The New Orleans Saints have plenty of needs to address heading into the 2025 NFL draft, but some holes certainly seem larger than others.
While it is certainly up in the air what the Saints and Mickey Loomis will do when it is their turn to pick in the first round, one position group is becoming a trendy selection in mock drafts. That would be at defensive end. It was an already weak group from a year ago that is set to thin out even more in free agency. If New Orleans could secure a game-changer in the first round at a cheap price, it would be hard for them to pass up on the opportunity.
While it wasn’t the only spot picked to be filled this past week, it was certainly a popular occurrence in the latest edition of the mock draft round-up:
Daniel Jeremiah, NFL.com
The Pick: Mike Green, DE, Marshall
The Reasoning:
“The Saints ranked third to last in yards allowed last season, so they have to improve on that side of the ball. New head coach Kellen Moore saw the impact a dominant pass rush can have on a squad during his time with the Eagles. New Orleans selects Green, a very polished and productive rusher.”
Jordan Plocher, PFF
The Pick: James Pearce Jr., DE, Tennessee
The Reasoning:
“The Saints’ pass rush struggled in 2024, earning a 65.5 team grade—ranking just 23rd in the league. Pearce brings the athleticism and pass-rush ability they need, having generated over 50 pressures in each of his last two seasons while facing top-tier SEC competition.”
Kyle Crabbs, 33rd Team
The Pick: Shemar Stewart, DE, Texas A&M
The Reasoning:
“New Orleans may have secured an offensive-minded coach in Kellen Moore to carry this team into the future but Mickey Loomis is still running this show. Loomis has a habit of drafting big, long and powerful defensive linemen — much like what they’re getting here in Shemar Stewart. Stewart has elite potential and boasts a high floor as a run defender from the jump.”
Ben Rolfe, PFN
The Pick: Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona
The Reasoning:
“The New Orleans Saints’ offense was devastated by injuries last year, especially at the wide receiver position. Chris Olave was expected to be the long-term future, but his concussion issues are mounting, while Rashid Shaheed was shut down with a knee injury last year. That opens the door for Tetairoa McMillan to come in and be the leader of this receiving group to boost an offense that ranked 22nd last year in our Offense+ metric.”
Josh Edwards, CBS Sports
The Pick: Shemar Stewart, DE, Texas A&M
The Reasoning:
“Shemar Stewart has the positional flexibility to play end or tackle. He has the length that Mickey Loomis has looked for among its defensive linemen in the past. Few have the amount of athletic potential that Stewart possesses.”
Dan Parr, NFL.com
The Pick: Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona
The Reasoning:
“Kellen Moore begins the pursuit of putting together an offense that can compete with the likes of the one he just coordinated all the way to a championship in Philly. McMillan pairs with Chris Olave to give the Saints a dynamic duo at receiver.”
Joel Klatt, Fox Sports
The Pick: Mykel Williams, DE, Georgia
The Reasoning:
“The Saints have needs in a lot of areas. New head coach Kellen Moore certainly knows the importance of pass rushing after his Eagles team got to the quarterback in the Super Bowl, doing so with a few Georgia products. Lo and behold, Williams is sitting right there on the board for the Saints. Williams’ measurables are actually nearly identical to Josh Sweat’s. When Williams was healthy, he showed he could be dominant, recording four sacks in Georgia’s two wins over Texas.”
The breakdown
Five mock drafts had the Saints picking a defensive end, and the most popular choice was Shemar Stewart out of Texas A&M. But the only other player linked to the Saints by multiple outlets wasn’t a defensive end at all. There’s a sense that Arizona wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan could add something to the offense as a big target in contrast to Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed. There are several months to go before the 2025 draft kicks off, but for now the Saints have a lot to consider.
