New Orleans Saints announce 55-man roster, tryouts for rookie minicamp
· Yahoo Sports
We've got our first look at the roster of players competing at this weekend's New Orleans Saints rookie minicamp, and there's a lot to go through. Between the Saints' picks in the 2026 NFL Draft, their crop of undrafted free agents, a handful of returning players under contract, and a couple of dozen tryouts, it's a 55-man list. Here's a quick look at each group with some highlights and storylines to watch in the days ahead.
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Remember, this is rookie minicamp -- not the big show with many veteran players and familiar names in the mix. Guys like Tyler Shough, Chase Young, and Chris Olave have been working at the team facility every day but the field is off-limits for these two practice sessions. We'll get a look at the full team together in just a few weeks.
2026 NFL Draft picks (8)
- WR Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State
- WR Bryce Lance, North Dakota State
- WR/KR Barion Brown, LSU
- TE Oscar Delp, Georgia
- OL Jeremiah Wright, Auburn
- DT Christen Miller, Georgia
- CB TJ Hall, Iowa
- S Lorenzo Styles Jr., Ohio State
All eight rookie draft picks are accounted for, though we'll have to see if Styles has recovered enough from labrum surgery in February to practice. Everyone else should be full-go.
Undrafted free agents (10)
- RB CJ Donaldson, Ohio State
- OT Alan Herron, Maryland
- OT Alex Wollschlaeger, Kentucky
- TE Cody Hardy, North Carolina State
- K Mason Shipley, Texas
- DL Keeshawn Silver, USC
- DL Jay'Viar Suggs, Wisconsin
- EDGE Mike Heldman, Central Michigan
- CB DaShawn Jones, Alabama
- CB Jeremiah McClendon, Southern Illinois
All ten rookie free agents the Saints have announced deals with have signed and are on the minicamp roster -- which excludes defensive lineman Zxavian Harris. Multiple reports have said Harris will sign with the Saints but that hasn't happened yet, and he isn't expected to participate at practices this weekend after being left off the roster. It could be as simple as him still recovering from foot surgery in March, but it's odd that the team hasn't announced a contract with him yet.
Returning players under contract (6)
- S Elliott Davison, UTSA
- CB Dalys Beanum, South Dakota State
- DL Coziah Izzard, Penn State
- OT Easton Kilty, Kansas State
- WR Damien Alford, Utah
Each of these guys spent time on the practice squad (or in Alford's case, the CFL) last year but didn't appear in enough games to accrue a full season, at least as far as the NFL's collective bargaining agreement is concerned. That means they're eligible to participate in rookie minicamp while remaining under contract. It's a good opportunity for them to prove they belong.
Tryout players (31)
- QB Braylon Braxton, Southern Mississippi
- QB Easton Stick, North Dakota State (veteran)
- QB Kyle Trask, Florida
- RB Rahsul Faison, South Carolina
- RB Tawee Walker, Cincinnati
- TE McCallan Castles, Tennessee
- WR Brock Rechsteiner, Jacksonville State
- WR Javon Gipson, Abilene Christian
- WR Kaleb Blaha, Wisconsin-River Falls
- WR Mekhi Mews, Houston
- OL Joshua Braun, Kentucky
- OL Mason Randolph, Boise State
- OL Matthew Bedford, Oregon
- OL Bob Schick, Oklahoma Stat
- OL Davis Heinzen, Wisconsin
- K Younghoe Koo, Georgia Southern (veteran)
- LS Tristan O'Brien, East Carolina
- P Caden Noonkester, NC State
- EDGE Malakai Williams, Boise State
- EDGE Charles Esters III, Texas Tech
- DL Kam Hamilton, Tulane
- DL Ty Malone, Ohio State
- LB Brayden Johnson, Wyoming
- LB Johnny Chaney, FIU
- LB Tah Banda, UT Martin
- LB Sam Brumfield, Memphis
- DB JT Woods, Baylor (veteran)
- DB Eric Butler, San Diego State
- DB A'Marion McCoy, Boise State
- DB Jakari Foster, Louisiana Tech
- DB Solomon Barnes, UTEP
We knew many of these players would be participating, but there are a couple of new additions like Cincinnati running back Tawee Walker (one of three running backs on the minicamp roster), Tennessee tight end McCallan Castles, Texas Tech edge rusher Charles Esters III, and defensive backs A'Marion McCoy (Boise State), Jakari Foster (Louisiana Tech), and Solomon Barnes (UTEP). Curiously, record-setting Division-III quarterback Kaleb Blaha (Wisconsin-River Falls) is listed as a wide receiver.
Additionally, there are three veteran free agent tryouts between quarterback Easton Stick, kicker Younghoe Koo, and defensive back JT Woods. Stick and Woods played for Saints defensive coordinator Brandon Staley (as well as Kellen Moore and several other assistants) on the Los Angeles Chargers, so there's some connection there.
This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: New Orleans Saints announce 55-man roster, tryouts for rookie minicamp