With their third round choice, the New Orleans Saints selected Georgia Bulldogs tight end Oscar Delp with the 73rd overall selection. Delp was the seventh of nine tight ends drafted through the first three rounds. He became the highest-drafted tight end by the Saints since they selected Cam Cleeland with the 40th pick in the 1998 draft.Previously, New Orleans had drafted Adam Trautman (105th overall in 2020) and Jimmy Graham (95th in 2010) with third round selections.
Of the 30 tight ends drafted in Saints franchise history, only Irv Smith (1993), Paul Seal (1974), Cleeland, John Tice (1983), and Hoby Brenner (1985) were higher picks.Delp was a bit of surprise in the third round. Especially with the Saints having yet to fill glaring needs at both cornerback and edge rusher. However, there's no doubting that Delp will continue an offensive upgrade by New Orleans this offseason.
We covered Delp in a scouting report done before the draft, and here's his expected fit with the Saints.StrengthsFluid athletePresents matchup problems for most linebackersExcellent quickness off the line to get rapid separationAccelerates into routes to set up fakesSoft hands/natural pass catcherExtends well to snag the throwGood technique and leverage as a blockerSets adequate blocking baseWeaknessesNeeds to be more consistently productive in trafficHasn't been a major running threat after the catchCan over-commit as a blocker and get caught off balance by countersMay need to add more bulk to maximize effectiveness as an in-line blockerOscar Delp has good length at 6-feet, 5 inches and 245 pounds. Playing his first two seasons at Georgia behind Brock Bowers, there weren't a lot of pass catching opportunities.
He'd still establish himself as a solid blocker and would develop into a nice matchup advantage for the Bulldogs.With Juwan Johnson coming off his best season and the free agent addition of Noah Fant, the selection of Oscar Delp with the ninth choice in the third round surprised some. However, you can see the vision from coach Kellen Moore. Delp will need to be a little stronger as a blocker, yet should be able to contribute in that area right away.
He'll also be a legitimate threat as a pass catcher, giving the Saints multiple ways to attack defenses with all three tight ends on the field. Oscar Delp is one of the better all-around tight ends in this year's draft and has the upside of a productive starter. At the very least, Delp gives the Saints their deepest tight end room in memory and gives quarterback Tyler Shough another weapon in his arsenal.This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: 2026 NFL Draft: Fit, scouting report for Saints tight end Oscar Delp