The New Orleans Saints’ top priority for the 2025 NFL Draft may have just shifted. Following the reports that starting quarterback Derek Carr’s availability for the 2025 season is now in jeopardy after a shoulder injury that could cost him most, if not all, of the upcoming season, the Saints could certainly target a QB in the upcoming draft.
Following Carr’s injury in 2024, the Saints fell to the bottom of the league standings, struggling mightily with Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener at the helm. It seems unlikely that New Orleans will try either of them as QB1 for a significant chunk of the season; with no impressive veteran quarterbacks left on the free agent market, targeting a quarterback in the draft seems like the most likely route.
Here are four quarterback prospects that the Saints could target in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Shedeur Sanders
Shedeur Sanders was one of the most impressive quarterbacks in college football in 2024 and was named to the CSN All-Big 12 first team. After being in real consideration to be the first overall selection in the upcoming draft in weeks past, his stock has slightly dipped, making the possibility of him being available to the Saints at pick nine very real.
Following a fantastic senior year for Sanders, Colorado, led by his father and NFL Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, touted an impressive 9-4 record with the world watching. Sanders threw for 4,134 passing yards, 37 passing touchdowns, and 10 interceptions with a career-high 74.0% completion percentage. In 2024, Sanders also added Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year to his resume.
However, while Sanders may be the best quarterback available to the Saints in the draft, he may not be the best fit. Sanders showed elite accuracy with Colorado, but that may be inflated due to the elite receiving core around him. Sanders will not have that luxury in New Orleans, and his issues with holding onto the ball for an extended period could cause him all sorts of trouble in the NFL.
While it may be unlikely that Sanders is available to the Saints at pick nine, as PFSN’s latest mock draft has Sanders going second overall to the Browns, if he is available, it is hard to imagine the Saints passing up on a quarterback with both a high floor and ceiling such as Sanders.
Sanders is ranked as the second-best QB prospect in the 2025 NFL Draft, according to PFSN.
Jaxson Dart
Jaxson Dart seems to be the most likely option for the Saints — and for multiple reasons.
Due to his strong senior year at Ole Miss, Dart has been rising on many draft boards and has now become a real option for teams in need of quarterback help in the first round.
Dart can fire an accurate ball from anywhere, whether he is in the pocket or not. When he is outside the pocket, he becomes a dangerous duel threat that burns defenses through the air or on the ground with his legs. His playstyle and impressive play, when he gets in a fast-paced rhythm, could work wonders for the Saints’ offense. The potential to be the real future of an offense is there, making him the potential perfect fit for the Saints’ future.
That is if all goes to plan and he fulfills his high potential. The issue with Dart is that his floor is low, and work and development need to be done, which could scare away the Saints in their current situation.
Dart could end up being the perfect fit for the Saints due to his projected availability in the draft. If the Saints are very desperate and don’t have the luxury of selecting Sanders, Dart will certainly be there at nine, and given he is the third-best QB prospect in the draft, according to PFSN, it may not be as much of a reach as it sounds.
Given that there aren’t as many teams searching for quarterbacks in this year’s draft, Dart could also be available to the Saints at pick No. 40 in the second round. This is exactly where PFSN has him projected to go in their mock draft.
Even NFL analyst Todd McShay is connecting Dart and the Saints following the reported injury to Carr.
Jaxson Dart https://t.co/CaxGXK0xwZ
— Todd McShay (@McShay13) April 11, 2025
Not only does Dart’s playstyle work for the Saints, but he seems to be the most realistic option for New Orleans at either pick No. 9 or 40.
Jalen Milroe
Jalen Milroe from Alabama is another option that the Saints may have available outside of their first-round selection.
Milroe’s 2024 season was not perfect, but it was far from disappointing, and now he is rising on draft boards.
Milroe threw for 2,844 passing yards with 16 touchdowns, 11 interceptions, and a 64.3% completion percentage in Alabama’s 9-4 season. Although his numbers through the air in 2024 were less impressive than those in his 2023 season, the numbers show that Milroe significantly improved his run game, proving to NFL scouts that he has the potential to be a dual-threat quarterback in the NFL.
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Milroe had 726 rushing yards on 168 carries with a total of 20 rushing touchdowns, placing him second among all FBS quarterbacks.
According to PFSN, Milroe is the fourth-best quarterback prospect in the draft, making him a candidate to be selected anywhere inside the second or third round. Milroe is projected to be selected at pick 65 by the Giants in PFSN’s latest mock draft.
If the Saints choose to pass on Dart, Milroe will more than likely be available to them at pick No. 40, but if they want to wait until their third-round selection (No. 71), Milroe could be available and waiting.
Kyle McCord
Kyle McCord is the late-round selection that would be more likely a selection if the Saints decided to target a potential backup or if it turns out that Carr will be available at some point in the season.
McCord played in a Syracuse offense that had him constantly throwing the ball, which helped him have a career year while becoming the FBS’ leading passer. McCord also set an ACC record for passing yards in a season with 4,779 passing yards, along with 34 touchdowns and just 12 interceptions. McCord quietly finished 10th in Heisman voting.
However, one year in a pass-first offense doesn’t make up for the three underwhelming years at Ohio State, two in which he was the backup to C.J. Stroud. At 22 years of age, McCord isn’t the most exciting of draft prospects.
It is unlikely that the Saints will use either of their first- or second-round selections on McCord, so here are their picks after the second round.
Round 3: No. 93 (from WAS)
Round 4: No. 112
Round 4: No. 131 (from WAS)
Round 6: No. 184 (reacquired via WAS)
Round 7: No. 248 (from PHI via WAS)
Round 7: No. 254 (compensatory)
In PFSN’s latest seven-round mock draft, McCord is projected to go in the fourth round at pick 135 to the Dolphins, meaning he will more than likely be available to the Saints when they are on the clock in both the third and fourth rounds.
The Saints have a decision to make concerning the future of their quarterback position, but if they decide to go the draft route, look out for any of these four names to suit up for the Saints in 2025.