Saints draft Arizona State receiver Jordyn Tyson 8th overall

METAIRIE, La. (AP) — The New Orleans Saints selected Arizona State receiver Jordyn Tyson with the eighth pick in the NFL draft on Thursday night, adding a potential playmaker to a position group that could use one.

“I’m ready to hit the ground running right now,” Tyson said. “I keep getting better. I just want to continue on that track. Work works.”

The 6-foot-2, 203-pound Tyson — whose brother, Jaylon, plays in the NBA with Cleveland — was the second receiver drafted behind Ohio State’s Carnell Tate, who went fourth overall to Tennessee.

The 21-year-old receiver said his name was called in the draft around the same time he he saw his brother hit a 3-pointer in Cleveland’s playoff game against Toronto.

Now, Tyson joins a Saints receiver corps that was headlined by four-year veteran Chris Olave in 2025, but had little depth behind him after Rashid Shaheed was traded to eventual Super Bowl champion Seattle.

“This is a great add to that group,” Saints coach Kellen Moore said, highlighting Tyson’s ability to make plays on deep balls as a wideout, as well as his ability to play as a slot receiver.

Tyson said he met Olave during a pre-draft visit to New Orleans and bonded well with him.

“It’s going to be amazing to take pressure off each other, make our jobs easier,” Tyson said. “I feel like us, (covered) one on one — shoot — it’s going to get ugly.”

The Saints entered the draft with their most apparent needs at receiver, edge rusher and defensive back.

Last season, Tyson played in nine games at Arizona State, catching 61 passes for 711 yards and eight touchdowns in a campaign shortened by a hamstring injuries in both legs.

He had his best season statistically in 2024, catching 75 passes for 1,101 yards and 10 TDs.

But more than his statistics, it was Tyson’s knack for making clutch plays and the knowledge of football he exhibited in meetings with staff in New Orleans is what sold the Saints on him.

“You felt the football junkie in him,” Moore said. “He’s got a really smart head to him as far as football acumen and awareness about what’s going on in this league.”

Tyson’s injury history also includes torn knee ligaments — requiring reconstructive surgery — when he played at Colorado in 2022. He played in just three games in 2023 with Arizona State because of a broken collar bone.

But he dismissed concerns about his health going forward, and said his recent training with former NFL receiver Hines Ward, a receivers coach at Arizona State, has helped him learn how to maintain his body like a pro football player should.

“I’m going to give myself the best opportunity to stay on the field and be as healthy as possible,” Tyson said. “I’m going to do everything in the weight room, do everything with nutrition, I’m going to have a chef. I’m going to get a massage on the same day every week.”

Moore didn’t sound too concerned, either.

“Guys are going to go through things they have to navigate,” Moore said. “He battled through it and that’s a credit to him. … This guy’s a really tough football player. He’s battled some things — and that’s a positive.”

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