New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr had a solid 2024 season, starting only 10 games due to a fracture in his left hand and completing 189-of-279 passes for 2,145 yards, 15 touchdowns, five interceptions and a 101 passer rating.
However, he will be 34 years old by the start of the 2025 season while still having two years left under his four-year, $150 million contract, and it's unclear if New Orleans will want him back after that.
That's why, in a mock draft done by Mel Kiper Jr. of ESPN, he predicts the Saints will select Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart as the No. 9 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
"OK, here's the surprise pick," Kiper wrote. "And I know the Saints just restructured Derek Carr's contract to tie him to the team for at least one more season. But what happens after that season?... I'm hearing more and more first-round buzz on Dart, and New Orleans seems like a good fit. He wouldn't be forced to play right away and could learn behind Carr. This team still has a lot of roster-building decisions to make, but getting the QB of the future now does make some sense."
Since 2021, Dart has proven to be able to put up big numbers, throwing for a total of 11,970 yards, 81 touchdowns and 27 interceptions. He's also shown the ability to run the ball with 1,541 yards and 14 touchdowns.
He's easily coming off his best season, completing 276-of-398 passes for 4,279 yards (led SEC), 29 touchdowns, six interceptions, and a 180.7 passing efficiency rating (led FBS).
It will remain to be seen if a team like the Saints do take a chance on him so early, considering he's a player many can't agree on, with Pro Football Focus ranking him as the No. 6 quarterback and the No. 126 player available in the draft.
If this scenario did become a reality, though, the year or two Dart sits behind Carr could become vital for him to learn both the Saints' offense and the playing speed of the NFL.
