2026 mock draft: Saints miss out on Arch Manning, still draft a local favorite
Should the Saints trade up for him? What would it cost? Would it be worth it? In the end, Harbaugh has the Saints getting outbid for the first pick (owned by the New York Giants) after the Pittsburgh Steelers traded up from No. 15. With the draft appropriately held in Pittsburgh next spring, the Steelers gave up their second- and third-round picks in 2026 as well as their 2027 first- and third-round picks to move up 14 spots and select Manning.
That feels like an underpay to go from No. 15 to No. 1 in any year, but especially with the Giants needing a quarterback and having the nephew of their two-time Super Bowl champion Eli Manning on the board. Either way, it wasn't a deal the Saints could match, at least in this scenario. So who did they draft instead?
Harbaugh has the Saints staying put at No. 3, where they selected LSU Tigers passer Garrett Nussmeier. Here's what Harbaugh had to say about that pick:
The connection between New Orleans and the Nussmeier family is going to be hard to ignore this season, even with the contract that the Saints just gave Tyler Shough. The Saints' offense aims to be more dynamic and electric in the passing game, as Moore's offenses have demonstrated in the past.
He's right about that: if the Saints are bad enough to be picking top-three in 2026, it'll be because Shough wasn't good enough to lead them to wins or even hold down the starting job, and his contract won't keep them from rolling the dice on another quarterback. Obviously Nussmeier's fraternizing with Kellen Moore at minicamp and, you know, his father being the team's offensive coordinator are going to drive speculation. But will it really matter on draft day?
We'll see. Stranger things have happened in the NFL. Let's just hope the Saints beat these expectations and are closer to a playoff berth than a top-three draft pick in Moore's first year on the job.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
8 minutes ago
- USA Today
Pro Bowl WR shares bizarre reason he didn't go to Georgia
After helping his team win last year's Super Bowl, Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown has solidified his place as one of the league's top players. However, before his professional career took off, Brown was a highly sought-after high school recruit from Mississippi. During a recent appearance on the podcast "Pardon My Take," Brown revealed that he had considered playing for the University of Georgia but ultimately chose to commit to the Ole Miss Rebels. "I got recruited by Georgia, but I didn't choose Georgia because I don't like wearing black socks," said Brown. "That may be crazy, but I hate wearing them. Putting on black socks with black cleats is so hideous to me." Brown emphasized that he prefers the look of white cleats with white socks. One of the most notable college football teams to embrace black shoes was the Joe Paterno era Penn State Nittany Lions. His teams wore black shoes to try to look slower on tape. Not everybody is a fan of black shoes and players like A.J. Brown clearly don't like the look. Brown's decision to go to Ole Miss, which may seem strange to Georgia fans, led to Brown accumulating nearly 3,000 receiving yards in his three seasons with the Rebels. Following his successful college career, the Tennessee Titans selected him in the second round of the 2019 NFL draft. Follow UGAWire on X, Threads or Instagram for more Georgia football coverage!
USA Today
8 minutes ago
- USA Today
Fanatics Sportsbook Promo: Get Up to $300 Bonus for NFL Preseason Openers, MLB & More
The first full weekend of NFL preseason betting is finally here, as there are three games on tonight's schedule! You can bet on Colts-Ravens, Bengals-Eagles or Raiders-Seahawks after you open an account using the Fanatics Sportsbook promo offer. You will earn up to $300 in bonus bets or up to $1,000 in FanCash. The Fanatics Sportsbook promo offer is one of the leading sportsbook promos and allows you to choose your own offer with different sports betting bonuses depending on your location: NFL preseason games hold varied levels of importance for each of the league's 32 teams and that is no better demonstrated in the weekend's first game – Colts at Ravens. At +650, Baltimore is one of the Super Bowl co-favorites, along with the Eagles and Bills. Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson is the +500 preseason favorite to win his third MVP Award. The goal for the Ravens is smily to get through the preseason as healthy as possible. The Colts, meanwhile have a legitimate quarterback battle on their hands with incumbent starter Anthony Richardson looking to fend of the challenge of ex-Giant Daniel Jones. Richardson will get the first chance tonight but Jones will also play, Colts coach Shane Steichen said earlier this week. Bet on whatever interests you the most. Use one of the top sports betting apps to open an account. Tap any BET NOW button to use the Fanatics Sportsbook promo offer and earn up to $1,000 for bonus bets, guaranteed. Fanatics Sportsbook Promo: Register Now & Claim Bonus Up to $300 You're not limited to Thursday night NFL betting this weekend as there are games Friday, Saturday and Sunday as well. Just like the players coaches, you can get warmed up for the regular season after getting started with the Fanatics Sportsbook promo. The Fanatics app is your home for the latest NFL odds, specials, props and updated NFL betting promos all season long. The FedEx St. Jude Championship – the first of the three-legged FedExCup playoffs – teed off this morning from TPC Southwind in Memphis, with 69 of the Tour's top 70 players competing. The lone exception is world No. 2 Rory McIlroy, who is skipping the event because he already has enough points to advance to both the BMW Championship and