Why Saints Are Top Landing Spot for 875-Yard WR Prospect

The New Orleans Saints' offense is one high-impact wide receiver away from being lethal.

Tyler Shough is the guy for New Orleans under center and was very solid down the stretch, even with injuries to the weapons on the offense and adjusting to the NFL game. He finished the season with a 74.6 Pro Football Focus grade, which was 19th among 43 qualifying quarterbacks across the National Football League.

Chris Olave was an All-Pro in 2025 and had 100 catches for 1,163 yards and nine touchdowns in 16 games played. Juwan Johnson was one of the best pass-catching tight ends in the game in 2025 with 77 catches for 889 yards and three touchdowns. Devaughn Vele stepped up after Rashid Shaheed. The running game struggled, but it already looks better with Travis Etienne Jr. in town. The offensive line already is better as well with David Edwards in town. Overall, everything is looking up for the offense, but the team needs one more weapon and USA Today's Ayrton Ostly unsurprisingly tabbed New Orleans as one of the top landing spots for Ohio State wide receiver Carnell Tate.

The Saints need one more WR to be elite in 2026

Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Carnell Tate 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

"New Orleans Saints," Ostly wrote. "The Saints selected Olave in 2022 and could go back to the Buckeyes well again for another top wideout. Like New York, New Orleans has a second-year quarterback who could take a step in 2026 with the right talent around him. The Saints spent in free agency to upgrade the offensive line and running back, leaving wide receiver to be addressed via the draft.

"Olave’s injury history makes him a question mark for 2026. He missed half the season in 2024 and sat out the Saints’ 2025 finale with a blood clot issue. Tate dealt with a nagging calf injury that affected him in 2024 and 2025. His injury history isn’t spotless but he’d be an injection of talent into a pass-catching corps that desperately needs it."

If the Saints are going to draft a wide receiver early, Tate is the guy. He played in 11 games in 2025 and had 51 catches for 875 yards and nine touchdowns in what was a breakout year at Ohio State. Before the 2025 season, his best season was 2024 when he had 52 catches for 733 yards and four touchdowns in 15 games played. So, he clearly took a step forward in 2025 and Sports Illustrated has him ranked as the No. 10 overall prospect in the draft class. If he's still on the board at No. 8, he should be the guy.