Saints predicted to select 'nation's top player' in 2026 mock draft

Charlie Baduini

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Saints predicted to select 'nation's top player' in 2026 mock draft image

Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

The New Orleans Saints are not in the most enviable position as currently constructed.

They have veteran talent, but not many young players with upside, leaving their roster a bit lackluster. The 2026 NFL Draft will be pivotal for the future of the franchise.

While you could argue the Saints need a quarterback, Tyler Shough has shown that he could play through two professional starts, and New Orleans may be better off selecting the best player available once they're on the clock in April.

Saints predicted to land Ohio State's Arvell Reese in 2026

In Matt Miller's latest ESPN mock draft, he has the Saints selecting Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese with the sixth overall pick.

"If the Saints move forward with Tyler Shough at quarterback, they'll be left with two obvious needs: edge rusher and wide receiver. Drafting the best player available from those positions is the move for GM Mickey Loomis, and Reese is arguably the nation's top player this season," wrote Miller.

"He aligns at both linebacker and edge rusher for Ohio State, with 6.5 sacks, 17 pressures and 58 tackles this season. His ability to impact the game with an explosive first step would bring a spark to the Saints' front four that has been missing since Trey Hendrickson left in free agency after the 2020 season."

While officially listed as a linebacker, Reese projects to be an edge in the NFL, similar to how Micah Parsons and Abdul Carter were coming out of Penn State.

The Saints have little to no juice in their pass rush, with Cam Jordan only getting older as the years go by.

Reese would fix that problem almost immediately and is widely considered one of the best players available in the 2026 draft class.

New Orleans would be hard-pressed to pass on a player of his caliber.

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Editorial Team