Saints Set Up Visit With WR Jordyn Tyson
As one of 16 prospects who will attend the 2026 NFL Draft, Arizona State wide receiver Jordyn Tyson has a good chance of going in the first round. New Orleans, which holds the eighth overall pick, is interested. Tyson will visit the Saints, Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football reports.
The Saints have no real threats at receiver beyond No. 1 wideout Chris Olave. Hoping to give second-year quarterback Tyler Shough more to work with, they are expected to target pass-catching help in the draft. The team has also set up a visit with Ohio State’s Carnell Tate, who will likely go higher than Tyson. Many regarded Tyson as a definite top-10 pick when he declared for the draft in December, but his stock has reportedly dropped since then as a result of a checkered injury history.
The 6-foot-2, 203-pound Tyson began his college career in 2022 at Colorado. While he averaged an excellent 21.4 yards per catch on 22 receptions and scored four touchdowns in nine games, his freshman year ended with a severe knee injury.
After tearing his ACL, MCL and PCL, Tyson transferred to ASU. Although he went without a catch during a three-game 2023, Tyson flourished the next season. He hauled in 75 receptions for 1,101 yards and 10 scores during a 12-game campaign that concluded with yet another injury – a broken collarbone.
Durability issues continued in 2025 for Tyson, who played just nine games while battling hamstring troubles. With 61 catches, 711 yards and eight TDs, he was still productive enough to earn first-team All-Big 12 honors for the second year in a row. His drop rate improved from 8.5% to a microscopic 1.6% in a one-year span, per Dane Brugler of The Athletic.
Tyson hasn’t played in four-plus months, but his hamstring has continued to hinder him in the pre-draft process. The 21-year-old did not work out at the Combine or participate in ASU’s pro day. Teams will have a chance to evaluate Tyson during an April 17 workout, but he will only take part in positional drills. Between that event and his meeting with the Saints, perhaps Tyson will convince them he is worth the eighth pick.
South Carolina CB Brandon Cisse Meeting With Cowboys, Seahawks
While Brandon Cisse may be on the outside of the top-tier CB prospects, the South Carolina product is still generating plenty of interest ahead of the draft. According to ESPN’s Jordan Reid, Cisse met with the Cowboys earlier this week and is set to also visit the Seahawks.
The former three-star recruit spent the first two seasons of his collegiate career at NC State before transferring to South Carolina for the 2025 campaign. He finished this year with 27 total tackles, an interception, and five passes defended, and he notably allowed catches on only 34.6% of his targets.
That performance vaulted him up draft boards, with scouts lauding his physical ability and upside. There are some rightful questions regarding his instincts, especially when it comes to positioning and route recognition, but his makeup has led many to believe the defensive back can be coached up in the NFL.
It’s still uncertain how high Cisse will rise up the ranks. Few pundits have him ranked above any of the top CB prospects, a grouping that includes Mansoor Delane, Jermod McCoy, and Colton Hood. At the very least, he’s destined to hear his name called in the first few rounds, and there’s a chance he’s even selected during the first day of the draft.
The Cowboys have two shots at the South Carolina cornerback, although the No. 20 pick would be a more realistic landing spot (or a trade back). Dallas has been seeking a long-term solution at CB, especially after they moved on from both Kaiir Elam and Trevon Diggs in 2025. The team’s only notable move at the position was adding Cobie Durant to a grouping of holdovers that includes DaRon Bland, Reddy Steward, Shavon Revel, and Caelen Carson. The Cowboys already hosted Delane, and perhaps their ability to snag the LSU CB with their No. 12 selection would influence their interest in Cisse.
The Seahawks and their No. 32 pick would be a logical suitor for Cisse. There were rumors last month that the front office could be targeting cornerbacks early in the draft. The Seahawks lost Riq Woolen in free agency, with Noah Igbinoghene being signed to soak up at least a portion of those snaps. Devon Witherspoon and Josh Jobe will still lead the CBs room heading into 2026, but an early-round addition would certainly help improve the team’s depth.
Panthers Host WR Denzel Boston
The Panthers have used their last two first-round picks on the wide receiver position. While it seems unlikely that they’d go that route again, the team is at least keeping an open mind as the draft quickly approaches. According to ESPN’s Field Yates, the Panthers hosted Washington WR Denzel Boston on a pre-draft visit today.
