Saints have met with one of the most polarizing NFL draft prospects that New Orleans will have to take in the top ten if they want him
He’s getting a lot of buzz a month before the draft.
Helping Tyler Shough should and most likely will be at the top of the to-do list for the New Orleans Saints during the 2026 NFL Draft. They already took steps in the right direction by adding guard David Edwards and running back Travis Etienne during free agency.
Mickey Loomis has one of the top offensive prospects in this year’s class on his radar already, it seems, too.
USC WR Makai Lemon working out for Saints
According to Ian Rapoport, Makai Lemon is working out for the Saints on Tuesday. He has already worked out for the Washington Commanders, who pick a spot ahead of New Orleans as of now.
The USC star was ultra-productive this past season and is widely expected to be one of the first two wide receivers off the board in this year’s draft. Lemon earned All-American honors, totaling 79 receptions for 1,156 yards and 11 touchdowns for the Trojans in 2025.
If New Orleans is targeting Lemon, they will have plenty of competition.
The Saints would have to use their first-round pick on the talented playmaker, and other teams around their range of the top fifteen also have a need at wide receiver. The Los Angeles Rams, Miami Dolphins, Baltimore Ravens, among others are other potential landing spots for Lemon or another one of the top wideouts in this class.
“Lemon is one of the easier evaluations in this class. While he’s a little bit shorter, Lemon doesn’t lack bulk at 195 pounds. He plays well through contact when necessary and is a good jump ball receiver. Through his career, he caught 16-28 contested catches, including 10-15 last season.
He doesn’t just win in tight spaces; Lemon creates separation with his athleticism. While he lacks an elite first step out of the block, he’s plenty fast once he gets moving, attacking the leverage of cornerbacks consistently. He’s one of the best players in this draft class.” — Tyler Forness
Lemon went viral at NFL Scouting Combine
Lemon was a popular name on social media earlier in the offseason due to an interesting media availability session at the combine. The exciting WR prospect did not necessarily say anything wrong, but his body language got plenty of people discussing him.
No matter what – it is nice to see that Kellen Moore isn’t settling for the talent along his offense. He wants upgrades on upgrades to try to give Shough the best chance to succeed at quarterback.
Now, we wait to see if Lemon makes it to the eighth overall selection, or if the Saints choose to go in another direction with that pick on night one.
New Orleans Saints News
Potential Saints NFL Draft target sends clear message without saying a word at LSU pro day
He could be the Saints’ first-round pick now.
