Saints To Target WR, TE In Draft
APRIL 10: Cooper is, to little surprise, among the wideouts who will be hosted by the Saints on a top-30 visit, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. His visit will take place tomorrow and it will include other receiver prospects, another indication of New Orleans’ draft intentions.
APRIL 7: Saints quarterback Tyler Shough impressed as a rookie in 2025 despite a less-than-stellar supporting cast. Hoping to add more pass-catching threats ahead of Shough’s second season, the Saints plan to address wide receiver and tight end in the draft, according to Tony Pauline of Essentially Sports.
New Orleans traded Rashid Shaheed and waived Brandin Cooks last season, leaving the cupboard at receiver almost empty after No. 1 option Chris Olave. Devaughn Vele came on strong toward the end of the year, but he finished with just 25 catches and 393 yards in 13 games. Other than Olave and Vele, no returning Saints wideout even reached 20 catches last season. The team has not added any noteworthy receivers via free agency or trades, leaving the draft as its best avenue to upgrade.
Owners of the eighth overall pick, the Saints have set up visits with a pair of top-tier receiver prospects, Ohio State‘s Carnell Tate and USC‘s Makai Lemon. Either could be a possibility for New Orleans’ first selection. That spot is likely too high for Indiana’s Omar Cooper Jr., though he is a potential first-rounder. The Saints “spent extensive time” with Cooper and fellow Hoosiers wideout Elijah Sarratt after their pro day last week, Pauline relays. Sarratt may still be available in the third round, where the Saints hold the 73rd overall selection.
With 77 catches, 889 yards and three touchdowns during a second straight 17-game season in 2025, tight end Juwan Johnson was easily the Saints’ best aerial weapon behind Olave. The team has also added Noah Fant on a two-year deal in free agency. But Pauline nonetheless floats the possibility of the Saints using their first pick on Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq, who is riding the momentum of an excellent season and a scintillating Combine performance.
After Sadiq ran a 4.39-second 40-yard dash, the fastest for a tight end since at least 2003, perhaps the Saints will consider making him a rare top-10 pick at his position. Since the turn of the century, only six tight ends (Kyle Pitts, Kellen Winslow II, Vernon Davis, T.J. Hockenson, Eric Ebron and Colston Loveland) have come off the board in the first 10 choices.
As the Saints’ general manager since 2002, Mickey Loomis has never spent a second-rounder on a tight end, let alone a first. On the other hand, he has shown a willingness to draft a receiver in the first round, having grabbed Olave, Cooks, Robert Meacham and Donte’ Stallworth in his two-plus decades in charge.
Commanders To Host Omar Cooper Jr.; WR’s Stock Rising?
Omar Cooper Jr. has drawn interest from a number of teams as top-30 visits continue around the league. The Indiana receiver’s next meeting has been lined up.
Cooper will visit the Commanders today, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports. That will be the fifth team Cooper meets with during the pre-draft process, and Pelissero adds another four visits are scheduled in his case. Cooper has long been mentioned as a first-round prospect in the 2026 class.
Carnell Tate and Makai Lemon are widely seen as locks to be selected on Day 1 at the receiver position. Jordyn Tyson‘s stock may be dropping, but he too could come off the board during the opening round. Denzel Boston is another strong candidate to be selected early, and some teams view him as the second- or third-best WR in this year’s class. Cooper has often been viewed as a similar prospect to Boston in terms of his draft range, and widespread interest from NFL teams certainly points to a brief wait before he hears his name called.
Indeed, Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated writes some teams appear to rank Cooper alongside the best prospects at the receiver spot. Versatility will be key for Cooper, who spent four seasons with the Hoosiers. That included a major role on offense as part of Indiana’s championship-winning 2025 season, during which he set career highs in catches (69), yards (937) and touchdowns (13). An ability to play in the slot but also on the perimeter should help Cooper find a role early in his NFL career and make him an attractive option for numerous teams.
