New Orleans Saints Mock Draft & Team Needs

The Saints are entering the 2025 NFL Draft in need of a reset after a 5-12 season that exposed significant shortcomings on both sides of the ball. With questions at quarterback, holes on defense, and limited depth at key positions, New Orleans has a prime opportunity to reshape its roster and reestablish direction for the future.

New Orleans Saints

The Saints limped to the finish line in 2024, landing in last place in the NFC South with a disappointing 5-12 record. Offensively, New Orleans failed to generate much momentum, ranking in the bottom third of the league with just 320.1 yards per game. Their passing attack was particularly underwhelming, producing only 205.2 yards per contest—the 10th-fewest in the NFL—while their run game hovered around league average at 114.9 yards per game.

Defensively, the Saints were one of the league's worst units, surrendering 379.9 yards per game, which ranked third-most in the NFL. They were consistently gashed through the air (238.5 passing yards allowed per game) and utterly collapsed against the run, giving up 141.4 yards per game—second-worst in the league behind only Carolina.

Starting Offense:

QB Derek Carr

RB Alvin Kamara

WR Chris Olave

WR Rasheed Shaheed

TE Juwan Johnson / Taysom Hill

While the Saints have some fantasy stars on the offensive side of the football, Derek Carr is dealing with an injury that could cause him to miss an extensive amount of time in 2025. There’s even been hints that if the Saints target a quarterback in the first round of the draft, Carr would opt for surgery. Even if he forgoes the surgery, Carr has regressed in recent seasons. In his two years with the Saints, the veteran signal-caller has amassed 6,023 passing yards, 40 touchdown passes, and 13 interceptions. He’s improved at limiting turnovers but he’s become more of a game manager in recent years and hasn’t surpassed 4,000 passing yards since his 2021 campaign with the Raiders.

Alvin Kamara remains a low-end RB1 due to his pass-catching prowess but he’ll need to score more touchdowns. Despite scoring just six rushing touchdowns with another two through the air, Kamara finished as the RB9 in PPR formats. He still has plenty left in the tank, though the Saints do lack depth at the running back position should he suffer an injury. The Saints have several weapons in the passing game in Olave and Shaheed but without better quarterback play, their fantasy upside is limited.

New Orleans could use another wideout and may target one in this year’s draft but they have several other holes to fill on the roster including cornerback, defensive line, tight end, and quarterback. Their best approach may simply be to take the best player available.

New Orleans Saints 2025 NFL Draft Picks

Round 1: 9th

Round 2: 40th

Round 3: 71st, 93rd

Round 4: 112th, 131st

Round 6: 184th

Round 7: 248th, 254th

Given all the drama ensuing in New Orleans at the quarterback position, the Saints could select Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders with the No. 9 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. In my latest NFL Mock Draft, that’s precisely what they did.

Sanders has seen his draft stock tank over the last week and while some analysts have him dropping out of the top 10 (and even the entire first round), I expect the New Orleans Saints to give him an opportunity. New Orleans has not had a true franchise quarterback since the days of Drew Brees and Derek Carr seems to be far past his prime. Although Sanders may not be a Day 1 starter, he could very well take over for Carr by the end of the 2025 season.

Imagine Shedeur Sanders in this potential Saints offense ⚜️ pic.twitter.com/bCNlkirIHc
— PFF (@PFF) April 15, 2025

With a new sheriff in town to man the quarterback position, the Saints will turn the page and look to develop Sanders. He steps into a fairly fantasy friendly situation with so many trustworthy weapons at his disposal, though he could use an upgrade at the tight end position. However, in the second round of the draft, I expect the Saints to upgrade the secondary by selecting Trey Amos out of Ole Miss. Amos has the skill set to step into a starting role immediately in New Orleans. A physical 6-foot, 195-pound corner, he thrives in tight man coverage and has the awareness and fluidity to excel in Brandon Staley’s system.

After addressing their top two needs in the first two rounds, the Saints could target a running back to serve as Kamara’s backup or a run-stuffing interior defensive lineman. Ultimately, if Arizona State’s Cam Skattebo is still available, I anticipate New Orleans scooping him up. Skattebo is a versatile, high-motor running back who can run, block, catch, and contribute in all phases of the offense. At 5-foot-9 and 219 pounds, he plays with far more physicality than his frame suggests and brings a home-run mindset to the Saints—offering immediate impact potential for New Orleans. He could be one of the top fantasy football handcuffs should he land in New Orleans.

With their five Day 3 picks, don’t be surprised if the Saints stack up on defensive players while sprinkling in a tight end.