Tyler Shough's Emergence Could Change Saints' NFL Draft Plans

The Saints might not need to draft a quarterback at the top of the 2026 NFL Draft...

Nov 30, 2025; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Tyler Shough (6) passes the ball against the Miami Dolphins during the second half at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rich Storry-Imagn Images | Rich Storry-Imagn Images

The New Orleans Saints came into the season with major question marks at quatrterback. Spencer Rattler won the job out of training camp, but he didn't stick as the starter for long.

Tyler Shough took over halfway through the season and has showed some promise and potential in his short time under center. Shough's emergence could drastically change the Saints' offseason plans this year.

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Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz of USA Today recently put together a mock draft for the 2026 NFL Draft. After projecting Ohio State stars Arvell Reese and Caleb Downs to go No. 1 and No. 2 respectively, Middlehurst-Schwartz projected the Saints would land Miami edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr. with the No. 3 pick of the draft.

Saints might not select a QB with their top draft pick

Nov 1, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; SMU Miami Hurricanes defensive lineman Rueben Bain Jr. (4) warms up before the game against the SMU Mustangs at Gerald J. Ford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

"Can the Saints muster enough faith in 2025 second-round pick Tyler Shough to stave off another quarterback pick? A half-season might not yield a sufficient sample size to render a judgment, but the early returns have been largely promising," Middlehurst-Schwartz wrote. "Edge rusher might not be the biggest hole on a roster littered with them, but Bain has entrenched himself as the most consistently disruptive figure in this class with his persistent pressure."

This would be a bold decision for the Saints to make, considering all the quarterbacks in the class would be on the board in this scenario. Fernando Mendoza, Ty Simpson, and Dante Moore could make sense, but if the Saints believe in Shough as their starter, they could pivot away from a quarterback and select an elite edge rusher.

Bain was widely considered the top edge rusher in the draft class coming into the season. The fact that Reese could go higher than Bain is no knock on the Miami superstar, as Reese has quickly emerged as one of the best players in college football.

But the Saints would be securing a star edge rusher for years to come by making this pick. It would help build up a roster that's not built to win right now. The move might cause some to question it, but it makes sense if the front office and coaching staff believe in Shough.

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