This 2025 NFL Mock Draft takes an in-depth look at a path the New Orleans Saints could take next offseason if things don’t go their way in 2024.
Can the Saints balance uncertainty at quarterback with the need for more talent up front?
Who Could the New Orleans Saints Draft in the 2025 NFL Draft?
Note: The draft order for the 2025 NFL Mock Draft was derived from my record and playoff predictions for the 2024 NFL regular season.
1.4) New Orleans Saints: Emery Jones Jr., OT, LSU
If the Saints can’t get one of the top quarterbacks in the 2025 NFL Draft, an acceptable alternative would be to take the best tackle and pair him with Taliese Fuaga on the line.
My highest-graded OT in the 2025 class is Emery Jones Jr. — a natural right tackle with suffocating core strength paired with mobility, power, and synergetic technique.
1.32) New Orleans Saints (via HOU): Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado
Projected Trade: Saints receive No. 32 overall pick; Texans receive No. 36 overall pick, No. 101 overall pick, 2026 third-round pick
At the tail end of Round 1 in this 2025 NFL Mock Draft, the Saints make an aggressive move and trade back into the first round for Derek Carr’s successor, Shedeur Sanders.
Though Sanders is a bit undersized and not an elite creator, he’s garnered some comparisons to Geno Smith with his live arm, accuracy, and touch.
3.68) New Orleans Saints: JT Tuimoloau, EDGE, Ohio State
The quintessential Saints edge rusher, JT Tuimoloau has an exceptional power profile at 6’4″, 270 pounds, and he has a nose for the football in pursuit.
Rounds 4-7
5.133) Billy Bowman, S, Oklahoma
6.165) Keli Lawson, LB, Virginia Tech
Saints 2025 NFL Mock Draft Analysis
There’s a lot at stake for the Saints in 2024. Dennis Allen is creeping onto the hot seat, Derek Carr hasn’t proven himself as a quarterback who can elevate his roster, and the roster itself isn’t helping to quell concerns.
New Orleans still has major question marks on both sides of the trenches — where the game of football is won. There’s still room to add more skill position talent, and more turnover is potentially on the way.
Bottom line: Things may get worse for the Saints before they get better. But that doesn’t mean they can’t make the most of it.
In this 2025 NFL Mock Draft, the Saints lead off with PFN’s best preliminary tackle prospect in the class, pairing Emery Jones Jr. with Taliese Fuaga. Jones can slide in naturally at right tackle, giving the team’s future QB — Shedeur Sanders — plenty of time to throw.
Sanders might not have any more physical upside than a Carr-type passer, but re-investing into a younger signal caller could be beneficial for New Orleans. Sanders’ arm strength is a strong point, as is his accuracy and pre-snap skills.
On Day 3, Billy Bowman is a steal with his versatility, range, and playmaking chops, and Keli Lawson is a size-speed athlete with tremendous upside at the second level.