With the 2026 NFL Combine officially in the rearview, the New Orleans Saints must now identify their eight favorite players in this year's draft class for when Roger Goodell puts pick No. 8 on the clock.
On paper, that task shouldn't be too hard, as there are at least a dozen players that talent evaluators have identified as being worth a top-10 pick, but some of those players don't play “premium” positions, with safeties, guard, linebackers, and even a running back pegged as a blue-chipper.
Would the Saints be willing to invest such a premium pick in a not-so-premium position? If it's for the right player, Adam Schefter believes they should, as on his namesake podcast, he identified Jeremiyah Love as an ideal fit for New Orleans to pair with Tyler Shough long-term.
“Jeremiyah Love, I can’t imagine that he goes anywhere below number nine. And if we back and look at some of the other great running backs taken in NFL history, who else has gone in the top 10 recently?” Schefter asked.
“Oh, Bijan Robinson. What number did he go? Eight. Christian McCaffrey. What number did he go? Eight. You know who picks eight? The New Orleans Saints. Couldn't you see the New Orleans Saints going ahead and taking Jeremiyah Love to match with Tyler Shough to give Tyler Shough a weapon to go one pick before the Chiefs do? And it was the Chiefs that drafted Patrick Mahomes ahead of the New Orleans Saints, denying them the possibility of taking Mahomes. Maybe this year the Saints return the favor and take Jeremiah Love before the Chiefs can.”
After building their offense around Alvin Kamara's unique skillset, the idea of adding a player like Love, who might actually be more dynamic, would certainly be enticing for a team that seemingly locked up a franchise quarterback in the second round last spring. Will it happen? Only time will tell, but Saints fans now certainly have something to think about over the next two months.
