Buffs Beat

Shedeur Sanders, New Orleans Saints NFL Draft Speculation Rampant After Derek Carr Injury

A serious shoulder injury to quarterback Derek Carr has the New Orleans Saints in limbo. The franchise is now the odds-on favorite to land Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders. The Saints hold the No. 9 overall pick in the NFL Draft.

Harrison Simeon

Oct 19, 2024; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Colorado Buffalos quarterback Shedeur Sanders (2) greets fans after defeating the Arizona Wildcats at Arizona Stadium.
Oct 19, 2024; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Colorado Buffalos quarterback Shedeur Sanders (2) greets fans after defeating the Arizona Wildcats at Arizona Stadium. / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
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A new era for New Orleans Saints may begin with Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders.

Following a report from NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport on Friday that New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr is dealing with a shoulder injury that could sideline him for the 2025 season, speculation ran wild that the franchise will use its No. 9 overall NFL draft pick on Sanders.

Momentum had crept the Saints' way since Sanders' once sky-high draft stock began to fall. The quarterback was previously tabbed as a likely top-three draft pick, but in recent weeks, popular opinion has shifted him to the latter half of the first round.

Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders (2) runs drills at the University of Colorado NFL Showcase at the CU Indoor P
Apr 4, 2025; Boulder, CO, USA; Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders (2) runs drills at the University of Colorado NFL Showcase at the CU Indoor Practice Facility. / Michael Ciaglo-Imagn Images

With New Orleans already viewed as a possible suitor of Sanders, the news of Carr's injury breaking less than two weeks before the draft left many with the impression that the No. 9 overall pick could be a fresh face at quarterback.

Per DraftKings Sportsbook, the Saints are now -130 betting favorites to draft Sanders, skyrocketing from the +300 odds the outcome had on Monday. Pro Football Focus shared a mock draft with Sanders at No. 9, captioned "The future of New Orleans is here."

This landing spot would likely please Colorado coach Deion Sanders, who teased his admiration for the franchise at the Buffs' NFL showcase. After the news of Carr's injury spread, he quoted a post on X by ESPN's Louis Riddick which implied Shedeur could wind up as the No. 9 overall pick.

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While it would be easy to conclude that Sanders is a future Saint, the teams' prior knowledge and actions could indicate otherwise. Dianna Russini of The Athletic reported that Carr's injury did not surprise the franchise.

Carr, 34, has an injury history dating back to his heyday with the then-Oakland Raiders, as a fractured fibula derailed a promising 2016 season. In 2023, he suffered an AC joint sprain in his shoulder but played through it.

Additionally, Saints coach Kellen Moore did not attend Colorado's pro day in favor of scouting various other quarterback prospects, namely Cam Ward (Miami Hurricanes), Jaxon Dart (Ole Miss Rebels) and Will Howard (Ohio State Buckeyes), albeit New Orleans quarterbacks coach Scott Tolzien was in Boulder to watch Sanders throw.

New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr (4) walks off the field after field after an injury during the fourth quarter at Me
Dec 8, 2024; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr (4) walks off the field after field after an injury during the fourth quarter at MetLife Stadium. / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

To those unfamiliar with the Saints' front office, the situation could be baffling, as the team chose not to cut ties with Carr when the injury likely would have already occurred and instead restructured his contract.

New Orleans has several roster holes to fill other than under center and saw occasional sparks from quarterback Spencer Rattler, so the franchise could go a different direction with the No. 9 pick and wait for what is widely considered a better quarterback draft class in 2026.

Still, Sanders has a worthy resume if the Saints seek a caliber of signal-caller not seen since the retirement of legendary Saints quarterback Drew Brees. New Orleans is stuck in a cycle of mediocrity and near playoff misses this decade, and Sanders has made clear that he's not only going to a team to throw passes but to change a culture.

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Harrison Simeon
HARRISON SIMEON

Harrison Simeon is a beat writer for Colorado Buffaloes On SI. Formerly, he wrote for Colorado Buffaloes Wire of the USA TODAY Sports network and interned at the Daily Camera. At the University of Colorado Boulder, he has passionately covered school athletics as President and Editor-In-Chief of its student sports media organization, Sko Buffs Sports. He is a native of New Orleans, Louisiana.

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