The New Orleans Saints haven't had a player win Offensive Rookie of the Year since Alvin Kamara won the award in 2017. Tyler Shough got close last season but finished as the runner up. Former Saints safety Tyrann Mathieu is predicting Jordyn Tyson will end the near 10 year drought for New Orleans.
Mathieu points to Tyson coming to New Orleans a year after Shough and Kellen Moore, so the operation will be more seamless. Additionally, Chris Olave and Tyson provide a challenge for teams without two strong cornerbacks. If Mathieu is correct, that means the offseason hype around the Saints offense came true. Tyson likely surpassed 1000 yards, and the Saints put an explosive offense on the field. The best part about Mathieu's projection is it isn't hard to imagine.
Tyrann Mathieu explains why he’s predicting Jordyn Tyson to win OROY 👀
— In The Bayou With Tyrann Mathieu (@InTheBayouPod) May 12, 2026
“He’s playing with a quarterback who’s going to feed him, and he’s playing in a division where a lot of those teams aren’t two-deep at corner — so he and Chris Olave are going to have some opportunities.” pic.twitter.com/N2ThnihvLx
Jordyn Tyson could win Offensive Rookie of the Year for the same reason Tyler Shough lost
Shough was in a tight race with Carolina Panthers wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan. Two things worked against Shough in the race. Shough didn't play the entire season and McMillan's team had better overall success.
History will tell you it'll come down to a wide receiver or quarterback. Shough and McMillan were the top two options a year ago, and a quarterback and pass catcher have been first and second place for the majority of the last 7 years. In that span, a quarterback or wide receiver has won the award every year. Off last year's criteria, this should bode well for Tyson.
The prominent quarterback in the draft is Fernando Mendoza. Ty Simpson was also a first round pick, but he shouldn't see the field in 2026, barring injury. The Raiders have Kirk Cousins, and Klint Kubiak has expressed not wanting to play a rookie right away. It's still likely that Mendoza starts at some point, but it could be too late by then.
Shough only logged 9 starts. While it was a promising 9 starts, it did put him at a disadvantage when trying to catch McMillan. Cousins could keep Mendoza off the field for a while, and the less games Mendoza plays, the better for Tyson.
Additionally, the Saints should be a better team than the Raiders. The Raiders are in one of, if not, the most difficult divisions in football. It's doubtful they sniff the playoffs, and the Saints could win the division. Winning the division certainly helped McMillan's case. If the Saints have more success than the Raiders and Tyson has a productive and much larger body of work, Mathieu could be right.
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