New Orleans Saints fans want to see the team add a new quarterback in the draft, but that may not happen until day three, in the mid to late rounds.
The New Orleans Saints haven’t selected a quarterback in the first round of the draft since taking Archie Manning second overall in the 1971 Draft. With the 2025 Draft approaching, some fans are hoping that streak will come to an end. The Saints have the ninth-overall pick in the draft, and they’ve spent the pre-draft process doing extensive work on the quarterback prospects.
If New Orleans is going to select a guy in the first round at No. 9, it will most likely be Shedeur Sanders. Cam Ward and Sanders are the two consensus first-round quarterbacks in this draft class, and Ward is seemingly a lock to go first overall to the Tennessee Titans. Sanders, on the other hand, could go as early as two, or could be available at nine for New Orleans.
There are fans that would love for that to happen, and Sanders’ family is seemingly on board as well. However, unless the Saints are willing to send a massive package to trade up, they’ll have to wait and see if Sanders falls to them. If he doesn’t, there will still be several other quarterback prospects the team could land.
ESPN’s Ben Solak recently went through all of the quarterback prospects that will likely be drafted in 2025, and named the best fits for them, factoring in teams’ draft spot, need, scheme, and prospects’ projection. Solak had Sanders off the board at No. 3 to the New York Giants, so that forced New Orleans in another direction.
With the top two quarterbacks quickly off the board, Solak has the Saints waiting to round four, naming Kyle McCord as the best fit for New Orleans.
Kyle McCord named as the best fit for the Saints
Solak acknowledges the possibility of picking a quarterback at No. 9, but since New Orleans has so many needs, and Derek Carr on an expensive contract, he thinks the team could wait to day three and go after a prospect like McCord. As far as McCord the player, Solak believes he’s a good fit for Saints head coach Kellen Moore.
"McCord worked out with the Saints late in March, and he fits the model of quarterbacks with whom new coach Kellen Moore has worked in the past, like Justin Herbert and Dak Prescott. McCord has good size, he's highly comfortable operating in the pocket and he'll work through progressions and hit backside reads. An uber-aggressive passer, McCord regularly bites off throws he just can't chew with only average arm strength, but that aggressiveness could serve him well at the NFL level. He's always willing to give his receivers a chance."Ben Solak (ESPN)
Solak went on to say McCord could look disastrous during cold streaks, but he has the potential to be a longtime backup in the league. That’s not really the kind of quarterback Saints fans are hoping to land, but Solak says the hope would be McCord can have a “Brock Purdy-esque elevation.”
If that’s the gamble New Orleans has to take, the team would be better off seeing what Spencer Rattler could do, instead of selecting another day three quarterback.
