New Orleans Saints 2023 NFL Draft Primer

Whether it's your first day or last day of getting in the know for the NFL Draft, here's everything you need to know about it regarding the Saints and more.

It's officially draft day! Here's your 2023 New Orleans Saints draft primer. Be sure to check out our draft hub that has all things related to the black and gold, with everything you need to know ahead of the three-day event.

NFL Draft Schedule

• Round 1: Thursday, Apr. 27 at 7 p.m. CT
• Rounds 2-3: Friday, Apr. 28 at 6 p.m. CT
• Rounds 4-7: Saturday, Apr. 29 at 11 a.m. CT

HOW TO WATCH: NFL Network, ABC, ESPN and ESPN Deportes

HOW TO STREAM: YouTube TV, Hulu+ Live TV, Fubo TV and Sling TV

FULL NFL DRAFT ORDER: Rounds 1-7

SAINTS NEWS NETWORK LIVE SHOW LINK: The Bayou Blitz

Saints 2023 Draft Picks

Apr 28, 2022; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Ohio State wide receiver Chris Olave celebrates with fans after being selected as the eleventh overall pick to the New Orleans Saints during the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft at the NFL Draft Theater. Mandatory Credit: Gary Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

• Round 1, No. 29 (from SF through MIA and DEN)
• Round 2, No. 40
• Round 3, No. 71
• Round 4, No. 115
• Round 5, No. 146
• Round 5, No. 165 (from PHI)
• Round 7, No. 227
• Round 7, No. 257 (compensatory)

What to Expect From the Saints

KEY NEEDS: DT, DE, RB, WR, LB, S, OL

New Orleans started working the phone lines on Wednesday afternoon, as Mickey Loomis had conversations with other general managers to find out who may want to trade down. That will continue leading up to the Day 1 festivities. Familiar trade partners would be a key theme to watch when the Saints wheel and deal, and where to pay attention to them moving would be in the back-half of the draft. By pick No. 18, that could be prime territory for the Saints to trade up if they want to get their guy.

It's hard to see New Orleans actually making all of their eight picks. They've made seven in a couple of recent drafts (2017 and 2018), but 2015 was the most picks they selected (nine) since 2002. Key needs exist across the roster, but perhaps none bigger than defensive tackle. There's cases to be made for other spots, and some could be addressed after the draft.

Saints News Network Draft Coverage

New Orleans Saints EVP and GM Mickey Loomis; Credit:© Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

• Saints Pre-Draft Visits and Workouts
• Mickey Loomis Pre-Draft Press Conference Takeaways | Video
• Saints Mock Draft 1.0
• Saints-Ohio State Draft Connection Keeps Growing
• Mark Evans II On Mentorship of Former Saints Willie Roaf, Terron Armstead
• Small School TEs Could Provide Big Results for Saints in Draft
• Saints: With An Aging Roster, Infusion of Youth Required
• NFL Mock Draft Simulator 2.0: Odds of Saints' First-Round Prospects 'Available' and 'Taken'
• Saints Draft QB Hendon Hooker in Sports Illustrated FanNation NFL Mock
• Saints Workout Dual-Threat QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson
• The Saints Beat: Draft Strategies of NFC South Foes
• NFL Mock Draft Simulator: Saints Strengthen the Defensive Line at No. 29
• Saints Draft Prospects: 2 HBCU Linebackers for New Orleans to Consider
• NFL Mock Draft Simulator 3.0: Predicting the Saints' 7-round NFL Draft
• Report: Saints Doing 'Extra Homework' on Pitt Defensive Tackle
• The Saints Beat: NFL Mock Draft Simulator 4.0, Final Mocks, Ranking Needs
• Saints: Cam Jordan's Mock Draft
• NFL Mock Draft Simulator 5.0: Final Saints 7-Round Selections

Saints Draft Outlooks

Bryan Bresee, DT, Clemson Ncaa Football Syracuse At Clemson; Credit:© Ken Ruinard / USA TODAY NETWOR

• Quarterback
• Running Back 
• Wide Receiver 
• Tight End 
• Interior Offensive Lineman 
• Offensive Tackle 
• Defensive End
• Defensive Tackle
• Linebacker
• Cornerback
• Safety

Saints Draft Profiles

Feb 2, 2023; Mobile, AL, USA; American running back Tyjae Spears of Tulane (22) practices during the third day of Senior Bowl week at Hancock Whitney Stadium in Mobile. Mandatory Credit: Vasha Hunt-USA TODAY Sports

• Tyjae Spears, RB, Tulane
• Dorian Williams, LB, Tulane
• Dalton Kincaid, TE, Utah
• Parker Washington, WR, Penn State
• Ji'Ayir Brown, S, Penn Sate
• Kenny McIntosh, RB, Georgia
• Jonathan Mingo, WR, Ole Miss
• Bijan Robinson, RB, Texas
• Roschon Johnson, RB, Texas
• DeWayne McBride, RB, UAB
• Sam LaPorta, TE, Iowa
• Xavier Hutchinson, WR, Iowa State
• Bryce Ford-Wheaton, WR, West Virginia
• Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Alabama
• Zack Kuntz, TE, Old Dominion
• Tucker Kraft, TE, South Dakota State
• Luke Schoonmaker, TE, Michigan
• Jordan Addison, WR, USC
• Tank Bigsby, RB, Auburn
• A.T. Perry, WR, Wake Forest
• Darnell Washington, TE, Georgia
• Chase Brown, RB, Illinois
• Jalin Hyatt, WR, Tennessee
• Cedric Tillman, WR, Tennessee
• Adetomiwa Adebawore, DL, Northwestern
• Michael Mayer, TE, Notre Dame
• Zach Charbonnet, RB, UCLA
• Jartavius Martin, DB, Illinois
• Bryan Bresee, DT, Clemson
• Ben VanSumeren, LB, Michigan State
• Jack Campbell, LB, Iowa
• Quentin Johnston, WR, TCU 
• Luke Musgrave, TE, Oregon State
• Israel Abanikanda, RB, Pitt
• Hendon Hooker, QB, Tennessee
• Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Ohio State
• Clayton Tune, QB, Houston
• Cody Mauch, North Dakota State
• Matthew Bergeron, T, Syracuse
• McClendon Curtis, T, Tennessee-Chattanooga
• Sidy Sow, T/G, Eastern Michigan
• Nick Saldiveri, G/T, Old Dominion
• O'Cyrus Torrence, G, Florida
• Darnell Wright, T, Tennessee
• Joe Tippmann, C/G, Wisconsin
• Calijah Kancey, DT, Pitt
• Myles Murphy, DE, Clemson
• Mazi Smith, DT, Michigan
• Daiyan Henley, LB, Washington State
• Isaiah McGuire, DE, Missouri
• Keion White, DE, Georgia Tech
• Chris Rodriguez, RB, Kentucky
• Zach Evans, RB, Ole Miss
• Keeanu Benton, DT, Wisconsin
• Zacch Pickens, DT, South Carolina
• Lukas Van Ness, DE, Iowa