What if the New Orleans Saints ride out this rebuild into Year 3 with Kellen Moore? That feels more likely with the NFC South still looking awfully winnable after Week 8's games. The Saints rested during their bye week while two of their three division rivals lost, and now New Orleans is only 1.5 games out of first place despite technically ranking last in the standings. If Moore can show some growth and win some games in the back half of the season, he very well might get another offseason to restock the depth chart and make a run at the playoffs in 2027. So what could that look like?

Taken with the free agency signings, re-signings, and salary cap moves from our 2027 mock offseason, we've used the updated 2027 draft order after Week 8's games to run another mock draft. If you haven't read that mock offseason already (and you should), we got the Saints under the 2027 salary cap by $80 million and made big investments in the defensive line, pass rush, secondary, and rushing attack. But there's still work to do. Using the NFL Stock Exchange Mock Draft Simulator, we projected all seven rounds and used the Saints' six picks to try and improve this depth chart. Here's how we did.

Round 1, Pick 8: LB Chris Cole, Georgia

Kellen Moore saw the value of a talented linebacker firsthand when the Dallas Cowboys drafted Leighton Vander Esch and Micah Parsons in the first round, and Cole could be a major difference-maker in New Orleans. He's been one the fastest risers in college football after replacing CJ Allen (a second-round pick by the Indianapolis Colts this year) in the starting lineup. Listed at 6-foot-3 and 235 pounds with rumored 4.4 speed, Cole has been credited with 24 quarterback pressures (3.5 sacks), 9.5 tackles for loss, six passes defensed, and three fumble recoveries (scoring two touchdowns) in eight games at Georgia this season. He's only missed five tackles and hasn't drawn a single penalty flag, too. If he declares, the junior has a good shot at going top-12 based off the lays he's put on tape this season. Pete Werner could be traded or released after struggling to run Brandon Staley's defense.

Round 2, Pick 39: S Jaylen McClain, Ohio State

McClain is coming off his worst game at Ohio State but his larger body of work speaks for itself. He's an experienced free safety who has done a great job limiting big plays over the top in three years at Ohio State. He's largely played mistake-free football with just one penalty and six missed tackles on more than 1,200 snaps. While he isn't known for creating turnovers (a single forced fumble and two interceptions in 37 games), he does bring stability to a New Orleans pass defense that has missed it. Justin Reid has missed eight tackles this season and 19 of them total since signing with the Saints last year, while drawing three penalties along the way. Reid has played just three more snaps with the Saints than McClain has for the Buckeyes. This is an opportunity to get a lot better (and younger) on the back end.

Round 3, Pick 72: OT PJ Williams, SMU

We need a better swing tackle even if Asim Richards is brought back (and he should. It's not his fault Kellen Moore is giving him the same assignments as Kelvin Banks Jr. with even less help), and Williams is a very appealing prospect. He's logged over 1,700 snaps at right tackle in four years at SMU while sporadically filling in on the left side when needed (729 career snaps at left tackle). He did a good job cutting down on penalties after his first full year as a starter (12 of them in 2024, eight flags between 2025 and 2026 put together) and has steadily improved in pass protection while doing his best work when the Mustangs run behind him on zone concepts. At 6-foot-5 and 306 pounds with a rumored seven-foot wingspan, he should be a standout at the NFL Scouting Combine.

Round 4, Pick 109: WR Isaiah Sategna III, Oklahoma

Wide receiver remains a need until Jordyn Tyson gets on the field and Bryce Lance starts catching the balls thrown his way. Sategna broke out after transferring to Oklahoma from Arkansas last year (totaling 66 receptions for 960 yards and eight touchdowns), and the 5-foot-10, 185-pound slot receiver has remained an important piece of the Sooners offense in 2026, leading the team in catches (45) and yards (591). He's also an interesting compliment to Barion Brown on special teams. While Brown was stronger on kickoff returns than fielding punts in college (and he's averaging 26.1 yards per kick return this year), Sategna is the opposite. His numbers on kickoffs are more pedestrian (21.4) while averaging 11.6 yards per punt return with two career touchdowns. The new kickoff rules mean they could coexist while giving Sategna the nod on punts.

Round 5, Pick 147: RB Dylan Riley, Boise State

Here's the big-play threat in the backfield we've been looking for. Riley has rushed for 1,000 yards in each of the last two years at Boise State, and he's up to 25 touchdowns in 33 games (he scored on a 96-yard kick return as a freshman in 2024). While he isn't as well-rounded on passing downs as a blocker and receiver, his ability to pick up chunks of yardage and maximize his touches out of the backfield are enough to take a flier on him. Alvin Kamara and Kendre Miller are both free agents, so the Saints should be looking for fresh legs behind Travis Etienne Jr. even with CJ Donaldson coming back (and enticing free agents like Emanuel Wilson waiting out there in the spring). Kellen Moore hasn't shown much affinity for his fellow Boise State Broncos, but maybe the value here is too good to pass up.

Round 6, Pick 180: K Luke Drzewiecki, Minnesota

Drzewiecki wasn't an option in the mock draft machine, but he should be soon. He put himself on everyone's radar by hitting a clutch 60-yard field goal to push the reigning-champ Indiana Hoosiers to overtime. And he's got an interesting story. Drzewiecki spent four years with New Mexico, showing improvement year over year and making 94.7% of his field goals last season. He initially turned pro, was not drafted, and spent a weekend with the Baltimore Ravens as an invited tryout to their rookie minicamp. He was granted a fifth year of college eligibility and transferred to Minnesota just before the season started and has nailed every single kick asked of him: 15 field goals (going 3-for-3 from 50-plus yards) and 14 extra point attempts (he's 134-of-136 in his career). He's proven he's worth drafting, especially for a Saints team that can't make their own kicks. He'll at least compete with Charlie Smyth and any kickers New Orleans targets in free agency, but you'd expect him to win the job and make a positive impact in games.

Recapping our draft

• Round 1, Pick 8: LB Chris Cole, Georgia

• Round 2, Pick 39: S Jaylen McClain, Ohio State

• Round 3, Pick 72: OT PJ Williams, SMU

• Round 4, Pick 109: WR Isaiah Sategna III, Oklahoma

• Round 5, Pick 147: RB Dylan Riley, Boise State

• Round 6, Pick 180: K Luke Drzewiecki, Minnesota

Here's a look at the updated 90-man depth chart with all of the moves we've made so far (new additions are underlined, players over 30 in Sept. 2027 are highlighted in gold text, and the 53-man roster is projected in green. Don't get too wrapped up in the pecking order):

We found upgrades at the second and third level of the defense early on while improving the offensive depth chart later in the draft, and hopefully solved our kicking problems. This wasn't a perfect draft; higher-valued positions like cornerback and edge rusher were not addressed, but that's why we re-signed Martin Emerson Jr. and brought in Tuli Tuipulotu as free agents in our mock offseason. The end goal of fielding a faster, younger defense with real talent on top of the depth chart was achieved. Replacement-level starters like Pete Werner, Justin Reid, Julian Blackmon, and Carl Granderson have all been pushed down into rotational roles (or pushed off the team entirely). The defensive line looks much better on paper with Moro Ojomo and Tommy Togiai starting, moving Nathan Shepherd and Colby Wooden into backup roles with Vernon Broughton and a contract-year Bryan Bresee coming back. It's fair to have reservations about this coaching staff and Kellen Moore's vision for the team. But if the Saints are sticking with Moore, Brandon Staley, and their playbooks, a draft like this one and heavy free agency investments could help turn things around.