Canal Street Chronicles
Another week, another loss, and the New Orleans Saints are back in the top spot… of the NFL Draft.
In the last edition, I tried to stay away from the defensive line and focus on more “playmakers” in the draft. This week will be similar, but with different positions.
Going back to the first edition of the Saints 2026 draft position, I wondered if New Orleans could look at QB early in the draft. Since then, the class has been very up and down, but talent is still there, and one of these players could still make a name for themselves. One of these prospects is South Carolina QB Lanorris Sellers. The dynamic athlete has been one of, if not the most, electric players in CFB. His rushing ability is up there with some of the best in recent years, but while those QBs may have had major issues when throwing the ball, that is not the case with Sellers. Yes, it’s not perfect, and his passing game is still a project, but Sellers has already shown growth in that area. When looking at some passing issues Sellers has, accuracy is going to be one teams focus on the most.
For the Saints, QB is such an interesting situation already. Spencer Rattler has done well so far this season, and Tyler Shough is waiting for his turn to come in and become the starter. QB may not be a major focus going into the 2026 draft, but the team should still do its homework on the prospects, and Sellers could win this coaching staff over.
If we are talking about who the most talented player in the 2026 NFL Draft is, the name that comes to mind is Caleb Downs. The Safety from Ohio State has been a household name of college football for years, and he has not slowed down this season. In man and zone coverage, he is great, when tackling or going against the opposing rushing attack, he’s excellent, and on special teams, he is absolutely dynamic. No matter what team drafts Downs, he will upgrade the roster right away. Going this high would still be a surprise due to positional worth, but if anyone can do it, it would be Downs.
Looking at the roster, the Saints really do not need a safety. Jonas Sanker has been great so far in his rookie year, and Justin Reid is an important veteran of the defense, but Caleb Downs is different. As I mentioned, Downs will upgrade this defense right away, and at this point, the rebuild, the Saints need talent. This could also give the team flexibility to move on from Justin Reid if needed.
