Ep 237 - Draft Insider Tony Pauline With Saints Draft Buzz!

Saints Block Party Podcast30mApril 14, 2026

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AI-Generated Summary

In this episode of the Saints Block Party Podcast, host Ryan welcomes back draft insider Tony Pauline of Essentially Sports for their annual Saints draft preview. With the 2026 NFL Draft just days away, the conversation dives deep into potential targets for the New Orleans Saints at the 8th overall pick, with a strong focus on tight end Kenyon Sadiq, who Pauline believes could be a surprising but logical fit given the Saints' recent push to upgrade their skill-position depth. The discussion expands to other potential fits like Reuben Bain, Jeremiah Love, and Caleb Downs, with Pauline offering nuanced insights into player evaluations, team needs, and the impact of off-field concerns—such as the controversy surrounding Bain’s past car accident and Malachi Lawrence’s refusal to participate in pro day drills. Pauline also shares his thoughts on under-the-radar players like Emmanuel Pregnon and expresses skepticism about the hype around Emmanuel McNeil Warren. The episode ends with a look at the broader draft landscape, including the Cardinals’ unpredictable second pick and the growing narrative around drafting high-impact, marketable players like Jeremiah Love. The hosts express gratitude for Pauline’s continued presence and tease a post-draft recap.

Key Takeaways
1

Kenyon Sadiq is a strong potential fit for the Saints at #8, despite their historical reluctance to draft tight ends.

2

Teams are increasingly relying on film and estimated times when players skip combine/pro day drills, raising red flags.

3

Off-field concerns like Reuben Bain’s past incident and Malachi Lawrence’s pro day absence may cause players to fall in the draft.

4

Jeremiah Love’s value could be underestimated if he slips past early teams like the Commanders or Titans.

5

Caleb Downs’ 2025 performance doesn’t reflect his true potential—his 2024 film shows elite playmaking ability.

…and 3 more takeaways available in PodZeus

Chapters
0:00
2 min

Sponsor: Shopify for Online Business

Promotion for Shopify, highlighting its tools for building and managing online stores with AI, templates, and inventory management. Encourages entrepreneurs to start with a one-euro trial.

2:00
3 min

Welcome Back: Tony Pauline & Saints Draft Countdown

Ryan welcomes Tony Pauline back for the sixth annual Saints draft discussion, reflecting on the podcast’s growth since its 2020 launch and setting the stage for in-depth analysis of the upcoming draft.

5:00
5 min

Kenyon Sadiq: The Surprising #8 Target

Kenyon Sadiq is graded much, much higher than either of those tight ends. I would say compare him to Brock Bowers. He's not as polished as Brock Bowers, but he's an athlete. They're upside.

Highlight
10:00
5 min

Reuben Bain, Jeremiah Love & the Draft's Hidden Risks

There are some guys, we'll see what happens. Maybe you want to have me on post-draft, then we'll talk about it then, but the answer is yes.

Highlight
15:00
5 min

Caleb Downs & Malachi Lawrence: The Draft's Hidden Gems & Red Flags

If you base it on 2025, you're not going to have a very high view of opinion of Caleb Downs, which I think is wrong. You've got to go back and look at the two years prior to that.

Highlight
High-Impact Quotes
Kenyon Sadiq is graded much, much higher than either of those tight ends. I would say compare him to Brock Bowers. He's not as polished as Brock Bowers, but he's an athlete. They're upside.
Tony Pauline4:37
Viral: 85.0
I think they should take Jeremiah Love. I mean, they don't have a feature back. They signed a rotational guy, Talia Algier in the offseason.
Tony Pauline29:35
Viral: 83.0
If you base it on 2025, you're not going to have a very high view of opinion of Caleb Downs, which I think is wrong. You've got to go back and look at the two years prior to that.
Tony Pauline11:09
Viral: 82.0
Speakers

Host

Ryan

Guest

Tony Pauline
Topics Discussed
Saints Draft Strategy92%Tight End Draft Value88%Player Character & Off-Field Concerns85%Pro Day & Combine Testing Trends83%Draft Position & Team Needs80%Under-the-Radar Draft Picks78%NFL Draft Narrative & Marketability75%Offensive Line & Defensive Back Evaluation70%
People & Brands

New Orleans Saints

other

15xPositive

Tony Pauline

person

12xPositive

Saints Block Party Podcast

media

10xPositive

Kenyon Sadiq

person

8xPositive

Jeremiah Love

person

7xPositive

Reuben Bain

person

6xNeutral

Caleb Downs

person

5xPositive

Chris Bell

person

5xPositive

Malachi Lawrence

person

4xNegative

Shopify

organization

4xPositive

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