Boston played behind the likes of Rome Odunze, Jalen McMillan, and Ja’Lynn Polk during his first two years with the Huskies, but he finally had a chance to lead the depth chart in 2024. He had a breakout campaign that year, finishing with 63 catches for 834 yards and nine touchdowns. He didn’t take a significant leap during his senior season, but he still finished with a notable 62 catches for 881 yards and 11 scores.
Those performances were enough to put him on the NFL map. He’s definitively behind the likes of Carnell Tate, Makai Lemon, Omar Cooper Jr., Jordyn Tyson, and KC Concepcion on most pundits’ draft boards, although there are some teams that reportedly have him ranked in the top two at his position.
There’s a chance he hears his name called on the first night of the draft, especially since he’s drawn interest from the Dolphins, Commanders, Steelers, 49ers, and Browns. Boston has generally been mocked towards the end of the first round or early in the second round, so it would be a slight reach if the Panthers selected him with the No. 19 pick.
The Panthers have focused on surrounding 2023 first-overall pick Bryce Young with as much talent as possible in recent drafts. While 2024 first-round pick Xavier Legette hasn’t lived up to his draft billing, the team did get a standout performance from 2025 first-rounder Tetairoa McMillan, who earned Offensive Rookie of the Year honors after finishing with 70 catches for 1,014 yards and seven touchdowns.
It’s worth noting that McMillan played two collegiate seasons at Arizona under Jedd Fisch…who most recently spent two seasons coaching Boston at Washington. The Panthers may decide to take one more crack at that pipeline, especially if they’ve determined that Legette isn’t destined to be a top-end WR. Even if the team is still high on Legette, Boston could easily slide into a depth chart that otherwise features Jalen Coker, David Moore, and John Metchie.
Utah LT Caleb Lomu Visits Eagles
With the Eagles primed to pursue offensive help early in this year’s draft, addressing the line is likely on general manager Howie Roseman‘s to-do list. To no surprise, the Eagles are eyeing one of this year’s top offensive tackle prospects, Utah’s Caleb Lomu. The 6-foot-6, 313-pounder visited Philadelphia this week, Zach Berman of The Athletic reports.
Lomu may be on the Eagles’ radar at No. 23 overall, but he would not be a plug-and-play option for the club. The Eagles have a pair of established tackles in Jordan Mailata on the left side and franchise legend Lane Johnson on the right. But the Eagles have to prepare for life after Johnson, who contemplated retirement before committing to at least one more season in late February.
Johnson is heading into his age-36 campaign, which will be the 13-year veteran’s first season without offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland. The revered Stoutland did not stick around after the Eagles hired new offensive coordinator Sean Mannion. Chris Kuper faces the unenviable task of following Stoutland. It could be up to Kuper to mold Lomu and/or other rookies in 2026.
The 29-year-old Mailata is under contract for three more seasons. That suggests the Eagles are not going to spend a high pick on a tackle unless they are confident the prospect will be able to handle the right side. That is something they will have to determine regarding Lomu, who only played on the left at Utah. He and fellow potential first-rounder Spencer Fano were the Utes’ bookends.
A two-year starter at Utah, Lomu earned first-team All-Big 12 honors in 2025. He did not allow a sack last year, per Dane Brugler of The Athletic. Both Brugler (No. 25) and Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com (No. 26) consider Lomu a top-30 prospect, which is right in the Eagles’ wheelhouse in the first round. He could end up as the team’s heir apparent to Johnson.
NFL Announces 16 Prospects Attending NFL Draft
There will be 16 players waiting in the green room when the NFL Draft kicks off later this month. The NFL announced the following attendees for the first night of the draft (via NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport):
- LB David Bailey, Texas Tech
- DE Rueben Bain Jr., Miami (Fla.)
- DB Mansoor Delane, LSU
- DB Caleb Downs, Ohio State
- DE Keldric Faulk, Auburn
- DB Colton Hood, Tennessee
- WR Makai Lemon, USC
- RB Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame
- OL Francis Mauigoa, Miami (Fla.)
- DT Kayden McDonald, Ohio State
- OT Kadyn Proctor, Alabama
- LB Arvell Reese, Ohio State
- QB Ty Simpson, Alabama
- LB Sonny Styles, Ohio State
- WR Carnell Tate, Ohio State
- WR Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State
Of the 16 prospects invited to Day 1 of the draft, a whopping five of them are from one school: Ohio State. For comparison’s sake, the leader during last year’s draft was Alabama, who sent three prospects ot the green room. The Big Ten is the leading conference, with six prospects attending the first night of the draft.
