Saints predicted by AFC South scout to draft ‘blue-chip’ CB with No. 8 pick originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The New Orleans Saints own the eighth overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft and could wind up with one of many different players.
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There are three positions to keep a close eye on: Edge rusher, wide receiver, and cornerback. All three are in play with the Saints’ No. 8 pick in the draft, and regarding CB, there is a very fun local fit who should be available to pick.
However, an AFC South scout, according to ESPN’s Matt Miller, is predicting that the Saints will pass on the LSU corner for a “blue-chip” prospect in Tennessee‘s Jermod McCoy.
“Rarely do you find true blue-chip cornerbacks, and when one falls to you, it’s an easy decision to take them off the board,” this AFC South scout said. “So I’ll take McCoy with the belief that his knee is good long term and that he’ll be back to the player we saw in 2024, when he was the best cornerback in the nation.”
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The Saints going with McCoy over LSU’s Mansoor Delane would be a bit of a surprise, but if the upside case with McCoy hits, New Orleans would be getting an elite cornerback prospect.
While McCoy didn’t play at all this past season, he ran a 4.39-second 40-yard dash at his pro day, proving he’s healthy enough coming off his torn ACL from a year ago.
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But one of the reasons why McCoy would be a great option at No. 8 for the Saints is that, when the 20-year-old was on the field last in 2024, he was an elite corner.
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He secured four interceptions with seven passes defended, and, as this scout noted, was the “best cornerback in the nation.”
While there is some risk in taking a player who hasn’t played for a full year, if McCoy’s talent is for real, then the eighth pick is more than reasonable value for him. In fact, if McCoy played as well as he did in 2024 in 2025, he might not be available with this pick.
This AFC South scout is predicting the Saints to pick McCoy at No. 8 overall, which is a bold call as McCoy hasn’t been linked to McCoy often this offseason. But the fit makes sense, and would be a massive upgrade at CB if McCoy hits.
