ESPN's rotating mock draft gives Saints 3 immediate impact starters
ESPN's draft experts collaborated on a three-round mock draft, and the New Orleans Saints made an immediate impact with three Day 1 starters.
April is officially here, and draft season has hit full throttle. Analysts across every major sports outlet are churning out mock drafts by the day, each offering a different perspective on how things could unfold in the 2026 NFL Draft later this month. Among the most intriguing is an annual staple from ESPN, where draft experts Mel Kiper Jr.
, Matt Miller, Jordan Reid, and Field Yates teamed up for a rotating mock draft, projecting the first 100 picks across all 32 teams. As expected, the exercise delivered its fair share of surprises early on. For the New Orleans Saints , it meant landing one of the most polarizing prospects in the entire class, instantly putting their draft haul under the spotlight.
With three selections inside the top 100, the Saints are a clear focal point of this mock as they continue building around quarterback Tyler Shough and company. And when it came time to make the most important of those decisions, it was Field Yates on the clock for New Orleans at No. 8 overall.
Round 1, Pick 8: Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State "Is linebacker a pressing need for the Saints? No, not after they brought back Kaden Elliss . But I wouldn't let the exceptional Styles -- who is No.