The Commanders could stand to add a starting-caliber WR during this year’s draft. Terry McLaurin remains in place, but Deebo Samuel is unsigned deep into free agency. Washington has long loomed as a logical landing spot in the event of a Brandon Aiyuk trade, although the 49ers may end up retaining him. In any event, the Commanders are waiting until a potential Aiyuk release, something which would allow them to pursue him as a free agent.
Washington owns the seventh overall pick, and taking Cooper at that point would likely be considered a reach. The team’s next selection is No. 71, however, by which point he will surely be off the board. A trade down the first-round order may make Cooper more viable, although the Commanders have looked into a number of other prospects likely to be on the board when they are first on the clock.
Steelers, Jets Eyeing Indiana WR Omar Cooper Jr.
Omar Cooper Jr. is generating significant pre-draft buzz, with the Steelers and the Jets among the teams with interest in the Indiana wide receiver.
Cooper has been a steady riser throughout the pre-draft process and now finds himself as a potential first-round pick after visits to the Panthers, Browns, and Cowboys. He is also “in play” for the Steelers’ first-round pick (No. 21 overall), per Essentially Sports’ Tony Pauline, with the Jets considering him with the first of their two second-rounders.
Seen as an NFL-ready slot receiver, Cooper would fill major needs in Pittsburgh and New York. The Steelers specifically need his skillset on the inside. Trading for Michael Pittman Jr. created a strong boundary duo with D.K. Metcalf, but neither spends much time in the slot. The Steelers instead used tight ends Pat Freiermuth and Jonnu Smith to fill those snaps, but new head coach Mike McCarthy will be looking to run more three-receiver sets. His current depth options of Roman Wilson and Ben Skrowonek do not profile as true No. 3 receivers in his scheme.
That requires a true slot, and Cooper could fit the bill. He lined up in the slot for more than 80% of his snaps in 2025 and ranked 17th in yards and 30th in catches in that alignment nationwide, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). He also forced 27 missed tackles after the catch, the fourth-most in the FBS, with just five drops on 155 targets in the last three years. The former quality will be especially beneficial to a Steelers receiver room that forced just 18 missed tackles in 2025. Metcalf and Pittman are also both 29 years old, so Cooper would represent the long-term future of the unit.
The Jets have a similar, albeit younger, one-two punch leading their receiving corps in Garrett Wilson and Adonai Mitchell. Both primarily line up on the outside, again creating a natural fit for Cooper in the slot. New York’s need at receiver is dire enough to use one of their two first-round picks on the position, but the No. 2 pick seems to be earmarked for an edge rusher.
Carnell Tate and Makai Lemon, the consensus top two receiver prospects, will likely be gone by the time the Jets are back on the clock at 16. Cooper would be a solid fallback option for the 33rd pick, if he falls that far.
WR Omar Cooper Jr. To Visit Panthers
Despite spending their past two first-round picks on wide receivers, the Panthers could go back to the well this year. They will host Indiana receiver Omar Cooper Jr. on a “30” visit, Jordan Reid of ESPN reports.
After redshirting as a freshman, Cooper finished with 18 catches for 267 yards and two touchdowns in nine games in 2023. Like the rest of the Indiana program, though, Cooper found another gear under head coach Curt Cignetti from 2024-25.
While Cooper only had 28 receptions in 13 games in Cignetti’s first season, he averaged a jaw-dropping 21.2 yards per catch and hauled in seven touchdowns. The 6-foot, 200-pounder moved to the slot last year and played an integral role in the Hoosiers’ 16-0, national title-winning campaign. Teaming up with quarterback Fernando Mendoza, who transferred from California, Cooper finished with 69 catches, 937 yards (13.6 YPC) and 13 receiving TDs.
Both Mendoza, who is all but guaranteed to go No. 1 overall, and Cooper are riding high as the draft nears. Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com ranks Cooper as the 18th-best prospect in this year’s class, writing that he “fits the exact model of wideouts finding immediate success in the NFL.”
