2026 NFL Draft: Contract details revealed for Saints first-round pick Jordyn Tyson

The New Orleans Saints are officially off and running at the 2026 NFL Draft. Thursday night saw them take Jordyn Tyson with the No. 8 overall selection. Getting Tyson signed is now the team’s biggest focus, hoping to get him involved in football-related activities as soon as possible.

We already know what the contract is going to look like for Tyson. He will make just over $31 million over the length of his rookie deal. The average annual value sits at $7.8 million. But the biggest payday of them all will be the signing bonus for Tyson — $19 million.

Injuries meant Tyson was limited during the 2025 season, only playing in nine games. Still, the production indicated that he was one of the best wide receivers in college football. Tyson caught 61 passes for 711 yards and eight touchdowns. This comes right after the breakthrough 2024 campaign, where he broke the 1,000-yard mark and caught 10 touchdowns.

Now, he is hoping for similar results at the next level. New Orleans is pairing Tyson with Chris Olave and hoping they both click with quarterback Tyler Shough.

What NFL Draft analysts are saying about Jordyn Tyson

Ahead of the draft, NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein produced a scouting report on Tyson. He was quite high on the Arizona State product, projecting him to be a first-round pick all the way. Tyson finished with a prospect score of 6.43, meaning Zierlein saw him as a player capable of being a good starter within two years.

Tyson also got compared to one of the NFL’s top active wide receivers — Terry McLaurin. Not a bad name to be associated with.

“Learning from Super Bowl XL MVP Hines Ward helped unlock Tyson’s production and elevated his draft stock,” Zierlein said. “He’s added size and improved his route running over the last two years, showing he can align at all three receiver spots. He occasionally rushes the route but has the short-area quickness and contested-catch toughness to find chain-moving grabs in high-leverage moments.

“He’s not a blazer but has enough speed to work down the field. Also, he has the ball skills and body control to win above the rim with timing on 50/50 throws. Scouts say he puts in the time to absorb knowledge and hone his craft. A history of injuries might explain inconsistent competitiveness as a run blocker in 2025. The wiring, versatility and finishing talent point to a WR1 ceiling.”