Notably, expected first-overall pick Fernando Mendoza won’t be attending the draft, as the Indiana quarterback revealed that he’ll instead be celebrating with friends and family in Atlanta. That only leaves one signal-caller attending the event in Alabama’s Ty Simpson. There’s no guarantee that Simpson will even be selected on the first night of the draft, a situation we saw most recently when green-room attendee Jalen Milroe fell to the third round last year.
Eagles Expected To Target Offensive Help Early In Draft
With it looking likelier A.J. Brown will be elsewhere this coming season, the Eagles may be looking at a glaring void to fill at wide receiver. The team, which also lost No. 3 wideout Jahan Dotson (to the Falcons) in free agency, is expected to target that position early in the draft.
Two weeks away from the draft, Philadelphia has the same offense in place from the one that ranked 24th in yardage last season. The team was better in scoring (19th) and EPA per play (16th), but the Eagles tumbled off their Super Bowl perch due largely to the regression on offense. The Sean Mannion OC hire will be aimed at fixing a lot of what ailed Philly in 2025, but the team does not have a new starter just yet.
[RELATED: How Will Eagles Proceed With Brown?]
The Eagles may not be certain to add a locked-in starter on offense in the draft, but The Athletic’s Zack Berman notes the team is expected to target upgrades on this side of the ball early.
On one hand, the Eagles attempting to add a new starter at wide receiver by replacing Brown would seemingly be a downgrade — for 2026, at least. But there is something to be said for continuity here, as Philly soared to a dominant Super Bowl LIX win with this cast on offense. With the exception of Tyler Steen replacing Mekhi Becton at right guard (a move made last year) and Marquise Brown coming in after the Dotson defection, the rest of the Eagles’ regulars on offense started in that game.
Though, the team will be attempting to get by without highly acclaimed O-line coach Jeff Stoutland. And both Lane Johnson and Landon Dickerson are coming off injury-plagued seasons, each considering retirement this offseason. Johnson will turn 36 next month.
“Bringing the band back together was also a year ago, the team that won a world championship, the offense won a world championship,” GM Howie Roseman said, via Berman. “Being {19th) in points scored isn’t really the standard that we’re looking to set. There’s a lot of growth in that area at the same time. We’ve got to continue to add, and I think that we’re looking at that group, and figuring out ways to add to every position group there. Some of those guys, we do think will be better here.
“… We’ll see how it all sorts out. But I understand, as it looks now… What I’m saying is, you can’t say we’re running it back until we actually do run it back. Let’s see how we add, and maybe that’s how we end up doing.”
The Eagles hold four picks in the first three rounds (Nos. 23, 54, 68 and 98); they acquired No. 68 in the 2024 Haason Reddick trade with the Jets. Known well as an aggressive trader, Roseman will also have that available as he looks to shuffle his team’s offensive lineup. Considerable pressure will be on Mannion’s shoulders, however, with much of the Eagles’ 2025 starting group reprising their roles. A meandering OC search featured trepidation among higher-profile options, and the Eagles will be counting on a former backup quarterback who retired after the 2023 season reviving their offense.
Emmanuel McNeil-Warren Visits Patriots, Browns, Cowboys, Falcons, Steelers
Ohio State safety Caleb Downs has long been considered the top player at his position in the 2026 draft class. Evaluators are split between Oregon’s Dillon Thieneman and Toledo’s Emmanuel McNeil-Warren for the No. 2 spot, but both are considered potential first-round picks.
McNeil-Warren has been making the rounds with a number of teams who will be on the clock in the back half of the first-round. He has already visited the Patriots, Browns, Cowboys, and Falcons, with the Steelers on tap for Friday, per NFL insider Jordan Schultz. The first three of those teams could use an upgrade at their third safety spot right away with starters who are older and/or set to hit free agency in 2027.
The Patriots, who have the 31st pick, lost Jaylinn Hawkins in free agency and signed Kevin Byard to pair with 2025 fourth-rounder Craig Woodson. But Byard is 33 years old with a one-year deal, so McNeil-Warren could learn from the veteran as a rookie and succeed in him the long-term.
Browns starting safeties Ronnie Hickman and Grant Delpit are both in the last year of their deals, and the current roster lacks a high-level No. 3 who could step into a starting role if necessary. The competition jump from the Mid-American Conference to the NFL is steep, but McNeil-Warren could certainly contribute in a box role right away. Cleveland holds the 24th and 39th picks, either of which could be a landing spot for the Toledo standout.
