Jordyn Tyson was not the first wideout taken on Thursday, but he has still turned out to be a top-10 selection. The Arizona State product has been taken eighth overall by the Saints.
The Saints were reportedly candidates to move up in the draft for an edge defender, but general manager Mickey Loomis stayed put and addressed another obvious weakness. New Orleans struck gold on receiver Chris Olave, the No. 11 pick in 2022, but had no other real threats at the position before drafting Tyson. Devaughn Vele performed well at the end of last year, but he finished with just 25 catches and 393 yards in 13 games. Other than Olave and Vele, no returning Saints wideout even hit the 20-catch mark last season.
Despite last season’s struggles, the Saints did not pick up any noteworthy receivers in the first couple of months of the offseason. That left the draft as their best bet to upgrade and bring in another weapon for second-year quarterback Tyler Shough. Carnell Tate became the first receiver off the board when the Titans chose him fourth overall, but Tyson may have the most upside of any wideout in this class. Durability is the main concern regarding Tyson, who had immense difficulty staying healthy during his four years in college.
The 6-foot-2, 203-pound Tyson began his college career in 2022 at Colorado. He averaged a superb 21.4 yards per catch on 22 receptions and scored four touchdowns in nine games, but his freshman year ended with a torn ACL, MCL and PCL. Tyson transferred to Arizona State the next year, though he played just three games and went without a catch. His production exploded over 12 games in 2024, when he piled up 75 receptions for 1,101 yards and 10 scores. However, another injury – a broken collarbone – ended his season.
Tyson concluded his time at ASU with a second straight first-team All-Big 12 effort in 2025, during which he caught 61 balls for 711 yards and eight TDs. His drop rate fell from 8.5% to a microscopic 1.6% in a one-year span. While Tyson’s production was outstanding, hamstring issues limited him to nine games.
Tyson’s hamstring remained problematic during the pre-draft process. The 21-year-old did not work out at the Combine or participate in ASU’s pro day, but he recovered in time to hold a workout for interested teams on April 17. It went well for Tyson, who impressed in front of 20-plus clubs, including the Saints.
Nooooooo