New Orleans Saints NFL Mock Draft Roundup 1.0

A Thorpe Award finalist and All-American as a true sophomore, Moore has the size, easy movement skills and instincts NFL teams are looking for at cornerback. Had he been eligible for the 2026 draft, he would have heard his name called in the first round.

With solid length and elite production, the All-American cornerback is a premier prospect who can be trusted on an island against the NFL's top wideouts from an early age.

Stewart uses his long frame, tenacity and overpowering strength to set the edge against the run. He's also surprisingly twitched up as a pass rusher, consistently collapsing the pocket with an explosive blend of length and suddenness.

The Saints haven't been able to figure out edge rusher since Trey Hendrickson departed after the 2020 season and need a dynamic rusher opposite Chase Young. Stewart is an electric player with high-end lower-body flexibility, which helps him consistently race past blockers. Despite a slender frame, he has good initial pop in his hands, but he must get stronger to anchor and sustain as an edge setter. Stewart also needs to turn more of his pass rushes into sacks, as he had only 4.5 last season. Being more consistent with counter moves would lessen the amount of "almost" plays. If that happens, Stewart could be the first non-QB off the board.

The SEC sacks leader in 2025, Simmons announced himself as a future first-round pick as soon as he set foot in Austin two years ago. His burst and body control are outstanding, especially at his size (6-3, 245).

One of the most explosive pass rushers in the country over the past two seasons, Stewart's production doesn't fully capture his impact. With a long, wiry frame and excellent length, he covers ground quickly, flashing elite speed, bend and occasional power that make him difficult to contain off the edge. While his down-to-down consistency remains an area for improvement, the former five-star offers the kind of upside teams bet on early.

Similar to Leonard Moore, Simmons would have been in the mix near the top of the 2025 class alongside David Bailey and Arvell Reese. The undersized but remarkably explosive edge defender led the SEC in pressures (59) last season and earned a 91.7 PFF pass-rushing grade as a sophomore.