Saints’ Pass Rush Solution May Be Sitting at No. 8

Which direction will the New Orleans Saints take with the No. 8 pick in the first round of the 2026 National Football League Draft?

Arguably, there are three routes New Orleans could/should take. The three are wide receiver, the edge or a cornerback. These are the team's three biggest weaknesses right now after the first wave of free agency. Now, of course, the franchise could add elsewhere, but if the Saints go in a different direction with the No. 8 pick than any of these three, it would be the wrong move. New Orleans has a chance to add serious talent at No. 8. There will be a few good offensive linemen at the pick, for example, but the Saints' offensive line is in a good position right now. Enough to not use the No. 8 pick on a lineman.

But, who should the Saints take? New Orleans was tabbed as the "favorite pick" for Rueben Bain Jr. from Miami at No. 8 by ESPN's Matt Bowen.

"Edge Rueben Bain Jr. to the Saints," Bowen wrote. "Height: 6-2 | Weight: 263. College: Miami. Where New Orleans could get him: Pick No. 8. There's a need here to add a pass rusher in New Orleans, as veteran Cameron Jordan is still a free agent. Plus it's an opportunity for coordinator Brandon Staley to add a potential game-wrecker for his defense.

The Saints would be wise to add Rueben Bain

Jan 19, 2026; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Miami Hurricanes defensive lineman Rueben Bain Jr. (4) defends against Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza (15) during the College Football Playoff National Championship game at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

"With Bain's ability to turn the corner, he can be schemed out of loaded fronts to get one-on-one pass-rush matchups. His power at the point of attack means he can also be flipped inside in nickel fronts. And he is stout on the edge versus the run game (54 tackles on designed rushes in 2025). Simply put, there's a sense of ruggedness to Bain's game that should translate to the pro level. And he put up his best tape when everyone was watching, totaling five sacks during the College Football Playoff."

Unlike an offensive lineman, this would be a very good and acceptable pick for New Orleans. There have been questions about the length of Bain's arms. Arguably, it's a non-point. If Bain is talented enough to get after the quarterback, does it really matter if his arms are an inch shorter than another edge rusher's? Not enough to drop far in the draft. Bain is among the top edge rushers in the draft class in general after racking up 9 1/2 sacks in 2025 in 16 games played.

There's no reason to think too hard about this one. If Bain is on the board at No. 8 and the Saints want to go with an edge rusher in the first round, he'd be a great addition.