An injury to Derek Carr that could potentially keep him out for the 2025 season has left the New Orleans Saints in a confusing spot heading into the 2025 NFL Draft. They need a new franchise quarterback, and with most of the free agents off the board, their best bet might be from the incoming rookie class.
With a top-10 pick, the Saints should theoretically be able to get a solid, if not excellent, option under center. But in a relatively weak quarterback class, one analyst believes they’ll take a massive swing to fill their void, and it’s not Shedeur Sanders.
New Orleans Saints Predicted To Go After Non-Shedeur Sanders Quarterback
The injury to Carr came out of left field and has thrown New Orleans’ entire plans for a spin. Now, virtually every name is being discussed as a possible candidate, including Aaron Rodgers.
However, legendary draft expert and analyst Todd McShay in his latest mock draft believes the Saints will solve their problem come April 24 in the NFL Draft by selecting Ole Miss’ Jaxson Dart with the ninth pick.
Already a shocking position for a player most people considered a Day 2 selection at best, what makes the choice even more perplexing is Sanders, who remains on the board for McShay when New Orleans makes their choice.
As another raw prospect, it may take a while before Dart can evolve into a genuine starting-caliber NFL quarterback. Continually improving in his four collegiate years, Dart had his best season in 2024 as he tallied 4,279 yards while completing over 69% of his passes.
Adding 29 touchdowns and running for an additional three, almost one-third of his 95 touchdowns during his time split between Southern California and Mississippi came last year.
Reese Decker, while breaking down his game tape placed him as a third or fourth-round pick. However, he did acknowledge, “With the supply and demand at the quarterback position in 2025, there’s a legitimate case for him to be a dark horse who could find his way into the first or early second round.”
That is the idea McShay is banking on. The latest mock draft from Pro Football Network doesn’t have Dart landing with the Saints but does bank on a similar rise into Round 1. Jacob Infante believes the New York Giants will pair last year’s rookie standout Malik Nabers with two weapons.
After selecting Travis Hunter with the third pick, Infante has them trading back into the first round with the Baltimore Ravens to select Dart at No. 27. The Saints, in Infante’s case, go after Will Johnson with the ninth overall pick to shore up the defense.
However, he does have another raw prospect landing in Louisiana, albeit in the third round, as they select Tyler Shough out of Louisville with the 93rd overall pick.
“Considering the Saints don’t have a long-term answer at quarterback, investing a Day 2 pick in Tyler Shough, whose arm strength and accuracy as a passer have seen him rise up the boards, would make sense.”
Whether it is indeed Rodgers or a rookie quarterback in the NFL Draft, the Saints need to find someone to operate as their primary passer for the 2025 season. Now, it’s up to their discretion on who they fancy as their quarterback.