The Cowboys, drafting at No. 20, retained Malik Hooker and added Jalen Thompson and PJ Locke this offseason. Thompson is the youngest at 28 years old, and Hooker and Locke are both on one-year deals. After a rough year for their pass defense, Dallas could use a short- and long-term upgrade at safety.
The Steelers and Falcons, however, seem to have more set safety situations. Pittsburgh has Jalen Ramsey signed through 2028 and DeShon Elliott through 2027 with Jaquan Brisker and Darnell Savage on one-year deals. They could stand to add some youth to their safety room, but allocating the No. 20 overall pick to the position this year only makes sense if they have a very high grade on McNeil-Warren.
Atlanta has an even better starting duo in Jessie Bates and Xavier Watts with 2025 fourth-rounder Billy Bowman and former Eagle Sydney Brown as depth. Bates is 29 years old and entering the final year of his contract, but he has expressed a desire to retire a Falcon. Bowman was also a full-time player before his Achilles injury, and he should be back on the field close to the start of the regular season. The Falcons do not have a first-round pick, but McNeil-Warren could be a value play in the second round, where Atlanta has the No. 48 pick.
Miami T Francis Mauigoa Undergoing Imaging For Back Issue
APRIL 9: There were “no new issues or concerns” with Mauigoa’s medical recheck, per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo. He has met with or visited several teams with top-10 picks, and with a clean bill of health, he will likely land in that range.
APRIL 8: While it’s still to be determined who the top offensive lineman taken in the 2026 NFL Draft will be, many of the same names are routinely included in consideration. One such player, Miami (Fla.) offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa, will reportedly be present at Combine rechecks Friday to undergo testing for a minor back issue, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
Arriving in Coral Gables as a consensus five-star recruit ranked as the second-best offensive tackle in the country, Mauigoa earned an immediate starting role with the Hurricanes at right tackle and started every game there from his true freshman season opener to the team’s National Championship Game loss in their home stadium a few months ago. Rapoport reports, though, that the 20-year-old is dealing with a disc issue that “caused him some discomfort late in the season.”
Enduring a streak of starts that lasted 42 games despite the potential back injury, Mauigoa has gone on to perform at his pro day without experiencing any of the discomfort that bothered him at the end of the year. Rapoport adds that a full professional consultation determined that Mauigoa is “not considered a candidate for immediate surgery.” Still, some teams have requested additional imaging to learn more about the issue, and with nothing to hide, Mauigoa has agreed to undergo the additional testing.
Rapoport followed up his initial report to relay that “the initial belief is that this will not cause” Mauigoa to fall in the draft. Field Yates of ESPN’s sources also seemed to indicate that Mauigoa’s draft stock has not been “affected much, if at all.” Both reporters caution, though, that teams interested in Mauigoa will continue to monitor the situation as they fashion their draft boards and prepare for draft night.
Assuming his draft stock remains untouched over the next three weeks, Mauigoa is expected to be a top-10 pick. He’s been projected throughout the top half of the Day 1 picks, mocked as high as No. 2 overall and as low as 14th overall. He’s in competition with Utah’s Spencer Fano, Alabama’s Kadyn Proctor, and recently, Georgia’s Monroe Freeling for top lineman honors.
Chiefs To Host DE Rueben Bain
To no surprise, Rueben Bain remains one of the prospects taking several visits leading up to the NFL draft. The Miami edge rusher will meet with another interested team on Thursday.
Bain has a top 30 visit lined up with the Chiefs for today, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. That represents another team near the top of the first-round order which will meet in person with the 2025 ACC Defensive Player of the Year. Bain has previously taken visits with the Dolphins and Titans. Kansas City owns pick No. 9, which falls in between the Titans’ and Dolphins’ top selections.
The Chiefs have taken a look at some of the top receiver prospects in the 2026 class. Taking one would help an offense in need of a stronger showing in the passing game, but as expected Kansas City has looked into of number of pass rushers as well in recent days. The team has met with Ohio State’s Arvell Reese and Texas Tech’s David Bailey. Those two are expected to be the top edge rushers to come off the board, leaving Kansas City with the possibility of looking elsewhere at the position. That could very well result in Bain being selected.
During his three-year tenure with the Hurricanes, Bain amassed 20.5 sacks and 33.5 tackles for loss. He earned first-team All-American honors for his play in 2025, a year in which he and teammate Akheem Mesidor helped lead Miami to the national championship game. The team’s pass rush shone during the College Football Playoff, and Mesidor is also seen as a first-round prospect. Despite the fact he will enter the NFL as a 25-year-old rookie, Mesidor was recently reported to be viewed by some teams as a better player than Bain.