With the Panthers holding the 19th pick, Cooper could be in their wheelhouse. The team has “done a lot of work on receivers” leading up to the draft, according to Reid. The Panthers have made big draft investments at the position in recent years, though they haven’t all worked out. Terrace Marshall (2021) and Jonathan Mingo (2023) are out of the organization after flopping as second-rounders under previous general manager Scott Fitterer. Dan Morgan, then a rookie GM, traded into the first round in 2024 to take Xavier Legette 32nd overall. Legette has since posted unspectacular numbers, though 2025 eighth overall selection Tetairoa McMillan had a tremendous first season en route to Offensive Rookie of the Year honors.
The Panthers also have a young slot receiver in two-year veteran Jalen Coker, but there is room to add another talented pass catcher like Cooper to aid quarterback Bryce Young. While the Panthers will exercise Young’s fifth-year option, they will need to see more from the 2023 No. 1 pick before doling out an extension.
Cowboys Arrange Several Pre-Draft Visits
Like all teams, the Cowboys are busy lining up visits and workouts with prospects in this year’s draft. A list of early targets in Dallas’ case has emerged. 
Omar Cooper Jr. is set to visit the team today, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports. The Indiana wideout is one of many receiving first-round consideration. Investing heavily at the WR position with CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens in place would come as a surprise, although Pickens’ future beyond 2026 is unclear. The Cowboys own picks 12 and 20 in this year’s draft.
Adding on defense is widely expected to be a priority for Dallas after the team’s struggles on that side of the ball in 2025. Several moves have already taken place early in the new league year, and more are no doubt coming via the draft. Clarence Hill Jr. of All City DLLS notes the Cowboys had dinner with linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. in advance of Texas’ Pro Day. Logan Wilson recently retired, while Kenneth Murray is unlikely to be retained. Jack Sanborn departed in free agency, meanwhile, creating the need for starting options and depth at the second level of Dallas’ defense.
Hill, who racked up 31.5 tackles for loss and 17 sacks in three years with the Longhorns, could certainly help if the Cowboys choose to draft him. The team’s secondary has also been a focus so far in free agency, with multiple cornerback additions being made. That has certainly not stopped interested from being shown in some of the top prospects at the position, however.
The Cowboys will also spend Thursday hosting Miami’s Keionte Scott, ESPN’s Jordan Reid reports. Scott began his college career in the SEC, spending three years at Auburn. His transfer to the Hurricanes proved impactful for team and player. Scott returned both of his interceptions for touchdowns in 2025 while adding a pair of forced fumbles, 13 tackles for loss and five sacks. One of this year’s top slot CB options has also lined up a visit with the Commanders.
In addition to their two first-round picks, the Cowboys own six other selections in April’s draft. That will provide the team with ample opportunity to add one or more impact rookies while aiming to avoid a repeat of how last season played out.
Browns Making WR A Potential First-Round Focus
The Browns aren’t doing much to hide one of their main focuses for the 2026 NFL Draft. Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com reported yesterday that the team has hosted several wide receivers for top 30 visits in the past few days. 
Cleveland hasn’t lost much in its receiving corps to free agency and, just this week, added former Ravens return specialist Tylan Wallace to the room. The Browns are set to return Jerry Jeudy, Isaiah Bond, and Cedric Tillman to a passing attack that finished second-to-last in the NFL last year on the arms of three competing quarterbacks. Though things may still change, this year’s group isn’t expected to be dealing with as much uncertainty, with the expectation being that second-year passer Shedeur Sanders will compete with a recovering Deshaun Watson for QB1 honors.
