Saints Could Address Safety Position Early in NFL Draft

Look at a recent 2026 NFL mock draft, and you're likely to see a few names pop up on the New Orleans Saints' radar.

The Saints are in a strong position to add a young, dominant pass rusher like Miami's Reuben Bain Jr. or Texas Tech's David Bailey. They also hold a good spot with the No. 8 pick, where they might consider adding an offensive weapon at wide receiver, such as Ohio State's Carnell Tate or USC's Makai Lemon.

However, if Tate's former Ohio State teammate Caleb Downs is available when the Saints are on the clock, general manager Mickey Loomis and the front office might select the best player available and choose Downs, Bleacher Report's Alex Ballentine predicts. They could also target several other safety prospects on Day 2 of the draft.

Safety is a sneaky need for the Saints

Ohio State Buckeyes defensive back Caleb Downs catches a ball during Pro Day for NFL scouts at the Woody Hayes Athletics Center on March 25, 2026. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

"The Saints are ok at safety as it stands," Ballentine wrote. "Justin Reid is a reliable veteran starter, while Julian Blackmon is good when healthy, and Jonas Sanker hasn't hit his ceiling.

"The question is whether that safety room is good enough to exclude Caleb Downs from first-pick consideration. The answer is no."

Downs is a polarizing prospect, arguably the most talented player in the entire draft class. The only thing holding him back from being a top-three or even a top-five pick is the lack of positional value at safety. Many teams prefer to select a pass rusher or quarterback early in the draft because those positions are more highly valued.

With Reid's contract expiring after the 2027 NFL season and Blackmon entering his final year, the Saints may need to focus on adding a safety at some point, even if it isn't Downs with pick No. 8.

Penn State's Zakee Wheatley and USC's Kamari Ramsey are two players Loomis and the Saints' front office might target, Ballentine predicts. Ramsey is ranked No. 82 on PFF's big board, while Wheatley is No. 104. The Saints could consider either player with their third-round pick (No. 73) or trade up into the front of the fourth round, hoping one of Ramsey or Wheatley is still available.

There are several other players that New Orleans could target on Day 3, including Texas safety Michael Taaffe, who earned an impressive 88.1 PFF overall grade and ranks No. 170 on PFF's big board. Ohio State's Lorenzo Styles Jr. posted outstanding numbers at the NFL Scouting Combine and could be seen as a long-term project due to his elite athleticism.