Saints move up in the 2025 draft order after their bye week

The Saints remain in the top-10 of the 2025 NFL draft after their bye, but a surprise Week 12 victory changed their position:

The New Orleans Saints moved up one spot in the NFL draft order after Week 12, and they didn’t even have to lose a game to get it done.

There was a point where New Orleans had a top-five selection. A coaching change and 2 wins in a row later and New Orleans was the last team in the top-ten. After Week 12’s action, the Saints moved from the tenth pick to the ninth.

Ironically, it was a Dallas Cowboys victory that helped them out. When the Cowboys surprisingly defeated the Washington Commanders, it created a complete logjam with several competing teams at 4-7. The Saints may have beaten the Cowboys head to head, but in a tie between the Saints, Cowboys, Bengals and Bears, New Orleans would have the highest draft pick.

There’s not a large separation at the top of the draft. The Patriots have three wins and the fourth overall pick and the Bears are at No. 14 with four wins. The Saints could easily find themselves in either of those regions depending on this week’s outcome.

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Where the Saints are picking in the 2025 NFL draft after Week 10

Looking into where the New Orleans Saints stand in the draft order ahead of the 2025 NFL draft after Sunday’s win over the Falcons.

The New Orleans Saints tank project the team seemed to be on came to a screeching halt on Sunday when the team unexpectedly snapped its seven-game losing streak with a 20-17 win over the visiting Atlanta Falcons. A not-insignificant number of Saints fans were looking to next year’s draft, so how did this impact the 2025 draft order?

Even though this appears to be a season too far lost barring something bizarre, there’s a new sense of optimism surrounding the Darren Rizzi era. Just how far it lasts remains to be seen, but there is no question that things seem to be looking up after the team parted ways with Dennis Allen.

So, what exactly does all of this mean for where the Saints could be picking in the 2025 NFL draft? Here’s a look at where New Orleans stands after the Week 10 victory and their full draft order projection from Tankathon:

  • Round 1, No. 9 overall
  • Round 2, No. 40 overall
  • Round 3, No. 71 overall
  • Round 3, No. 89 overall
  • Round 4, No. 111 overall
  • Round 4, No. 127 overall
  • Round 6, No. 184 overall
  • Round 7, No. 252 overall

The Saints will look to continue to stay on the right side of the win column when they face the Cleveland Browns on Nov. 17 at Noon CT/1 p.m. ET.

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What If: Saints pulled off trade down with Rams on draft day

The Rams were trying to trade up for Brock Bowers, and the Saints were listening. What if the Raiders hadn’t made that decision for them?

The New Orleans Saints are feeling pretty confident in their 2024 draft haul. They came away with the best player at their most important position of need in Oregon State right tackle Taliese Fuaga, a Day 1 starter with Pro Bowl potential (and who has made a big fan in future Hall of Fame offensive lineman Jason Kelce). But things could have turned out very differently them in this year’s draft.

What if the Las Vegas Raiders hadn’t drafted Georgia tight end Brock Bowers at No. 13, opening the door for the Saints to consummate a trade they were discussing with the Los Angeles Rams?

NFL Network’s Peter Schrager first reported that the Rams were calling teams in hopes of trading up for Bowers, and NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill later confirmed that the Saints were in talks with L.A. about moving down. But when the Raiders surprised everyone by drafting Bowers instead, one pick before the Saints went on the clock, those trade talks were scuttled.

Schrager said: “The player they had their eyes on if he slipped a little bit was Brock Bowers. So the Rams really fell in love with Brock Bowers, the Georgia tight end, and as he’s plummeting down boards and the quarterbacks are going, there were phone calls made and there was some excitement in that L.A. building that they might be able to get Brock Bowers and add him to that offense.”

Of course, everyone came out of these feeling happy: New Orleans got Fuaga, the Rams got Florida State pass rusher Jared Verse, and the Raiders, of course, got to pair Bowers with tight end Michael Mayer (last year’s 35th overall pick). Still, let’s use the benefit of hindsight to see how this may have played out differently.

If the Raiders pass on Bowers at No. 13, they would probably have picked Fuaga themselves. They have a clear need at right tackle where Thayer Munford Jr., a former seventh round pick with just 890 career snaps played in the NFL (563 of them on the right side), is expected to start. They could have also considered every defender in the draft at that point with the first dozen selections all being offensive players. But we’re guessing Fuaga would have been their choice.

So Bowers remains on the board at No. 14. There was a big push for the Saints to draft him among fans on social media, so he would’ve been a popular pick regardless of the greater need at both tackle spots. And with Fuaga unavailable trading down is easy to understand. As Underhill and Schrager reported, the Rams were working hard to trade up for him. What kind of offer could Los Angeles have made?

