The New Orleans Saints mildly surprised fans by standing pat at #8. Part of the conversation leading up to the 2026 NFL Draft was the possibility of New Orleans moving up to land the pick they wanted.
The name that had been atop mock drafts heading to the Big Easy was Carnell Tate of Ohio State. That situation changed dramatically when the Tennessee Titans took him at #4. In fact, the Titans were believed to have RB Jeremiyah Love earmarked at #4, but the Arizona Cardinals jumped the gun, landing the Heisman finalist with the third pick.
And so, the Saints targeted their biggest need, a solid wide-out. That was Jordyn Tyson out of Arizona State. New Orleans got help at the position they wanted, but not quite the player the organization had been targeting.
Make no mistake. Tyson is a very good receiver. According to most estimates, Tyson could be a WR1 in just about any team. That bodes well as the Saints will need someone to line up opposite Chris Olave next season.
With Tyson now in the mix, second-year QB Tyler Shough should now have two solid targets. That could make life much more complicated for opposing defenses. That, and what figures to be an improved running game, could help the Saints turn things around next season.
Questions Linger about Tyson
Tyson worked with former Pittsburgh Steelers great Hines Ward. Ward, who is now the receivers coach at Arizona State, helped Tyson hone his craft. In fact, Tyson’s transfer from Colorado to Arizona helped his overall development immensely.
However, questions linger about Tyson’s health. He sustained a devastating knee injury in 2022. He came back, but suffered various ailments, including a broken collarbone.
This past season, the new Saints first-rounder dealt with a hamstring injury early in the year. He managed to mostly play through it, but was noticeably limited by the injury.
As a result, Tyson passed on the NFL Combine to avoid reaggravating the injury. He later held an individual workout on April 17.
Tyson missed a total of 16 games at the collegiate level. Still, his overall skills and dedication to improving are good enough for the Saints to take a chance on him.
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Saints Won’t Be Expecting Tyson to Do Much Heavy Lifting
The Saints won’t likely expect Tyson to do much heavy lifting in his first season. First of all, the hope is that he can hit training camp fully healthy. If that’s the case, the club will be expecting Tyson to slide into a WR2 role.
The team might also not necessarily expect him to be a strong blocker, at least not early on. The hope is that he can ease into his role with the Saints, potentially seeing action in every game this season.
Ultimately, Tyson’s success in New Orleans will boil down to his staying healthy. The Saints apparently believe he can. That’s why the pick is a solid one, though not devoid of risk. If Tyson can hit his ceiling, the Saints will look like geniuses with this selection. Expect Tyson to be a solid starter in New Orleans in about two years’ time.
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