After NFL news surfaced that New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr might require season-ending surgery this offseason, the NFL Draft odds shifted heavily toward the team selecting Shedeur Sanders with the ninth overall pick. Now, just days out from the 2025 NFL Draft, the sentiment in New Orleans has shifted completely.
According to Saints’ reporter Jeff Duncan of NOLA.com, it’s ‘safe to say’ New Orleans will not select Sanders in the 2025 NFL Draft. While Duncan isn’t sure who will be the Saints’ first-round pick, there is now a lot of confidence that it won’t be the Colorado quarterback.
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That sentiment is shared by Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football, who hasn’t received any indication that Sanders is being considered by the Saints’ front office in the first round.
- Shedeur Sanders stats (ESPN): 4,134 passing yards, 37-10 TD-INT, 74% completion rate, 8.7 yards per attempt, 168.2 QB rating, 4 rushing touchdowns
If New Orleans is out on Sanders, a draft-day slide feels inescapable. The only other potential landing spot in Round 1 would be the Pittsburgh Steelers with the 21st overall pick. It’s also worth noting that both the Saints and Steelers are very high on Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart.
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As of now, it’s viewed as unlikely that New Orleans would use the ninth overall pick on Dart. Instead, the belief seems to be that wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan or the best defensive prospect available will come to New Orleans. However, the door seems open to the Saints trading back up into the bottom half of Round 1 for Dart.
