Saints drafted record-setting LSU star WR with elite skill New Orleans needed originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The New Orleans Saints have made a ton of selections during the 2026 NFL Draft to improve the offensive side of the ball, with Jordyn Tyson are wide receiver, kicking off the draft in Round 1.
But that wasn't all the Saints went with on the offensive side of the ball. They also went out and added tight end Oscar Delp, wide receiver Bryce Lance, and, as the Saints announced, WR Barion Brown.
Brown is a very unique player for the Saints, and a fun selection to bolster the New Orleans offense. But, there's more reason why the LSU star receiver is a good pick; he's a record-breaker in a key statistic that is something they're missing right now.
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At the 190th overall pick in the sixth round of the 2026 NFL Draft, the Saints drafted Brown, the LSU WR and kick returner.
While Lance has elite speed and might take over some of the Shaheed work in the receiving game, Brown might take over Shaheed's role on special teams.
New Orleans got elite production from Shaheed in the return game, and now, they're adding Brown, who, in his collegiate career, returned six kickoffs for touchdowns.
That's an SEC record, and it's a very fun statistic to believe in. He ran a 4.40-second 40-yard dash and has great straight-line speed.
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The 5-foot-11, 177-pound receiver is not as likely to factor into the receiving game with Tyler Shough as he is likely to be a potential star in the return game.
This past season for LSU, he returned 15 kickoffs for 445 yards and one touchdown. He had one touchdown in 2024 with Kentucky, three kickoff touchdowns in 2023, and one touchdown in his collegiate debut back in 2022.
As a receiver, he caught 53 passes for 532 yards and one touchdown. Brown isn't likely to be a WR for the Saints, but he might be a key returner for the Saints in 2026, as the record-breaker has the traits to be a great returner.
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