Going into the draft, Rich Hill’s trade value chart had the Saints’ No. 13 pick valued at 325 points, while the Rams’ pick at No. 19 was valued at 278 points. That’s a difference of 47 points, which could be made up by Los Angeles sending New Orleans their picks in Round 3 (No. 99, valued at 36 points) and Round 5 (No. 154, valued at 11 points). That’s equal value. The Saints could have also asked for the Rams’ other third rounder (No. 83, valued at 52 points), but breaking even would have meant sending back one of their own fifth- or sixth-round selections.

Here’s an alternative offer. The Saints already owned four picks in Round 5 (at Nos. 150, 168, 170, and 175). Another fifth rounder may not have moved the needle for them. So what about picks in 2025? Another trade in Round 1 saw the Jacksonville Jaguars move out of the 17th pick and down to No. 23 in exchange for the Minnesota Vikings’ third- and fourth-round choices next year. Conventional wisdom around the NFL says that future draft picks depreciate in value by one round for each year, but the Rams are well-established outliers in that regard. The Saints may have been able to wring out of them the 2025 second rounder Los Angeles later traded to move up from No. 52 to 39.

But there’s a cost for the Saints we aren’t considering, which would be missing out on one of the top offensive tackles (and Bowers, which would upset a lot of fans hoping for more firepower on offense). Sliding back from No. 14 to 19 is easier to accept with Fuaga off the board, along with guys picked ahead of him like Olu Fashanu, JC Latham, and Joe Alt. The next offensive tackle picked was Amarius Mims at No. 18, so he wouldn’t have been an option, either. The Saints were reportedly down on Troy Fautanu for medical red flags but they might have been forced into picking him before the Pittsburgh Steelers did at No. 20. The next offensive tackle drafted was Jordan Morgan at No. 25, and he also had a college knee injury.

Would it have been undersized pass rusher Chop Robinson (the 21st pick) or wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. (No. 23) instead of an offensive lineman? Both players visited the Saints at their headquarters before the draft, so they were clearly on New Orleans’ radar. They could have used the help at either spot, as well as cornerback, with both Quinyon Mitchell and Terrion Arnold on the board. The question is whether it could come at a detriment to the offensive line. Waiting until Round 2 would’ve been perilous; no offensive tackles were drafted until No. 55, 10 slots after the Saints were slated to pick. Doing so would have been a reach.

So maybe things worked out the way they should have. Disgruntled Saints fans would have never let it go if the team traded down and missed on a surefire offensive tackle while sending Bowers off to break all sorts of records in Sean McVay’s high-flying offense (which, you know, humiliated the Saints in front of a national audience last season and effectively ended their playoff bid. And they’re coming to the Caesars Superdome for a rematch this year).

It’s just ironic that a team which has traded up in 27 consecutive draft-day deals had the opportunity to finally move down, pleasing fans who have been asking for it for years, only for the options to look less appealing once you break it down. Hopefully Fuaga goes on to have such an illustrious career that we never look back on this as a missed opportunity.

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2024 NFL draft grades: Buccaneers pick OL Graham Barton at No. 26 overall

2024 NFL draft grades: Buccaneers pick OL Graham Barton at No. 26 overall

With the New Orleans Saints first pick out of the way, they now look ahead to what their other NFC South rivals will do. We got our first glimpse of what Jason Licht has in mind for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers draft class tonight with their first-round selection.

With the 26th overall pick, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected Graham Barton, an offensive lineman from Duke University. Barton is an intriguing prospect, playing at left tackle the last three seasons, however, he did play center his freshman year. Some platforms project him to play center at the next level, while others believe he could stick at tackle possibly. The problem with that for Tampa is that Barton has not played right tackle, and Tristan Wirfs currently plays on the left side.

Ultimately this leads me to believe that Barton is going to start off as a competitor for the center position with Robert Hainsey, who had nine penalties last season and gave up 33 pressures with four sacks. Ultimately the flexibility of Barton is a positive, and his skillset made him one of the better players remaining on the board.

Grade: B+

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Breaking: Saints take RT Taliese Fuaga at No. 14 overall

Breaking: Saints take Oregon State right tackle Taliese Fuaga at No. 14 overall

New Orleans Saints fans can rejoice as they end up landing one of the top tackles in the class with right tackle Taliese Fuaga out of Oregon State. The  Saints selected Fuaga at No. 14 inn the first round of the 2024 NFL draft.

With Ryan Ramczyk’s knee a ticking time bomb, Fuaga makes the most sense out of anyone else on the board right now. A lot of people had him as their second best tackle in the class, but he ends up being the fourth one taken.

Fuaga is an athletic freak and mauler at right tackle, checking pretty much every box that the Saints could have asked for while picking outside of the top ten. After years of being criticized for complicating things in the first round, they opt for the easy choice.

