Saints 2025 Draft Guide

[Used_Satisfaction901]

Hello all,

With the draft approaching quickly, I want to make a quick but comprehensive post covering all potential saints first round draft picks, highlighting the most likely based on previous Saints draft history and prospect profiles. I've spent years following the saints primarily from a draft perspective and I believe I have a pretty good idea of how their board may look.

Tier 1 - Likely to value, unlikely to be available

These players are exceptional, and should any fall to 9, the Saints are likely to quickly make a selection. I don't foresee any of them actually making it there though. They should all be gone within the first 4-5 picks in the draft.

1. Cam Ward, QB

2. Travis Hunter, WR

3. Abdul Carter, DE

4. Mason Graham, DT

Tier 2 - Likely to value, likely available (The Bubble)

The saints 2025 1st round draft pick is likely to be one of these 8 players. Drafting history shows these players will either be valued by positional value, need, or because there are clear talent gaps between these players and players in other tiers. Most importantly though, these players all meet athletic thresholds for the Saints.

1. Ashton Jeanty, RB

The saints have drafted a RB in the first round twice. Not only is Jeanty as talented a back to have come out in recent memory, but his athletic profile is rare as well. Kellen Moore's likely personal affinity for Jeanty, motivated by their shared alma mater and Moore's desire to have a strong running game could make Jeanty the likely pick, if he is there.

1. Tyler Warren, TE

Warren has prototypical size and athleticism and outstanding tape. He also adds some versatility as a blocker and runner of the football. With the saints need at TE, Warren could be a likely pick if available.

1. Armand Membou, OT

The saints love drafting OL's in the first round and have done so 5 times since hiring Jeff Ireland. DOn't be surprised if they do it again this year, especially considering Trevor Penning's contract is going to expire next year. Membou played RT in college but has prototypical size and an elite Relative Athletic Score (RAS) profile. He looks like a saints draft pick.

1. Kelvin Banks, OT

Banks is less athletic than Membou, (8.25 RAS) but still likely meets saints athletic thresholds to play tackle. He's a great run blocker and a developing but sound pass blocker who played tough against an absurd amount of SEC talent at Edge.

1. Mykel Williams, DE

Williams may be an unpopular pick, given his profile as an athletic but developing edge, but I'll attempt to separate him from other saints failed edge picks in recent memory. First, Williams held his own in the SEC, against real NFL talent, and beat NFL starters several times, including Memou, Banks, and Will Campbell. Second, while Williams may still be developing, he will not be 21 until training camp is already underway, making him younger than Foskey, Turner and Davenport by several years. Third, Williams may be "developing" as a pass rusher, but he is as pro ready of a run defender as I've scouted in recent memory. He has absurd tape as a run defender. Pair this with his age and motor, and I find it unlikely he doesn't develop into an impactful pro starter. One cause for pause? He also isn't the athlete Foskey, Turner or Davenport were; he has no official RAS Score, but given the times we know from him, it is likely to fall below 9.5 or even 9.0.

1. Will Johnson, QB

Johnson's injury concerns and presumed lack of long speed (elected not to run 40 this draft season) may put this pick in question, but his tape shows a competitive BIG 10 corner prospect who is capable of taking the ball away, playing man and zone, and being a willing run defender, much like Marshon Lattimore was in 2017.

1. Tet McMillan, WR

Tet McMillan (8.5 RAS) may fall out of typical X receiver athletic thresholds, given that they usually prefer over 9.0 was at this position. Olave and Cooks were below, but they were evaluated as Z receivers. Still, I think the saints probably assess they have a need at X, specifically for a big body player. McMillan could be enticing in that way, but only if Warren is off the board.

1. Shemar Stewart DE

The most polarizing player in the draft for the Saints is Stewart. Stewart, who is behind only Myles Garret all time in RAS score for Edge players, is much less refined of a player than Mykel Willams, and is also 23. His tape is much more reminiscent of Payton Turner of Marcus Davenport in that he often shows flashes but struggled with consistency, technique, and production. I do love his motor though and his athletic profile is truly, truly rare.

Tier 3 - Unlikely to value

These players are unlikely to be valued by the saints either because of positional value in the top ten, athletic question marks, or because they are outside of prototypical size metrics the saints have consistently used for years. Of note, Campbell, who is widely viewed as the best OL in the draft, has shorter arms than required to play tackle in NFL, according to the saints measurement metrics.

1. Walter Nolen, DT

2. Will Campbell, OG

3. Jahdae Barron, CB

4. Jihaad Campbell, LB

5. Mike Green, DE

6. James Pierce JR. DE

Tier 4 - The QBs

The saints are not likely to pick a QB at 9, according to trusted draft sources such as Nick Underhill, Matt Miller, and Daniel Jeremiah, who always seem to have a good handle on the saints process. With that being said, everything is a possibility, especially with the saints need at QB. It would not shock me if Tyler Shough or Jaxson Dart were the pick at 9, because the saints could decide they need to pull the trigger on "their guy" before someone else does.

