Mel Kiper Jr. blasts Saints for passing on Shedeur Sanders with No. 9 pick
The New Orleans Saints had achance to grab a potential franchise quarterback with the No. 9 overall pick in the first round of the 2025 NFL draft, as both Jaxson Dart and Shedeur Sanders were on the board in that spot.
Instead, the Saints addressed their offensive line by taking Texas offensive tackle Kelvin Banks, who does fill a need for New Orleans. Banks is viewed as someone who could play guard or tackle at the next level, but there’s a better chance than not that he slots in at one of the two tackle spots in Year 1.
While the pick certainly made sense, ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. was not a fan. He thinks the Saints should have taken Sanders in that spot, as the Colorado quarterback was his top prospect at the position.
For that, he considered the Saints one of the biggest “losers” in the first round of the 2025 NFL draft.
While the pick certainly made sense, ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. was not a fan. He thinks the Saints should have taken Sanders in that spot, as the Colorado quarterback was his top prospect at the position.
For that, he considered the Saints one of the biggest “losers” in the first round of the 2025 NFL draft.
This match would have made all the sense in the world. The Saints play indoors at the Caesars Superdome, which alleviates any arm strength concerns. They have a new coach who has worked with a bunch of young passers in Kellen Moore. And they have a sudden need at the position, with starter Derek Carr uncertain for this season because of a shoulder injury. Even if Carr does play, he’s 34 years old and isn’t a lock to be on the roster beyond 2025. New Orleans has to start planning for the future at some point, and it again passed on the most important position in Round 1. The Saints haven’t used a first-round pick on a QB since Archie Manning in 1971. They can’t keep rolling the dice.
The Saints will next be on the clock with the No. 40 overall pick, where they could get another crack at Sanders. Dart is already off the board after he was taken by the New York Giants following a trade back up into the first round.
That said, there’s a good chance Sanders won’t be there when the Saints are on the clock. The Cleveland Browns have a pair of picks in the top four of Round 2 and still need a quarterback. Even if the Browns pass on him twice, the Las Vegas Raiders are another team that could take Sanders.
Another quarterback the Saints could spring for is Alabama’s Jalen Milroe, but again, he could be a target of the Raiders and Browns early in Round 2.
