock anyone if New Orleans opts to wait until Round 2 or 3 to address the position. They could have their choice of some good options in Round 2 at No. 42 overall. Chris Olave needs more help, and so does Tyler Shough.
Honorable mention to LT Overton (Alabama), who just missed the cut at No. 104. Reese could be an intriguing trade-up target if he isn't the New York Jets' pick at second overall; the Arizona Cardinals want to move down, and Reese could be the versatile weapon Brandon Staley needs to round out his edge-rush rotation. If the Saints don't draft an edge rusher early, they could wait and get an impactful player in Round 2, but it's tough to see an exciting prospect being on the board with their third-round pick at No. 73 overall.
Most of the interior defensive linemen expected to go early in the 2026 draft are run-stuffing nose tackles -- exactly who the Saints need in the middle of their line. With just Bryan Bresee, John Ridgeway III, and the unproven Vernon Broughton under contract past 2026, New Orleans needs a talent injection up front. Don't be shocked if they double-dip at this position group as part of their youth movement. But it's a deeper group in terms of Day 3 prospects, so the Saints could wait to address this need.
Honorable mentions: cornerbacks Devin Moore (Florida, No. 102), Daylen Everette (Georgia, No. 103), and Will Lee III (Texas A&M, No. 106). The priority here is replacing Alontae Taylor. Whether that means drafting a willing tackler who can man the slot himself -- translation: a safety -- or a true starting-quality cornerback who can free up Kool-Aid McKinstry or Quincy Riley to move inside remains to be seen. This is an important role in Staley's defense and it says a lot that he's asked guys like Taylor, Jalen Ramsey, and Derwin James to hold it down in the past.
| Ranking | Player | School | Position | Position rank |
| 1 | Fernando Mendoza | Indiana | QB | 1 |
| 2 | Arvell Reese | Ohio State | LB | 1 |
| 3 | Jeremiyah Love | Notre Dame | RB | 1 |
| 4 | Caleb Downs | Ohio State | S | 1 |
| 5 | Sonny Styles | Ohio State | LB | 2 |
| 6 | Rueben Bain Jr. | Miami (FL) | EDGE | 1 |
| 7 | David Bailey | Texas Tech | EDGE | 2 |
| 8 | Mansoor Delane | LSU | CB | 1 |
| 9 | Carnell Tate | Ohio State | WR | 1 |
| 10 | Francis Mauigoa | Miami (FL) | OT | 1 |
| 11 | Spencer Fano | Utah | OT | 2 |
| 12 | Makai Lemon | USC | WR | 2 |
| 13 | Olaivavega Ioane | Penn State | OG | 1 |
| 14 | Jordyn Tyson | Arizona State | WR | 3 |
| 15 | Jermod McCoy | Tennessee | CB | 2 |
| 16 | Kenyon Sadiq | Oregon | TE | 1 |
| 17 | Monroe Freeling | Georgia | OT | 3 |
| 18 | Dillon Thieneman | Oregon | S | 2 |
| 19 | Keldric Faulk | Auburn | EDGE | 3 |
| 20 | Avieon Terrell | Clemson | CB | 3 |
| 21 | Kadyn Proctor | Alabama | OT | 4 |
| 22 | Peter Woods | Clemson | DL3T | 1 |
| 23 | Akheem Mesidor | Miami (FL) | EDGE | 4 |
| 24 | Denzel Boston | Washington | WR | 4 |
| 25 | KC Concepcion | Texas A&M | WR | 5 |
| 26 | Emmanuel McNeil-Warren | Toledo | S | 3 |
| 27 | Caleb Lomu | Utah | OT | 5 |
| 28 | Omar Cooper Jr. | Indiana | WR | 6 |
| 29 | Kayden McDonald | Ohio State | DL1T | 1 |
| 30 | T.J. Parker | Clemson | EDGE | 5 |
