2026 NFL Draft: Updated Saints team needs, targets after Round 1

The first round of the 2026 NFL Draft is in the books, but it's only the start of a dayslong event. The second and third rounds are coming up soon and the New Orleans Saints still have some pressing team needs to address -- many of them falling on the defensive side of the ball, which performed well above expectations in 2025.

Head coach Kellen Moore got a big upgrade in Round 1 by picking former Arizona State wide receiver Jordyn Tyson, but Day 2 should be all about the defense. Restocking the depth chart with more players who better fit Brandon Staley's scheme would go a long way to ensuring they can repeat that performance. That's not to say the Saints don't need more help offensively. Whether it's a running back with fresh legs or a versatile offensive lineman who can help out at guard and center, New Orleans could use them. But when you look at their depth chart, it's the defense that still leans on too many players close to, or on the wrong side of, 30 years of age. This team is rebuilding and needs to keep getting younger.

You can find our full list of the best players available on Day 2 right here, but we've highlighted three specific positions down below. The way the Saints' roster stands right now, these should be seen as their biggest team needs:

Edge rushers

• 30. T.J. Parker (Clemson)
• 35. Cashius Howell (Texas A&M)
• 40. Zion Young (Missouri)
• 45. R Mason Thomas (Oklahoma)
• 50. Gabe Jacas (Illinois)
• 60. Derrick Moore (Michigan)
• 70. Dani Dennis-Sutton (Penn State)
• 75. Joshua Josephs (Tennessee)
• 78. Romello Height (Texas Tech)
• 92. Jaishawn Barham (Michigan)
• 96. Keyron Crawford (Auburn)

The Saints still need help in their rotation out on the edge, whether or not Cameron Jordan re-signs after weighing his options in free agency. Chase Young and Carl Granderson are a solid duo but there isn't much game-changing talent behind them and Jordan returning would only be putting a temporary fix on a long-term problem.

Defensive tackles

• 29. Kayden McDonald (Ohio State), 1 tech
• 43 Lee Hunter (Texas Tech), 1 tech
• 44. Christen Miller (Georgia), 1 tech
• 71. Domonique Orange (Iowa State), 1 tech
• 85. Gracen Halton (Oklahoma), 3 tech
• 90. Darrell Jackson Jr. (Florida State), 3 tech

New Orleans needs fresh legs on the defensive interior; both Davon Godchaux and Nathan Shepherd are over 30 and playing out the final year of their contracts. This is definitely a position to watch with plenty of run-stuffing nose tackles in range. Bryan Bresee's fifth-year option was picked up, so he's under contract through 2027, but after him the only defensive tackles in it for the long haul are John Ridgeway III, a backup, and Vernon Broughton -- who is coming off a season-ending injury.

Defensive backs

• 15. Jermod McCoy (Tennessee), cornerback
• 20. Avieon Terrell (Clemson), cornerback
• 26. Emmanuel McNeil-Warren (Toledo), safety
• 31. Colton Hood (Tennessee), cornerback
• 39. D'Angelo Ponds (Indiana), cornerback
• 42. Brandon Cisse (South Carolina), cornerback
• 56. A.J. Haucy (LSU), safety
• 57. Keionte Scott (Miami), cornerback
• 58. Keith Abney II (Arizona State), cornerback
• 62. Treydan Stukes (Arizona), cornerback
• 79. Davison Igbinosun (Ohio State), cornerback
• 81. Zakee Wheatley (Penn State), safety
• 83. Bud Clark (TCU), safety
• 84. Malik Muhammad (Texas), cornerback
• 86. Kamari Ramsey (USC), safety
• 88. Chandler Rivers (Duke), cornerback
• 89. Genesis Smith (Arizona), safety
• 99. Jalon Kilgore (South Carolina), safety
• 100. Julian Neal (Arkansas), cornerback

There's still a vacancy in the secondary from Alontae Taylor leaving earlier this spring. Whether the Saints want a boundary corner who can push Kool-Aid McKinstry or Quincy Riley into the slot, a nickel specialist, or a safety comfortable working from that alignment, they have plenty of options to consider on Day 2. They were linked heavily to LSU corner Mansoor Delane in Round 1 but it remains to be seen if that was a specific player fit or a high-priority position to address.

This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: 2026 NFL Draft: Updated Saints team needs, targets after Round 1