Barion Brown is the First LSU Tiger Drafted By The Saints In Years
The New Orleans franchise rarely selects players from LSU...even though the university is just down the road in Baton Rouge. Maybe its because they're afraid of the pressure it might cause, or maybe its because they don't trust the LSU development process.
Whatever the reason, they went against it this year, and took a Tiger.
Wide receiver Barion Brown broke a sustained streak when the organization selected him in the 6th round of the NFL Draft. The team avoided players from the LSU program in every NFL Draft since 2018.
Before this selection, offensive lineman Will Clapp was the last player taken from the school back in the late rounds of 2018 NFL Draft. Brown carries the expectation of proving LSU players can succeed for the Saints. So if he performs well, the scouting department might evaluate future prospects from the university with more interest.
Barion Brown College Statistics And NFL Draft Evaluation
During his collegiate tenure, Brown secured a starting role and became a regular component of the offensive scheme...at TWO SEC schools. He compiled high receiving yardage totals while demonstrating straight-line speed against defensive backs.
Brown started his college career at Kentucky, before transferring to LSU for the 2025 season. While in BR, Brown caught 53 passes for 532 yards and a single touchdown. But when he was with Kentucky, Brown was able to find the endzone with more regularity. He had 11 touchdowns in his career with the Wildcats, and over 1,500 yards.
His biggest success in college came in the return game. He led the nation in yards-per-return in 2023 with 36 yards per, and took 3 kickoffs back for touchdowns. He scored 6 kickoff return touchdowns in his college career, including one with LSU. He never had less than 400 return yards in a single season...and when you consider the amount of touchbacks college teams see these days, that's impressive.
Professional scouting reports highlighted his specific capabilities as a playmaker in open space. Mock draft evaluations noted his primary value comes from his acceleration, speed, and special teams utility...draft analysts projected him as a late-round steal due to these physical traits.
Expectations For Barion Brown On The Saints Roster
Late draft selections face an uphill battle to secure a roster spot on the regular season team. Brown must demonstrate immediate value to the coaching staff to avoid being relegated to the practice squad, or outright released.
His clearest path to playing time involves securing a job as the primary return specialist during training camp. While he may not emerge as a starting receiver immediately, establishing himself on special teams could guarantee his roster spot, and lead to long-term professional stability.