Saints Insider 'Can Safely Say' Shedeur Sanders Won't Be Picked at No. 9 in NFL Draft

Saints insider Jeff Duncan doesn't believe New Orleans will select Shedeur Sanders with the No. 9 pick in the 2025 NFL draft.

The NOLA.com columnist wrote Tuesday that he doesn't know who the Saints' No. 9 selection will be, but he "can safely say that it won't be Shedeur Sanders."

Sanders is ranked as the No. 2 quarterback and the No. 23 overall prospect available on Bleacher Report's latest 2025 NFL Draft Big Board.

With Miami quarterback Cam Ward anticipated to hear his name called earlier on Day 1—the latest mock draft by B/R NFL scouts has him going to the Tennessee Titans at No. 1—Sanders could be the highest-rated quarterback available by the time the Saints get on the board.

The Saints are meanwhile heading into the 2025 campaign in need of a quarterback, given the April 11 report by NFL Network's Ian Rapoport that Derek Carr is questionable for next season due to a shoulder injury.

Despite the Carr news, ESPN's Adam Schefter has also expressed skepticism the Saints will use the ninth pick to target his replacement.

Schefter noted that, unlike the New York Giants or Cleveland Browns, the Saints sent a limited scouting contingent to Sanders' Colorado pro day that did not include head coach Kellen Moore or offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier.

"There is a belief around the league that the Saints are more interested in using a high pick on an offensive or defensive lineman, because there are questions about two starters: tackle Trevor Penning and guard Nick Saldiveri," Schefter wrote Monday. "The belief is they want to draft a quarterback—just maybe not at No. 9, and maybe not Sanders."

The Saints are heading into the draft with nine picks, including four within the top 100. In addition to the ninth selection the New Orleans are picking at No. 40, No. 71 and No. 93.

New Orleans could decide to use one of those later picks to target a lower-tier quarterback like Ole Miss' Jaxson Dart, Alabama's Jalen Milroe or Ohio State's Will Howard. Schefter reported that an NFL executive believes the Saints are "hot and heavy" on Dart.