Saints Mock Draft Roundup: Who do the experts think New Orleans will take?

At 4-8 with the slimmest of chances to reach the NFL playoffs, the Saints could hurt their draft selections, possibly significantly, with a meaningless run to finish 7-10, 8-9 or a miracle 9-8. But even though we don't know exactly where they'll be picking we can already focus on who could be on their radar. Here is who the expert think the Saints could take.

Will Johnson, CB, Michigan

If the NFL Draft was today and not on April 24, the Saints would be picking No. 10. That would likely be too high to get No. 1-ranked junior cornerback Will Johnson (6-foot-2, 200 pounds) of Michigan as he is the No. 2 overall prospect or close to it in several publications. A move-up trade would likely have to happen, and Johnson is tantalizing enough to warrant one.

He could be the new less-diva Marshon Lattimore, the Saints' No. 1 pick at No. 11 in the 2017 draft — one pick after a Texas Tech quarterback named Patrick Mahomes. The Saints dealt the four-time Pro Bowl cornerback selection and rookie of the year with a fifth-round pick in 2025 to Washington early last month for picks in the third, fourth and sixth round in the next draft.

Johnson, the best pure cover corner in the draft, missed Michigan's last six games with a foot injury, but he still managed to make 14 tackles and return two interceptions for touchdowns through the five games he played to set the school record with three pick sixes after one last season. Passer rating against him in 2023 was a mere 30.9 and 52.9 in this half season.

In various mock drafts amid fluctuating picking positions over the last few weeks, For The Win's Christian D'Andrea had Johnson lasting to the ninth pick of the draft and going to New Orleans. The Sporting News' Vinnie Iyer had Johnson going to the Saints with the 10th pick.

Nic Scourton, Edge, Texas A&M

Texas A&M edge rusher Nic Scourton is a better bet than Johnson to be available for the Saints, barring a complete crater. The Saints desperately need pass rush after free agent signee Chase Young busted in a one-year deal for $13 million. He has 3.5 sacks in 12 games for about $3.7 million a sack so far. New Orleans is 24th in the NFL with 27 sacks after 12 games.

A junior, Scourton (6-4, 285 pounds) is the No. 3-ranked edge and No. 16 overall draft prospect. He had 37 tackles, five sacks and a forced fumble with two pass defenses in 10 games for the Aggies in the 2024 season. At Purdue in 2023, he had 15 tackles for loss with 10 sacks and a forced fumble in 12 games.

CBS Sports' Josh Edwards has the Saints taking Scourton with the 10th pick in the first round.

Malaki Starks, S, Georgia

Junior consensus All-American Malaki Starks (6-foot-1, 205 pounds) of Georgia is a near-consensus No. 1-ranked safety in the NFL Draft and a No. 10-12 overall prospect. Saints' safety Tyrann Mathieu is still impactful, but he will be 33 in May. USA Today's Michael Middleurst-Schwartz has the Saints taking Starks with the 10th pick of the first round right before the Bears take LSU offensive tackle Will Campbell, a Saints/LSU fans' favorite.

Other mocks

The Saints will take Missouri junior wide receiver Luther Burden III (5-foot-11, 205 pounds) with the ninth pick of the first round, according to The33rdteam.com's Ian Valentino. Burden has been ranked as high as the No. 2 receiver in the draft and a prospect in the No. 10-12 range. Not a deep threat, but "powerful" and "explosive" for underneath routes.

Sports Illustrated writer Daniel Flick has the Saints taking Penn State junior edge Abdul Carter (6-foot-3, 252 pounds ) with the seventh pick of the first round. New Orleans could get Carter later than that probably as he is ranked toward the middle to late part of the draft in the 18-20 pick range.