Given the sheer number of returning bodies at the position, Cleveland likely isn’t aiming to build depth. Based on their early reported visits, the aim appears to be adding a starting-caliber receiver that can complement the playmakers currently in the building. We saw yesterday their plans to host Washington wideout Denzel Boston days after bringing in Arizona State’s Jordyn Tyson and Ohio State’s Carnell Tate (as well as Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson). Considering those three pass catchers are three of NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah’s top five receivers, a first-round wideout could easily be in the Browns’ immediate future.
Those three aren’t alone in competition for Cleveland’s favor, though. Per Cabot, USC’s Makai Lemon, Indiana’s Omar Cooper Jr., Alabama’s Germie Bernard, and Louisville’s Chris Bell have all been subjects of the Browns’ pre-draft homework. The team has hosted all of them at some point in the past few days, as well as Miami (FL) offensive tackle Markel Bell, Oklahoma edge rusher R Mason Thomas, and Toledo safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren.
It doesn’t seem the Browns are looking for any one particular attribute in a potential first-round receiver. The prospects they’ve looked at thus far range in body size, speed, and abilities. Some excel at making contested catches, while others specialize in yards after catch, and others still make route-running an art. Whether they’re looking for an upgrade in the slot, a big-bodied red-zone target, or someone to take the top off the defense, they appear to have no shortage of options or interests.
2026 NFL Draft Visits: Browns, Cooper, Proctor
Though free agency is dominating the news feed this week, the 2026 NFL Draft is fast-approaching and teams around the league have been welcoming draft prospects for top 30 visits. The Browns got busy with these early into March, hosting Arizona State wide receiver Jordyn Tyson on March 4, per Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. Per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, Cleveland hosted Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson and Ohio State wide receiver Carnell Tate the next day.
The Browns’ passing attack struggled in 2025, ranking 31st in the NFL. Cleveland didn’t have a 1,000-yard receiver for the first time since 2021. Despite playing every game this year, WR1 Jerry Jeudy‘s receiving line totals (50 receptions-602 yards-2 touchdowns) were nearly all half what they were in 2024 (90-1,229-4). The team’s leading receiver in 2025 was third-round rookie tight end Harold Fannin (72-731-6).
Seeing this, it makes sense the Browns are looking to add elite talent to the receiving corps. Daniel Jeremiah at NFL.com ranks Tate as the sixth-best prospect in the class and the best wide receiver, slotting Tyson in at 21st overall and WR4. Both pass-catchers are explosive playmakers with prototypical size and length. They own similar skillsets when it comes to their control of changing speed and direction, but Tyson slides down the board a bit as some health issues in college have led to durability questions.
Simpson is the bridge between projected No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza and the rest of the QB crop projected to go in the third or fourth round of the draft. Simpson is currently hovering near the back of the first round in most projection but could easily jump up if a quarterback-needy team gets antsy. After only playing one season as a starter in college, some scouts feel Simpson would benefit from sitting and developing a year or two before starting. The Browns currently are slated to watch Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders battle for the QB1 job. The team could consider drafting Simpson to sit behind them both for a year before competing for the job himself.
Here are a few other draft visits from around the league:
- According to Luca Evans of The Denver post, the Broncos hosted Indiana wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. this past Friday. Jeremiah slots Cooper in at 18th overall and WR3. The AFC West Champs return all their top receivers from last year but may be looking for more consistent production in an upgrade at the WR3 role. Alongside many transfer additions, Cooper’s championship season with the Hoosiers was the culmination of four years of work from the bottom. He led the No. 1 team in the country in receptions (69) and receiving yards (937) and finished second on the team in receiving touchdowns (13).
- Lastly, the Texans hosted Alabama offensive tackle Kadyn Proctor on March 6, per Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2. The Texans return three starters on the offensive line from last year, and signed Braden Smith and Evan Brown to potentially fill the empty two spots. Still, the Texans have struggled to find consistent lineups on the interior line and could benefit by adding a lineman in the draft to compete at both guard and tackle, allowing Smith to do the same. Proctor slots in as Jeremiah’s 23rd-best overall prospect and the sixth-best offensive lineman.