Were you one of the New Orleans Saints fans criticizing the team for picking Jordyn Tyson in the 2026 NFL Draft? The former Arizona State wide receiver was a divisive prospect with obvious playmaking ability but a concerning injury history. It wasn't a decision the Saints made lightly; Tyson had been on their radar since last spring. Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer shined some light on just how much legwork the Saints put in to evaluating Tyson.
"Over the course of the past year, New Orleans had assistant GM Jeff Ireland, senior personnel advisor Randy Mueller, national scout Terry Wooden and area scout Mike Di Julio go through Tempe on school calls. They met with him after the Sun Devils’ first pro day in March, brought him to New Orleans on a 30 visit and sent receivers coach Keith Williams to ASU for Tyson’s personal pro day the Friday before the draft," Breer wrote.
The Saints needed to put this much scrutiny into scouting Tyson because of his injury history. His 2022 freshman year ended with a knee injury that sidelined him for all of 2023. He suffered a broken collarbone in 2024, and missed three games with a hamstring issue in 2025. Breer reports that all of that work convinced the Saints Tyson wouldn't have recurring injuries related to his ailments at the college level. It also convinced decision-makers in New Orleans that Tyson's arrow is trending up.
"They also saw him, as a result of all that missed time, as still developmental," Breer continued. "Because he didn’t run a 40 or shuttles, or do the jumps, the tape would have to dictate the decision, outside of the 15-or-so routes he ran in Tempe on April 17. And what the Saints saw there was a big, 205-pound wideout, with a well-built lower half and the bone structure to grow, who moved like a 5' 8" slot receiver. So where he’d start as a complement to Chris Olave in New Orleans, there was a great opportunity for him to grow into much more than that."
Olave is expected to sign a long-term contract extension that should line up with Tyson's own rookie deal -- structured in four years plus a fifth-year option in 2030. By the time Tyson is up for a big-money deal of his own, the idea goes, Olave may be on his third contract. It's possible the Saints could have to choose between the two of them. If Tyson can stay healthy, round out his game, and meet his potential? It could be a very difficult conversation. But that's a good problem to have. It means both receivers are playing well, scoring touchdowns, and helping New Orelans win football games. And that's the big-picture goal.
This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: Saints spent a full year scouting Jordyn Tyson before drafting him