the Tour Championship, which will be held over the next two weeks. Make sure to use the Fanatics Sportsbook promo offer to open an account and see the latest odds on every tournament, including next month's Ryder Cup from Bethpage Black in Long Island. Whatever you want to play, tap a BET NOW button to start the sign-up process. In just a few minutes, you'll be all set after using the Fanatics Sportsbook promo offer to activate an account. You'll get a new-customer welcome bonus of up to $300 in bonus bets or up to $1,000 in FanCash. How to Unlock the Fanatic Sportsbook Promo Welcome Offers In just a few simple steps you can lock in your Fanatics Sportsbook promo offer. The Fanatics Sportsbook promo bet-and-get offers require a $10 qualifying bet on odds of -500 or better. In MI, NJ and PA, that qualifying bet returns $100 in bonus bets each day for three days, totaling $300 in bonus bets. In AZ, CO, IL, IN, LA, MA, MD, NC, OH, TN, VA and WV, the $10 qualifying wager earns $50 in FanCash each day for five days, totaling $250 in bonus bets or merchandise. In DC, IA, KS, KY, VT and WY, plus those in the above listed states, make a designated No Sweat Bet each day for the first 10 days. In the event of a loss, you will receive a matching amount of up to $100 each day, which would total $1,000 in FanCash. If you choose any of these options, you will be automatically opted-in on Day 1 but you must opt-in manually on the subsequent days. Bettors in New York get a 100% profit boost daily for 10 days. Bonus bets distributed through any of the Fanatics Sportsbook promo offers will be deposited within 72 hours of placing your qualifying bet. Divide up your bonus bets however you choose but use them within seven days of being deposited before they expire. Whichever offer you choose depending on your location, don't wait another moment. Tap any BET NOW button and sign up today!
USA Today
8 minutes ago
- USA Today
bet365 Bonus Code SBKWIRE: Grab $150 Bonus Win or Lose for Thursday Night NFL, More
Sure, the Hall of Fame Game was last week, but the 2025 NFL preseason truly gets underway tonight with a three-game schedule featuring the Colts back in Baltimore vs the Ravens, the Raiders at the Seahawks and the Super Bowl-champion Eagles hosting the Bengals. These games and the rest of the NFL schedule will give new customers plenty of chances to grab the guaranteed $150 in bonus bets after they sign up using the bet365 bonus code SBKWIRE. First they need to register for a new account using the bet365 bonus code SBKWIRE and make a qualifying first wager of $5 or more. Regardless of the outcome of that bet, they'll receive $150 in bonus bets. These bonus bets can be broken up into any amounts and can be used to make any wagers you would like on odds of -500 or greater over the next seven days. Any winnings you accumulate while using the bonus bets are yours to keep. Bettors can also opt for a First Bet Safety Net welcome offer, which pays back a losing first bet with up to $1,000 in bonus bets. If baseball is more your speed, you can place your first bet tonight on Reds-Pirates game in Pittsburgh. Cincinnati was aggressive at the deadline, trading for pitcher Zack Littell and third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes as it tries to track down the Mets, who currently hold the third and final NL wild card position. The Reds, who took the first two games of a series with the Cubs in Chicago before dropping the finale, trail by three games. They'll have their hands full tonight, though, as Paul Skenes starts for the Pirates against Brady Singer. Wager on tonight's games or any other after signing up with the bet365 bonus code SBKWIRE and making a qualifying first bet to activate one of the industry's top sportsbook promos. Just click on any BET NOW button to get started. You'll be redirected to the bet365 welcome page, where you can use the QR code to download the bet365 app. This easy-to-navigate app earns a 4.8 ranking at the App Store, making it one of the highest-rated sports betting apps available. bet365 Bonus Code SBKWIRE - $150 in Bonus Bets or $1000 First-Bet Safety Net Place your qualifying first bet on any of this weekend's NFL preseason schedule without worry. If you bet $5 on the Raiders to win, you'll instantly receive the $150 in bonus bets, no matter the outcome. Looking to get started earlier with the bet365 bonus code SBKWIRE? The Leagues Cup – a two-year-old tournament that pits 18 qualifying MLS clubs against the 18 teams from Mexico's LIGA MX – continues tonight. bet365 is one of the best soccer betting sites in the world and offers boosted odds on nearly every match. For instance, in tonight's FC Cincinnati-Chivas Guadalajara match, bet365 has boosted the same-game parlay odds of an FC Cincinnati win, Ferreira Evander needing 2+ shots on target and Evander scoring a goal from +333 to +375. A $10 wager would return $47.50. You can bet on any game in the tournament after getting started with a new account with a simple click on any BET NOW button on this page. Be sure the exclusive bet365 bonus code SBKWIRE is entered during registration then select one of the welcome offers. Make a qualifying first bet and claim your promo bonus today! How to Sign Up for the bet365 Bonus Code SBKWIRE If you're 21 or older (in most states) and in one of the states where bet365 operates, you can sign up for a new account with a bet365 bonus code SBKWIRE in a matter of minutes. Here's how: A minimum deposit of $10 is required to participate in this offer. The deposit must be made in the 7 days prior to you claiming the offer. Offer must be claimed within 30 days of registering for a new account. First bet of $5 or more must be made on minimum odds of -500 and must settle 30 days. Bonus Bets can be broken up in any way, expire in seven days and carry a 1X playthrough.