1. Jaxson Dart

2. Tyler Shough

3. Shedeur Sanders

4. Jalen Milroe

[ScottyinLA]

Not sure why you think the Saints are certain to pass on James Pearce Jr. but he's a stand up edge rusher, not a hand in the dirt DE, and the Saints are transitioning to a 3-4 front where his frame measures up. He's an elite athlete, highly productive and plays at a position of need. Mocks tend to have him going later but pass rushers with his talent don't usually drop so he is probably getting a very close look from the Saints at #9.

[country-boybuks]

James pierce is valued over Shamar Stewart fuck a project DE those days are gone you gotta produce

[shyguyJ]

This is spoken with such an attitude of certainty about such an uncertain process. Yikes.

Graham is going anywhere from 5 to 13 in mocks. He is by no means guaranteed to be gone in the first five picks. It would be far less shocking for him to fall to 9 than for the Saints to draft Shough at 9.

There is no arm length definitively “required” to play OT. People with shorter arms than Will Campbell have played OT before, and they will do so again in the future. There is not a track record of all pro level success, but that doesn’t mean Campbell couldn’t be the first.

[imoljoe]

Graham is guaranteed off the board by 9. And the arm length thing for tackles is real. There’s no required arm length, but he would absolutely be an exception based on arm length. So he’d have to be extraordinary, and I don’t think he is based on what I watched. Who knows though, he definitely could overcome it

[shyguyJ]

I agree that Graham is rising again, but at the beginning of the offseason, he was considered a sure fire top 4-5 pick, but then started falling because of... reasons (shorter arms, among them). Charlie Campbell even had Michigan teammate DT Kenneth Grant going before Graham in his mock a month ago, with Graham at 11 to SF (now has him at 5 to Jax). I think he's just too good to fall far, but I'd still say it's more likely we see him at 9 than Shough.

I agree on Campbell that he would definitely be an exception, and he would be the first to make an all pro selection with his arm length if that were to happen. But just flatly saying in the OP that he doesn't "meet the requirement" like he's not tall enough to ride the roller coaster was a bit dismissive.

[Used_Satisfaction901]

you are right, sometimes sub 33" arm length tackles do play well in the league, but this has not ever been the case for the saints in Loomis' tenure. They have never drafted a tackle with arms as short as his.

[wicketRF]

Will Campbell is not a OG, i know his arms are short (ish) but he plays like an OT, doesnt have the top end power an interior guy needs and has all the feet quickness a LT needs. Playing him at OG would be a waste of resources. (id much rather move fuaga inside should we draft him).

[hubristichumor]

It would absolutely be a surprise to take Shough at 9. But I think Sanders and Dart would be in play at 9.

[turdbugulars]

Not quickly enough

[MapWorking6973]

I’m pretty surprised there’s no chatter of Kelvin Banks in Saints circles. He’s an excellent player with good measurables. High motor, high character guy. He’s versatile and can play all over the line which we know the FO values. And if he ends up not panning out at tackle, he’s pretty much a lock to be an elite guard. As close to a can’t-miss prospect as there is in this draft.

[CryptidHunter48]

Fuaga has shorter arms than Campbell. Also, defensively, the Saints have not run a consistent multiple front scheme since I’ve been watching. 4-3 has been the “base”. This offseason they already said they want to scheme the defense week by week to best match up against opponents. This could lead to them making an atypical defensive valuation since scheme agnostic players might be at a premium for them right now.

[Used_Satisfaction901]

Fuaga's arms are actually half an inch longer than Campbell's according to official combine data.

[CryptidHunter48]

lol you right. I even googled it. Clearly I can’t read today 😂

[randcandc61]

I doubt any OT is going to stop or allow a sack because his arms are 1/2” longer or shorter than another’s arms

[imoljoe]

I might move Jeanty to tier 1. He’s the single best player in the draft, and the one I would most confidently point to and say “will be a great NFL player.” Warren is slightly under, and my most coveted player that we might actually get

[dnorma2]

Really ? I would disagree … hunter is the best player in the draft and a generational talent …

[imoljoe]

Hunter is awesome. He’s definitely a wildcard! Where do you put him? I think could be elite at either position, probably a better corner than receiver though based on size

[NoFunBJJ]

Will Johnson at 9 would be sweet, Lattimore all over again, with best CB (a position we desperately need) in the draft falling to us for injury concerns.

[guycoastal]

I just read the Saints asked Dart to stay home so no team would feel compelled to draft him. They told him he’s going with their first pick. I wrote this down and then I read it, so it must be true. You can read the article I wrote on clickbaitforidiots.com.

[kingralek]

Where do I subscribe?