5 receivers the Saints should target in free agency and the 2024 NFL Draft
By Mason Duhon
Receiver prospects for Saints to target in Draft
14th overall. BTJ. player. . Brian Thomas Jr.. 529. . Brian Thomas Jr.. 1. Wide receiver
If the Saints decide to forego offensive tackle and swing on a receiver in the first round with the 14th overall pick, Brian Thomas Jr. is the way to go. Keeping the top-tier talent from LSU in-state has always been an issue for the Saints, and the Tigers have been a wide receiver factory for years now. The Saints would be perennially kicking themselves for passing up on a wideout of the same ilk as Justin Jefferson and Ja'Marr Chase.
If the Saints had their choice of LSU wideouts, Malik Nabers would be the one here, but the chances of him falling past the fifth-overall pick are slim to none. Even if the draft starts with a run of quarterbacks and offensive linemen, Nabers is still a lock for the top 10, so he won’t be available for New Orleans.
Make no mistake, though, Thomas Jr. is a monster: he measured in at 6-foot-3 and a biscuit short of 210 pounds, then proceeded to run a 4.33 40-yard dash and post 11 bench press reps. He lived in the end zone last season, posting an eye-popping 17 touchdowns. Thomas Jr. is an extremely high-upside prospect and the thought of pairing him with Olave should have Dennis Allen and offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak salivating.