A new Pewter Report Roundtable debuts every Tuesday on PewterReport.com. Each week, the Pewter Reporters tackle another tough Bucs question. This week’s prompt: one first-round prospect we don’t want to see in the NFC South.

Scott Reynolds: Keep Jeremiyah Love Out Of The NFC South

Due to trading back up into the first round last year to select edge rusher James Pearce Jr. the Falcons do not have a first-round pick this year. As a result, Atlanta is removed from the equation in this week’s PR Roundtable. But what the Falcons do have is an absolute weapon at running back in former first-round Bijan Robinson, who was selected with the eighth overall pick in 2023. The 5-foot-11, 215-pound Pro Bowler has everything a team could want in a running back: speed, elusiveness, great receiving ability and enough power to break arm tackles.

Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love – Photo by: IMAGN Images – Stan Szeto

Robinson has been a headache for the Bucs and defensive-minded head coach Todd Bowles over the past three years. The last thing Tampa Bay wants to see is New Orleans land its own version of Robinson in Notre Dame’s stud running back Jeremiyah Love, who is similarly built at 6-foot, 212 pounds. Love, who averaged 6.9 yards per carry in each of his last two seasons, is a player that has been mocked an awful lot to the Saints, which have the eighth overall pick.

Love’s game is also similar to that of Robinson’s – although the Fighting Irish prospect is even faster. While Robinson ran a 4.46 at the NFL Scouting Combine, Love blazed a 4.36 in the 40-yard dash and has absolute breakaway speed. For a Bucs defense that allowed some breakaway touchdown runs last year to Detroit’s Jahmyr Gibbs and New England’s Treyveon Henderson, seeing Love, who ran for 35 touchdowns over the past two seasons, in the division would cause a major headache.

It’s bad enough that the Saints appear to have their quarterback of the future in Tyler Shough, who was selected in the second round last year. But if Love landed in the Bayou it would provide tremendous balance in Kellen Moore’s offensive attack in New Orleans. The Bucs better hope that Love gets selected by a team like Tennessee at No. 4 or Washington at No. 7, because there is a real chance that Love, who had back-to-back seasons over 1,100 yards, could become a Saint if he’s still on the board when New Orleans is on the clock.

Matt Matera: Kenyon Sadiq Can Cause Tons Of Frustration For Bucs

The Panthers spent a lot of time adding to their already above average defense this offseason, so now it’s time for them to add more weapons to the offense. Carolina won games last year with the defense leading the way and the offense chipping in here and there. That’s not sustainable for another year for head coach Dave Canales, though. Drafting Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq in the first round would be a big start in improving their offense.

Oregon TE Kenyon Sadiq – Photo by: IMAGN Images – Troy Wayrynen

Right now Carolina only has one threat on offense and it’s reigning NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Tetairoa McMillan, who hurt the Bucs with a touchdown right before halftime in Charlotte that helped the Panthers win the game, 23-20. But every team needs more than just one weapon. Tampa Bay has had its struggles guarding tight endsm and those players didn’t have the athleticism and receiving ability that Sadiq has with his sub-4.4 speed.

If Sadiq were to be drafted by the Panthers at No. 19, that means the Bucs passed on him at No. 15, opting for likely a defensive player or perhaps even an offensive lineman. Skipping on an offensive talent like Sadiq, only for him to torment the Bucs for several years would be tough situation to endure.

Oregon relied on Sadiq as its top target on offense, as he creates tons of mismatch opportunities. He would cause big problems for Tampa Bay in terms of creating mismatches, too. Sadiq is also a willing to block, so he could help with Carolina’s run game while adding a lot to Canales’ passing game. This is definitely a draft pick possibility that the Bucs don’t want see come to fruition.

Adam Slivon: Carnell Tate Gives Saints QB Tyler Shough A Lethal Weapon

Ohio State has become the place where NFL teams go to find star wide receivers. Terry McLaurin, Garrett Wilson, Marvin Harrison Jr., and Jaxon-Smith Njigba are some of the biggest names but is an olive branch that has extended into the NFC South. The Bucs drafted Emeka Egbuka in the first round in 2025, while the Saints drafted Michael Thomas in the second round back in 2016 and passed the torch down to Chris Olave, who was New Orleans’ first-round pick in 2022.