In any event, bringing in a notable pass rush presence early in the draft could be key for the Chiefs. The team released Mike Danna earlier this offseason, and Charles Omenihu departed in free agency. George Karlaftis is on the books through 2030 and former first-rounder Felix Anudike-Uzomah is still in the fold. Adding a starting-caliber edge rusher would nevertheless be impactful for Kansas City’s defense, a unit which ranked just 23rd in sacks last season.
Bain has been the subject of questions regarding his arm length, although that may not be a major concern amongst NFL evaluators. Especially if that remains the case, he will not need to wait long to hear his name called on the opening night of the draft.
Prospect Profile: Monroe Freeling
Ever since about the midway point of the 2025-26 NCAA season, the same few names have been atop 2026 NFL Draft position rankings for offensive lineman. Though some questions have arisen over whether these players will be guards or tackles at the next level, Miami’s Francis Mauigoa, Utah’s Spencer Fano, and Alabama’s Kadyn Proctor have repeatedly been projected as the first offensive linemen off the board in some order. In recent weeks, though, Monroe Freeling has started to test the boundary between those three and the rest of the draft class’s top linemen.
A member of the Class of 2023, Freeling was a top 10 offensive tackle recruit in the country, per 247Sports, receiving some five-star grades but not locking down a consensus five-star rating behind the likes of Proctor and Mauigoa. A gigantic prospect, it didn’t take long for Freeling to burst onto the recruiting scene.
Despite hiding out at Oceanside Collegiate Academy in South Carolina, Freeling received his first offers in his sophomore year, and they were big ones. His first offer came from the school he would eventually commit to, Georgia. Over the next few months several other big offers began to roll in. In the summer before his senior year, Freeling took official visits to Notre Dame, Florida, and Miami, as well as an unofficial visit (paid for on his own dime) to Alabama.
Committing to the Bulldogs in the final days of the summer, Freeling saved his final official visit for a trip to Athens in December. Two weeks later, he signed his letter of intent and enrolled about two more weeks after that. As the offensive line shuffled around pieces throughout his true freshman season, Freeling only saw the field in garbage time and special teams, appearing in nine contests and burning his redshirt. In his sophomore season, Freeling established a bigger role, starting the year as a core special teamer and coming off the bench as the Bulldogs’ primary swing tackle. Nine games into the season, he was asked to step in for a struggling, injured Earnest Greene III at left tackle, and he started the final five games of the season.
Freeling entered his junior year as the starting left tackle for Georgia, retaining the role from the end of his sophomore campaign. Despite earning that leading role, he was still very much an unfinished product. A high ankle sprain slowed him down a bit as the team got into SEC play, but he improved in each showing from week to week. Learning as he went, Freeling tended to rely heavily on his intelligence and physical gifts to make up for short-comings in his technique and abilities.
Those physical assets are a big reason he’s flown up draft boards lately. Ever since he started playing football, Freeling has worked hard to fill out his long, broad frame. He uses every inch of that frame to fill up space and absorb rushers. Unsurprising for a Georgia lineman, his biggest strengths are in the run game, where his burst off the ball gives him an early edge on moving defenders, and his raw power does a lot of work opening holes. That same quickness off the line gives him a good head start in pass pro, where he is alert and ready to defend against stunts and counters.
The longer plays go on, though, Freeling’s focus tends to slip. He can sometimes overextend himself in the run game, ending up on the ground a bit too often. Late in pass pro, he may stop moving his feet and get caught lunging at persistent, late rushers. He puts himself in good position when landing heavy hands on rushers, but when he goes too wide with his hands early and misses, defenders can have success getting into his body and using his high center of gravity to stand him up on his heels.
Overall, Freeling is a bit of a project but a quick, smart learner. He has elite size and excellent athleticism, but with only one full year of starting experience under his belt, any team drafting him will need to be prepared to put the finishing touches on him as an NFL tackle. Depending on whether or not a team feels confident in their ability to develop him, Freeling currently projects as a first-round prospect, improving on early second- to third-round projections. Daniel Jeremiah of NFL Network ranks Freeling as the 20th-best overall prospect and the fourth-best tackle, while Dane Brugler of The Athletic slots him at 17th overall and third for offensive tackles.
Freeling may fit best with a team that can afford to bring him up slowly into a starting role. If needed, though, Freeling’s time in Athens proved that he can succeed while learning on the job and could start right away, if needed. His elite physical traits will ensure he hears his name in the draft; the only question will be how early into the process it gets called.