Week 2 brings a fresh set of college names to keep on the radar, and the Saints have plenty of reasons to keep watching the defensive side of the ball. After Sunday’s showing, there are still areas that need work, and this slate offers a few prospects who could be making noticeable early-season strides.
Start in the secondary, where depth and versatility always matter. KJ Bolden is one of those players who belongs on the radar every time he takes the field.
The Georgia nickel/safety brings a flexible skill set and is a key piece in a Kirby Smart defense, which is the kind of environment that tends to translate well to the NFL. Bolden and the Bulldogs are set to face Arkansas at 11 a.m. on Saturday.
Another defensive back worth tracking is Tae Johnson. The Notre Dame safety has size and range, and he’ll get a Saturday night test against Michigan State at 6:30 p.m.
Ty Benefield gives LSU another intriguing name in the secondary. He’s a fast-rising safety with plenty of experience, and he fits the “first-off-the-bus” mold.
Benefield can line up in multiple spots across the defensive backfield, working down in the box, deep off the ball or even in the slot. He’ll be in Oxford when the Tigers take on the Rebels on Saturday at 6:30 p.m.
Linebacker is another group loaded with players worth monitoring. Sammy Brown stands out as one to remember.
Brown is a physically gifted linebacker who can cover every single blade of grass and doesn’t have to leave the field on third downs. He’ll be on the field against North Carolina on Saturday at 11 a.m.
Georgia also has Chris Cole, another linebacker to keep in view. Who wouldn’t want a linebacker coming out of Georgia?
Cole brings length, can bother the quarterback in pass-rushing situations and still hold up as a traditional linebacker. Since Georgia is playing Arkansas, that matchup gives viewers a little bonus value.
At cornerback, two more names deserve attention after Leonard Moore got the spotlight last week. Ellis Robinson IV is yet another Georgia Bulldog, and he checks plenty of boxes: long, rangy and athletic.
He can handle press-man looks and he’s comfortable in zone coverage, too. Like the others on this list, he’s operating in a Kirby Smart defense.
Then there’s Kelley Jones at Mississippi State, who might be the best player on that defense and maybe even the best player on the team. His frame and athleticism really started to show late last season, and if he builds on that, he could climb NFL Draft boards quickly. Jones gets a strong test Saturday against South Carolina, with Nyck Harbor and LaNorris Sellers on the other side at 3:15 p.m.
The offensive line also deserves a look after it didn’t perform especially well against Detroit. Two tackles stand out here: Trevor Goosby and Jordan Seaton.
Both have elite size and athleticism, and both are strong pass protectors. Goosby is at Texas, which plays UTSA on Saturday at 7 p.m.
Seaton is at LSU, and he’ll be in Oxford with Benefield when the Tigers face the Rebels at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday.
In Other News...
Saints Fans Looking For Sunday's Game Need This TV Info
For Saints fans trying to plan their Sunday around the NFL slate, Week 2 on Sept. 20, 2026, is a busy one, with 14 games spread across the day and a mix of national windows to keep an eye on. The early window kicks off at 10 a.m. MST, featuring matchups like the Minnesota Vikings at the Chicago Bears and the Pittsburgh Steelers at the New England Patriots, setting up a full day of football before the primetime stage takes over.
The schedule closes with the Indianapolis Colts at the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday Night Football at 5:20 p.m. MST, giving viewers one last marquee game after the afternoon action winds down. For New Orleans supporters, the bigger takeaway is simple: Sundays viewing map is packed, and knowing the kickoff times and broadcast channels will matter if they want to keep tabs on the league while watching the Saints own weekend story unfold. [Read more 🡒]
Saints Just Delivered The Win This Fan Base Needed
The Saints finally found the kind of finish this fan base has been waiting for, coming from behind to beat the Baltimore Ravens 24-17 on Sept. 20. After trailing at halftime, New Orleans leaned on a strong second half and two fourth-quarter touchdowns to flip the game, with Tyler Shough helping drive the comeback in a way that gave the building a much-needed lift.
Shough connected with Chris Olave for a touchdown and later added a rushing score himself, giving the offense a pair of timely punches when it mattered most. The defense then closed the door in the final 20 seconds, as Julian Blackmons interception sealed a win that felt bigger than one afternoon for a team trying to build some momentum. [Read more 🡒]
Saints Already Have A Ravens Problem They Need To Fix Fast
Baltimore had little trouble turning a sluggish start into control of the game, and the Saints were left chasing from the moment the Ravens settled in. At halftime, the Ravens owned a 14-3 lead, with Lamar Jackson shaking off the slow opening by completing 13 of 16 passes for 171 yards and a touchdown, including a 22-yard strike to Rashod Bateman that helped swing the tone in Baltimores favor.
New Orleans, meanwhile, could move the ball just enough to string together a few third-down conversions, but the drive momentum never translated into points beyond a field goal. The Ravens defense tightened around the edges, and rookie cornerback Chandler Rivers made his presence felt with several tackles in his NFL debut, leaving the Saints with a clear problem to solve fast if they wanted any shot at flipping the night. [Read more 🡒]