We're far from the NFL Draft, but Pro Football Focus' 2027 mock draft simulator is already running. A mock draft simulator this early doesn't hold much value for predicting a pick yet, but it does give an overview of team outlook. PFF has some bad news for the New Orleans Saints and NFC South.
The entire NFC South is within the top 15. Technically speaking, that's not possible since those are all non-playoff draft picks. Regardless, that just goes to show you how the division is being viewed.
The division has been one of the worst in football for the last couple of seasons, and the mock draft simulator suggests that won't change in 2026. For the Saints, they improve to second best in the division, behind the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but that doesn't say much when the end result is the 10th overall pick.
Picking in the top 10 would be an objective failure for the Saints
It's hard to truly narrow down what expectations should be for the Saints in 2026. They've collected a ton of talent that has elevated the ceiling significantly. Time will tell if the Saints will reach that ceiling.
While it may be hard to say exactly what expectations should be for the Saints, it is clearly not this. If the Saints finish in the top-10, this would be an objective failure. It would mark the third season in a row the Saints are on the clock in the first 10 selections.
The mood around the Saints is more so about whether or not they can be a playoff team. That's what feels like is within their reach. At the worst, you want to see a visual improvement in the team from last year to this year.
Being second best in a bad division would be an improvement in divisional standing, but it doesn't suggest an actual improvement as a team. They'd more likely than not once again have a losing season.
The underwhelming state of the NFC South makes the prediction even more disappointing. It would be one thing if PFF suggested a return to power for the division. It would still sting, but it would sting differently.
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