New Orleans Saints general manager Mickey Loomis indicated that he won't be changing his draft philosophy anytime soon. This makes the team a prime candidate for trading back into the first round, but only if someone like Denzel Boston or Caleb Banks is still on the board.
First suggested by David Latham of Last Word On Sports, the Saints are one of three teams that could trade up to the 32nd overall pick. It fits their draft philosophy, and if Loomis thinks that a star player is available, he'll likely make the calls and go get his guy. However, the matter of who that player will be varies on who they pick at eight. If they draft an offensive player with their first pick, it ups the odds for them to trade back up for a player on the other side of the ball.
One player who would be worth a trade up is defensive lineman Caleb Banks. Limited to just three games last year, he's shown in his college career and in the Senior Bowl that he has the dawg in him. Through 34 games played, the 6'6", 327lb man gathered 48 tackles, 6.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, and one pass defense. He's also expected to be cleared for football in June, which is good news for NFL teams. However, as elite as Banks is, he's not the only guy the Saints could trade up for.
Denzel Boston is a prime candidate for Saints to trade up for
If they go the defensive route, the Saints would likely only trade up for a wide receiver. It's one of their biggest areas of need, and the draft this year is ripe with talent.
A wide receiver that would be worthy of a trade-up is Washington's Denzel Boston. He was named Third-team All-Big 10 in 2025, and his stock has been on the rise since spring arrived. For good reason too. He caught 74.9% of the passes thrown his way last season.
Boston has also shown a particular talent in contested catch situations, with a 61% rate over his college career. It's one part of his game that really stood out last season. Boston caught 76.9% of his contested balls. That's something that's one of the less-said needs for the Saints, and it makes Boston an even more valuable prospect.
Washington X-WR Denzel Boston (6-4 209) waited his turn behind Rome Odunze, Ja’Lynn Polk, Jalen McMillan, & Germie Bernard; all drafted in the first three rounds of the Draft
— Clint Goss (@NFLDraftDome) December 25, 2025
🐺Strong hands pluck the ball out of the air (<5% drop rate)
🐺High-pointer (54%+ contested catches)… https://t.co/jHEMN94mL1 pic.twitter.com/OIUaKUiL5V
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