In the first two rounds of the NFL draft, the New Orleans Saints drafted Kelvin Banks Jr. and Tyler Shough. You'd like to hit on your early picks, especially top-50 picks. The stakes are raised because the duo plays two of the most premier positions in football, quarterback and offensive tackle.
If both Shough and Banks pan out, the Saints are set up for well for the future. You have a quarterback that'll lead your into the next decade and a left tackle to protect his blindside. In a perfect world, that's what happens. However, what if you only get one success?
Hitting on Shough unquestionably elevates the team more. If you get to pick which draftee succeeds, it should be Shough because he's a quarterback. It may be more of a need to hit on Banks, however, because the Saints simply can't afford to miss on him. His failure would set the team back more than Shough's.
Tyler Shough comes with high hopes, tempered expectations and the ability to press the reset button quickly
Shough has the edge to be the quarterback of 2025 and beyond simply because Kellen Moore picked him. There's a couple of ways Shough could not deliver, and the Saints won't be hurt. Spencer Rattler could flat out win the job this offseason. If Rattler performs well, the Saints will wish they went a different direction in the second round but still no harm no foul.
If Shough flat out wets the bed, the Saints could find themselves in position to pick a quarterback high in next year's draft. It's important to remember Shough was a second round pick. That's still a high investment, but it's an investment you can move on from without much push back. Many mock drafts are already predicting the Saints to go back to the well in 2026.
As a top-50 selection, Shough has higher expectations than most second round quarterbacks. The expectations are still lower than quarterbacks picked late in the first round, like Jaxson Dart. You want Shough to succeed, but if he doesn't it won't feel like a big miss on the Saints part.
Kelvin Banks Jr. can't be the Saints' next failed first round offensive lineman
Taliese Fuaga and Ryan Ramczyk are the only unquestionably good first round picks have made along the offensive line in the last decade. It's only been a season, but the Saints absolutely got it right with Fuaga last year. That broke a streak of questionable first round selections on the offensive line after Ramczyk.
Look no further than left guard for proof. Trevor Penning has not worked out, and now he is on his third position in three years. Cesar Ruiz has manned the starting right guard role for years, but consistency has been a problem.
First rounders are going to be given every chance to succeed. That is what is happening with Penning, and you could go further back to Andrus Peat who also had to change positions.
If Banks struggles, the Saints are going to more than likely be stuck with him for a few seasons. It's not because they have to keep him in the rotation. That's just typically how it goes unless Banks is horrendous. This will leave the Saints plagued with average to below average play at left tackle. That would be scary.
For Shough, New Orleans isn't planning to ditch him but the option to exit could come up quicker. That's the biggest difference.