With the eighth overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, history could repeat itself in the bayou if the Saints take Carnell Tate.

Ohio State WR Carnell Tate – Photo by: IMAGN Images

Tate had to share the rock with Jeremiah Smith over the past two seasons, but there is a reason why he is regarded as a top 10 pick. He has a knack for stretching the field and making big plays, as most recently evidenced by the 51 catches for 875 yards and nine touchdowns he recorded in 2025.

Averaging 17.2 yards per catch, he poses a problem for opposing defenses and would create a nightmare scenario for the Bucs secondary. Tyler Shough finished the year on a high note, looking like the kind of quarterback New Orleans can build around. After the Saints finished 4-1 over their final five games, they head into 2026 hopeful a turnaround is underway. Head coach Kellen Moore found ways to make Shough successful.

Now imagine what the duo could do in their second year together by adding a polished, 6-foot-2 playmaker. Olave and Tate as the top two wide receivers would give Shough quality playmakers to rely on.  Todd Bowles is known for waking up early, but he might not sleep at all, knowing that cornerbacks Zyon McCollum and Benjamin Morrison would be tasked with covering them. Tate makes a lot of sense for the Saints if he is on the board, but hopefully he goes before they are on the clock.

Bailey Adams: Bucs Can’t Have Caleb Downs Fall To The Saints At No. 8

Caleb Downs is an awesome football player, and I’m not interested in the New Orleans Saints acquiring awesome football players. It’s really as simple as that. On one hand, Downs is an alpha type of player who could quickly transform the New Orleans defense. He’s disruptive near the line of scrimmage and against the run, plus he possesses exceptional awareness and a high football IQ.

It won’t take Downs long to become the type of playmaker at the NFL level that he was at the collegiate level, where he totaled 257 tackles (164 solo), 1.5 sacks, 16 tackles for loss, six interceptions, three forced fumbles and a fumble recovery in 44 games between Alabama and Ohio State.

Ohio State S Caleb Downs – Photo by: IMAGN Images – Adam Cairns

The Saints defense has been pretty old for the last few years, so the thought of that unit being energized by a 21-year-old two-time All-American safety like Downs — who could become a thorn in the Bucs’ side — doesn’t sound too appealing.

There was a time when it felt like Downs was going to be a top two or three pick in April. Nowadays, he’s expected to fall somewhere in the 7-10 range. The Saints pick at 8, and they very well might pull the trigger on drafting such an impact player — even if safety isn’t their biggest need. Washington, which picks just in front of New Orleans, could be the team that saves Tampa Bay from having to face Downs twice a year for the next several years.

Josh Queipo: Olaivavega Ione Would Make The Saints’ O-Line Formidable

The Saints found a promising quarterback last year in Tyler Shough. By the end of the season, they were playing much more competitive football than most would have thought they would. They averaged 24.8 points per game from December on, showing that under new head coach Kellen Moore there are the bones for an effective offense under the hood.

Penn State G Olaivavega Ioane – Photo by: IMAGN Images – Mark J. Rebilas

New Orleans added two quality pieces to that foundation in running back Travis Etienne and guard David Edwards. Edwards is a strong addition to an underrated offensive line.

Ioane would be an immediate upgrade over Cesar Ruiz and would pair with Edwards to flank Pro Bowl center Erik McCoy, creating one of the better interior trios in the NFL. Add in their two young tackles Taliese Fuaga and Kelvin Banks Jr., both of whom had promising seasons, and New Orleans’ build through the trenches would give them a solid foundation to continue to improve their offense.

The Saints surprised the NFL in many ways late last season. And that was fueled largely by their offense averaging 24.8 points per game en route to a 4-1 record in December and January. Ioane would be be an excellent upgrade that could help their line become a young strength to a roster that is turning quickly.