Shedeur Sanders has been projected to be selected anywhere from first overall to midway through the first round. Some have even boldly predicted Sanders joining teams towards the end of the first round.
Where Might Shedeur Sanders Land?
However, with draft stock falling on Sanders, everything is on the table. The New Orleans Saints have been a floated destination with Derek Carr’s shoulder injury placing his availability in doubt for the start of the 2025 season. A PFSN Mock Draft posted on April 21 by Jacob Infante has predicted the Saints to take OT Armand Membou out of Missouri.
“The New Orleans Saints have several needs on both sides of the ball. With the recent retirement of Ryan Ramczyk, however, they have a glaring need at right tackle that could be fixed with an early-round draft pick … he’s a lot more refined than many people give him credit for,” he wrote.
It’s worth noting that an injured quarterback causes the Saints’ current quarterback problem. Even if they had drafted another name like Sanders, an undermanned offensive line could have given them the same problem. With the offensive line solidified, they can turn their attention to a quarterback later.
Of course, even if the Saints pass on Shedeur Sanders in the first round, that doesn’t mean they’ve shut the door on quarterback entirely.
Armed with the 40th overall pick in the second round, the Saints could still have their pick of several quarterbacks. Jalen Milroe, Quinn Ewers, Riley Leonard and Tyler Shough are just some of the names that could be on the board at the top of the second round.
Milroe is getting comparisons to Lamar Jackson, with some saying that he’s the best quarterback runner they’ve ever seen.
Quinn Ewers was good enough to get on the cover of the College Football 25 video game, so it’s hard to get a better endorsement than that. Riley Leonard played in a national championship game just months ago and participated in the Senior Bowl, the college equivalent of the Pro Bowl.
Tyler Shough has some first-round grades floating around the internet, so there’s potential there as well in corners of the zeitgeist. Getting Shedeur Sanders isn’t the end-all, be-all. His addition makes sense, but only in the best situation with the team that’s ready for him. The Saints, it appears, are not.