Will Saints Regret Passing On Potential Superstar Shedeur Sanders?

The Saints passed on Shedeur Sanders to select Kelvin Banks Jr.

Apr 4, 2025; Boulder, CO, USA; Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders (2) laughs during the University of Colorado NFL Showcase at the CU Indoor Practice Facility. Mandatory Credit: Michael Ciaglo-Imagn Images | Michael Ciaglo-Imagn Images

On Thursday night, the New Orleans Saints opted to select Texas offensive tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. with the No. 9 pick in the NFL Draft. In the process, New Orleans made the bold prediction to pass on drafting Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders, who fell into its lap.

Will the Saints regret this decision?

The first thing to note is Banks is a potential star. He's one of the more talented offensive linemen in the draft and the Saints were able to land him at pick No. 9. Usually, this is a pick worth celebrating pretty ecstatically. But the Saints don't have a quarterback and a potential star fell into their lap, but they passed on him.

Sanders has as much talent as any quarterback in the draft. He has the arm talent and the athleticism to dominate defenses. There have been questions about his ability to read defenses and make the right play, but his raw talent is among the best in the class. Landing him at No. 9 seemed like a dream come true a few weeks ago, but the Saints opted to select Banks instead.

Only time will tell if the Saints will regret this pick. There's a lot of time left in the draft for the Saints to draft a signal caller, potentially in the second or third round.

But Sanders could be a star. Passing on him at pick No. 9 is tough to stomach. If he turns out to be an All-Pro level quarterback like some experts predict, the Saints will be left kicking themselves in the behind for a long time.

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