Mel Kiper NFL Mock Draft: Cam Ward to Titans, Sanders to Giants, Jaxson Dart to Saints

While it's generally understood that two quarterbacks will be selected in the first round of the 2025 NFL draft, ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. is now predicting there could be a third in the mix.

In his latest mock draft released on Tuesday, Kiper projected Cam Ward as the No. 1 overall pick to the Tennessee Titans and Shedeur Sanders to the New York Giants at three.

The big surprise from Kiper is Mississippi's Jaxson Dart being selected by the New Orleans Saints at No. 9.

There was some drama early in the offseason that the Titans could either look to trade the top pick or bypass a quarterback if they like another player better, but neither one seems to really be the case anymore.

Ward may not be a lock to the Titans with more than a month to go before the draft, but that seems to be the way things are trending. Their only quarterback move in free agency was to sign Brandon Allen. They also brought in veteran offensive linemen Dan Moore Jr. and Kevin Zeitler to upgrade that unit.

Sanders is the most popular option for the Giants in consensus mock drafts. Even if they do end up signing Aaron Rodgers in free agency, they need a long-term option behind the 41-year-old.

Dart has become a bit of a wild card in the first-round quarterback discussion. He elevated his stock with a strong performance at the scouting combine.

Kiper noted he's hearing "more and more first-round buzz" for Dart, with the Saints cited as a good fit because they might want an off-ramp for Derek Carr at some point soon.

Given how much the Saints stretch their cap every single year, they have to reset their timeline with a rookie quarterback contract at some point. Dart is a high-risk, high-reward type of prospect with tantalizing tools.

It will take time for Dart to adjust to the NFL because Ole Miss' RPO-heavy offensive system doesn't prepare quarterbacks for what they have to do at the next level. The Saints don't need him to step in right away because they still have Carr.

B/R NFL scout Dame Parson noted Dart's game contains "shades of Carson Wentz." There was obviously a high level of volatility in Wentz's game, but the upside was near-MVP caliber when he was at his peak.

Taking Dart would be a huge swing for new Saints head coach Kellen Moore to take in his first draft, but it could set him up extremely well for long-term success if he works out.

For a team that's been stuck in purgatory for the past four seasons, the Saints need to start making some bold moves if they want to get out of this rut and back to being a serious contender in the NFC sooner than later.