| 31 | Colton Hood | Tennessee | CB | 4 |
| 32 | Blake Miller | Clemson | OT | 6 |
| 33 | CJ Allen | Georgia | LB | 3 |
| 34 | Chris Johnson | San Diego State | CB | 5 |
| 35 | Cashius Howell | Texas A&M | EDGE | 6 |
| 36 | Max Iheanachor | Arizona State | OT | 7 |
| 37 | Caleb Banks | Florida | DL1T | 2 |
| 38 | Ty Simpson | Alabama | QB | 2 |
| 39 | D'Angelo Ponds | Indiana | CB | 6 |
| 40 | Zion Young | Missouri | EDGE | 7 |
| 41 | Emmanuel Pregnon | Oregon | OG | 2 |
| 42 | Brandon Cisse | South Carolina | CB | 7 |
| 43 | Lee Hunter | Texas Tech | DL1T | 3 |
| 44 | Christen Miller | Georgia | DL1T | 4 |
| 45 | R Mason Thomas | Oklahoma | EDGE | 8 |
| 46 | Jacob Rodriguez | Texas Tech | LB | 4 |
| 47 | Chase Bisontis | Texas A&M | OG | 3 |
| 48 | Anthony Hill Jr. | Texas | LB | 5 |
| 49 | Malachi Lawrence | UCF | EDGE | 9 |
| 50 | Gabe Jacas | Illinois | EDGE | 10 |
| 51 | Chris Bell | Louisville | WR | 7 |
| 52 | Jake Golday | Cincinnati | LB | 6 |
| 53 | Germie Bernard | Alabama | WR | 8 |
| 54 | Jadarian Price | Notre Dame | RB | 2 |
| 55 | Chris Brazzell II | Tennessee | WR | 9 |
| 56 | A.J. Haulcy | LSU | S | 4 |
| 57 | Keionte Scott | Miami (FL) | CB | 8 |
| 58 | Keith Abney II | Arizona State | CB | 9 |
| 59 | Eli Stowers | Vanderbilt | TE | 2 |
| 60 | Derrick Moore | Michigan | EDGE | 11 |
| 61 | Josiah Trotter | Missouri | LB | 7 |
| 62 | Treydan Stukes | Arizona | CB | 10 |
| 63 | Zachariah Branch | Georgia | WR | 10 |
| 64 | Gennings Dunker | Iowa | OG | 4 |
| 65 | Keylan Rutledge | Georgia Tech | OG | 5 |
| 66 | Antonio Williams | Clemson | WR | 11 |
| 67 | Caleb Tiernan | Northwestern | OT | 8 |
| 68 | Max Klare | Ohio State | TE | 3 |
| 69 | Elijah Sarratt | Indiana | WR | 12 |
| 70 | Dani Dennis-Sutton | Penn State | EDGE | 12 |
| 71 | Domonique Orange | Iowa State | DL1T | 5 |
| 72 | Kyle Louis | Pitt | LB | 8 |
| 73 | Malachi Fields | Notre Dame | WR | 13 |
| 74 | Connor Lew | Auburn | OC | 1 |
| 75 | Joshua Josephs | Tennessee | EDGE | 13 |
| 76 | Mike Washington Jr. | Arkansas | RB | 3 |
| 77 | Ted Hurst | Georgia State | WR | 14 |
| 78 | Romello Height | Texas Tech | EDGE | 14 |
| 79 | Davison Igbinosun | Ohio State | CB | 11 |
| 80 | Garrett Nussmeier | LSU | QB | 3 |
| 81 | Zakee Wheatley | Penn State | S | 5 |
| 82 | Sam Hecht | Kansas State | OC | 2 |
| 83 | Bud Clark | TCU | S | 6 |
| 84 | Malik Muhammad | Texas | CB | 12 |
| 85 | Gracen Halton | Oklahoma | DL3T | 2 |
| 86 | Kamari Ramsey | USC | S | 7 |
| 87 | Skyler Bell | UConn | WR | 15 |
| 88 | Chandler Rivers | Duke | CB | 13 |
| 89 | Genesis Smith | Arizona | S | 8 |
| 90 | Darrell Jackson Jr. | Florida State | DL3T | 3 |
| 91 | Jonah Coleman | Washington | RB | 4 |
| 92 | Jaishawn Barham | Michigan | EDGE | 15 |
| 93 | Bryce Lance | NDSU | WR | 16 |
| 94 | Jake Slaughter | Florida | OC | 3 |
| 95 | Deion Burks | Oklahoma | WR | 17 |
| 96 | Keyron Crawford | Auburn | EDGE | 16 |
| 97 | Logan Jones | Iowa | OC | 4 |
| 98 | Emmett Johnson | Nebraska | RB | 5 |
| 99 | Jalon Kilgore | South Carolina | S | 9 |
| 100 | Julian Neal | Arkansas | CB | 14 |
This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: 2026 NFL Draft: Top 100 prospects, team needs for Saints' big board