The New Orleans Saints selected former Arizona State wide receiver Jordyn Tyson with the No. 8 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. While it wasn't surprising that he was chosen in the top ten picks, Tyson was deeply emotional upon hearing his name called, as it fulfilled his lifelong dream. The life-changing moment marked the end of a long draft process in which his stock fluctuated — moving from a potential top-five pick to the possibility of falling out of Round 1, and then ultimately returning to the top ten.

“The Lord said it’s going to be hard,” Tyson said in an interview on the draft stage in Pittsburgh. “You have to persevere. Life is not easy. Keep going, boy. You’ve got it. You’re strong. I promise you, you’re so strong. Just keep going. You’ve got it.”

At 6-foot-2 and weighing 203 pounds, Tyson provides the Saints with another crucial weapon in their offense, which desperately needed a second premium target in the passing game alongside Chris Olave. The 21-year-old wide receiver caught 61 passes for 711 yards and eight receiving touchdowns in just nine games at Arizona State in 2025. Tyson suffered a hamstring injury in October, sidelining him for the remainder of the season.

The medical history raised several red flags for teams during the draft process. Along with the hamstring injury in 2025, Tyson also suffered an ankle injury during spring practices that same year, broke his left collarbone in 2024, and sustained a severe knee injury in November 2022. Despite these concerns, New Orleans was very impressed with his talents and had enough confidence in Tyson's ability to remain healthy as he transitioned to the professional level.

This moment from new @Saints WR Jordyn Tyson.All the feels ❤️ pic.twitter.com/oBjfmTBCGP

This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: Jordyn Tyson reaction: Saints select WR No. 8 in 2026 NFL Draft