2026 NFL Draft: Wrong Picks for Saints at No. 8

The New Orleans Saints will have a lot of options in front of them with the No. 8 pick in the first round of the 2026 National Football League Draft.

With the draft just over three weeks away, New Orleans' biggest roster holes remain a new wide receiver to pair with Chris Olave, a cornerback or safety to replace Alontae Taylor in the "star" role in New Orleans' defense as well as more pass rush depth.

There will be just seven picks made before New Orleans is on the clock, unless a trade is made. Fernando Mendoza is expected to go No. 1 overall. So, there will likely be six non-quarterback prospects off the board when New Orleans is on the clock. So, there will be a lot of options for New Orleans to pick from, to say the least.

From a wide receiver standpoint, a few options to consider are Carnell Tate, Makai Lemon and Jordyn Tyson. For the "star" spot in the defense, either cornerback Mansoor Delane or safety Caleb Downs would plug the hole. For the pass rush, someone like Sonny Styles or Rueben Bain Jr. would be great picks here.

With all of that being said, there are prospects who would be wrong for the No. 8 pick in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft for New Orleans.

Olaivavega Ioane — Penn State (Guard)

Dec 31, 2024; Glendale, AZ, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions offensive lineman Olaivavega Ioane (71) against the Boise State Broncos during the Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Ioane is a very good prospect. ESPN has him ranked as the No. 6 prospect in the 2026 NFL Draft. But there are other holes to plug for the Saints right now than guard. The Saints already plugged that hole by signing David Edwards this offseason. Cesar Ruiz has two more seasons on his current contract as well. This isn't to say that Ioane wouldn't help the Saints, but instead that receiver, the pass rush, and cornerback are bigger roster holes.

Spencer Fano — Utah (Offensive Tackle)

Mar 1, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Utah offensive lineman Spencer Fano (OL22) during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

This is a similar concept as above with Ioane. Fano is one of the best offensive tackles in the draft class. Fano is currently listed as the No. 9 overall prospect in the draft class by ESPN. But Saints are all set at offensive tackle after taking Kelvin Banks Jr. in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft and Taliese Fuaga in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft. Again, this isn't to say Fano isn't a good prospect and won't have success in the NFL. But he's another prospect that would be the wrong pick at No. 8.