The New Orleans Saints are going to be on the clock in the first 10 picks of the upcoming 2025 NFL draft. Even with a victory against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, it would just prevent the Saints moving any higher but it wouldn’t drop them.
Will the next head coach follow the trend of Sean Payton and Dennis Allen’s aggression in the first round? If he does decide to trade up, Bleacher Report’s Brent Sobleski has two names to watch.
Sobleski highlights Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders and Penn State’s Abdul Carter as two players New Orleans could trade up for. Quarterback and edge rusher (whether they continue to use defensive ends or switch to outside linebackers in a new coach’s scheme) are two positions the Saints clearly need.
Sanders is the more interesting inclusion of the two. He and Cam Ward are the top two quarterbacks in the draft, and there’s a belief those players have a good chance at being the first two picks.
With so many quarterback-needy teams it’s hard to see Sanders falling too far. The Saints would need to be very aggressive, and sacrifice next year’s first round pick. However, if that player is your quarterback of the future, it’s worth it.
Carter is the more realistic player to trade up for if the Saints stay at No. 9 overall. If he drops to the seventh pick, the standard NFL draft trade value chart says it would take just a 2025 third round pick to move up and make the selection.
The edge rusher is described as being “best used as a pass-rush specialist to begin his career.” That’s exactly what the Saints need. Cameron Jordan may be preparing for a move to a new team if he’s released, and Chase Young could demand more money in free agency than New Orleans can afford to pay.
Either way, the Saints need more juice out on the edge of the defensive line. Carter can provide a quick and explosive pass rush threat at the position in a way the Saints typically haven’t utilized.
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