Polarizing ASU Star Should Be on Saints’ Draft Board

When the 2026 National Football League Draft kicks off in a couple of weeks, it will be a failure for the New Orleans Saints if they are unable to land a No. 2 receiver in the first two rounds of the draft.

There are five wide receiver prospects to watch closely: Ohio State's Carnell Tate, USC's Makai Lemon, Arizona State's Jordyn Tyson, Washington's Denzel Boston and Indiana's Omar Cooper Jr. If one of these five guys lands in New Orleans, that will help in the long run. The Saints will have two shots in the first two rounds. New Orleans' first pick is at No. 8 followed by the No. 42 overall pick in the second round.

Of this group, arguably the best options would be Tate, Lemon or Tyson. When it comes to Tyson, he's a bit of a polarizing prospect. There was a time when the college football season ended when Tyson was viewed as the top receiver prospect in the draft class. But he has dealt with hamstring issues which have stalled his momentum a tad. Tate has been viewed as the top receiver in the draft class for much of the offseason. But, it's important to note that it's April, not September. Tyson will have plenty of time to heal before the season begins.

The Saints Are Watching Jordyn Tyson Closely

Feb 27, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Arizona State wideout Jordyn Tyson (WO40) speaks to members of the media during the NFL Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Jacob Musselman-Imagn Images | Jacob Musselman-Imagn Images

On Friday, Ross Jackson of LouisianaSports.Net shared a bit of good news on X and noted that he has heard "some positives" about Tyson's medical checks so far this offseason.

"I’ve heard some positives around Tyson’s medical checks. This visit would give the Saints their chance to get their own information on the biggest question mark (health) around the elite receiver," Jackson wrote.

This came after Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football reported that the Saints will be hosting the former Arizona State playmaker for a visit. When healthy, Tyson is a big play waiting to happen. He played in nine games for Arizona State in 2025 and had 711 yards on 61 catches to go along with eight touchdowns. In comparison, Tate had 51 catches for 875 yards and nine touchdowns in 11 games. Tyson played two fewer games but his numbers weren't too far off from Tate's.

In 2024, Tyson had 1,101 receiving yards on 75 catches to go along with 10 touchdowns in 12 games played. His health is a question, but he has time to heal. Tyson may have the most upside and potentially be the best value because of his hamstring. He's certainly someone to monitor now.