Saints Reportedly Seen as 'Wild Card' in Draft by NFL Teams as Scout Questions QB at 9

Coming off their worst season since 2005 and having had their many roster flaws exposed in the process, the New Orleans Saints are viewed as a team that could go in any number of directions early in the 2025 NFL draft.

Per ESPN's Jordan Reid, people within the NFL view the Saints as a "wild card" due to all of the holes on their roster.

One scout for an NFC East team expressed skepticism to Reid that New Orleans will use its first pick at No. 9 on a quarterback because the situation around a rookie is not conducive to being successful.

"Would you really want to draft a young QB early and bring him into that situation?" the scout said.

Mississippi quarterback Jaxson Dart has been frequently linked to the Saints throughout the pre-draft process. Head coach Kellen Moore was among the Saints' contingent that attended Ole Miss' pro day on March 28.

It's unclear if it would require the Saints to use the ninth pick on Dart. There has also been growing speculation that Shedeur Sanders could be the preferred quarterback prospect for New Orleans.

B/R's NFL scouting department projected Sanders to the Saints at No. 9 overall in its most recent mock posted on April 1.

If the Saints use their top-10 pick on a quarterback, that could also make for an interesting dynamic with Derek Carr on the roster. The Saints could save $50 million against the 2026 cap if they release Carr next offseason with a post-June 1 designation.

The key positions of need for the Saints going into the draft are edge-rusher, cornerback and offensive line. There project to be quality options at all three spots available at nine.

Given how aggressive the Saints are with everything they do, it wouldn't be a surprise to see general manager Mickey Loomis take a big swing early in the draft. Last year marked the first time since 2021 they made their own first-round pick without trading anything.