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How Saints fans can watch Round 1 of the 2024 NFL draft

How New Orleans Saints fans can watch Round 1 of the 2024 NFL draft: Time, channel, and what to look for

The 2024 NFL draft is officially upon us as the first round is set to kick off on Thursday night at 7 p.m. CT. The New Orleans Saints are currently scheduled to pick at No. 14 overall, and the majority of expert mock drafts have them taking an offensive tackle in Round 1.

With the rest of their selections, there are a few key positions that the Saints should look to target: defensive tackle, wide receiver, safety and more offensive linemen. Other positional needs that maybe aren’t as pressing but can definitely be added to are nickel, tight end and pass rusher specifically in the middle to later rounds.

There’s a sense of urgency within the organization and the fan base to hit big on this year’s class. You can tune in to ESPN, ABC and NFL Network when the draft starts on Thursday, April 25 from Detroit. Here’s the full schedule for the event:

Day 1: Round 1

When it starts: Thursday, April 25 at 7 p.m. CT

Where the Saints are picking: No. 14

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Mel Kiper’s instant reaction to the Saints selecting Bryan Bresee

ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper’s instant reaction to the Saints selecting Clemson defensive tackle Bryan Bresee

Mel Kiper has seen it all. ESPN’s senior NFL draft analyst shared his instant reaction to the New Orleans Saints selecting Clemson defensive tackle Bryan Bresee at No. 29 overall on Thursday night, and he feels that the move addressed their top position of need.

Here’s what Kiper had to say of the pick, as transcribed by Clemson Wire’s Alex Turri:

“Damascus High School, he was rated anywhere between 1 and 3 (recruit in the country). He was also on the basketball team. When he came in in 2020 with Myles Murphy and Trenton Simpson, linebacker, he looked like he was going to be a top-10 pick, top-15 pick at worst. He had a great 2020 season, 6.5 tackles for loss and he had 4, 4.5 sacks that year, forced a fumble.

He was really active along the interior, really got after it. (2021), starts out the season, then the ACL. Then this past year, his sister passes away, he has the kidney infection, and then he looked rejuvenated at the combine. Ran 4.93 at 6-5.5, 300 pounds. He looked like Bryan Bresee was back like he was in 2020.

You talk about what he means to that defense – the No. 1 need for the Saints, defensive tackle.”

That’s a good breakdown of who Bresee is, why the Saints valued him so highly, and what the concerns are for him moving forwards. He’s a high-end athlete with a bit of an injury history and immense pro potential. Now it’s up to the Saints to help Bresee tap into it.

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List of all New Orleans Saints draft picks in 2023

Here’s the list of all New Orleans Saints draft picks in 2023, as well as selections they can barter in 2024, 2025, and 2026

It’s finally here: the 2023 NFL draft’s first round is just hours away, and the New Orleans Saints are scheduled to make their pick at No. 29 overall. But it’s a seven-round event, and the Saints are prone to trading picks in future years to maneuver around their competitors and go get prospects they value highly.

So it’s important to keep track of their picks in each round as well as what’s in play for future years. The Saints are projected to receive a couple of compensatory draft picks in 2024 after their free agency losses this spring, and that’s going to be burning a hole in Mickey Loomis’s pocket when it comes time to negotiate with other teams. Knowing he’ll get back some of the picks he can trade away might make him more reckless than usual.

With that said: here are the Saints draft picks in 2023:

  • 2023 Round 1 (29, via San Francisco 49ers through Denver Broncos and Miami Dolphins)
  • 2023 Round 2 (40)
  • 2023 Round 3 (71)
  • 2023 Round 4 (115)
  • 2023 Round 5 (146)
  • 2023 Round 5 (165, via Philadelphia Eagles)
  • 2023 Round 7 (227)
  • 2023 Round 7 (257, compensatory)

And here are their picks in 2024 as well as 2025 and 2026; teams are only allowed to trade picks up to three years in the future.

  • 2024: Rounds 1, 2 (via Denver Broncos), 4, 5, 6, 6 (via Tennessee Titans through Philadelphia Eagles)
  • 2025: Rounds 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
  • 2026: Rounds 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7

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How to watch the first round of the 2023 NFL draft

Here’s how you can tune in to see what the Bucs do tonight at No. 19:

Good morning, Bucs fans. The time for talk is over.

The 2023 NFL draft will take place tonight, and it’s time for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to make the first draft pick after the Tom Brady era (assuming they don’t trade out). Even outside of the Bucs, this draft has taken twists and turns in its narratives that should make it one of the most unpredictable in recent years.

Check out how you can watch it below:

Report: Saints among teams that could trade up in 2023 draft’s Round 1

SI’s Albert Breer reports that the Saints are among the teams that could trade up in the first round of the 2023 draft. That’s in line with their draft-day history:

Well that’s something. Right now, the New Orleans Saints are scheduled to pick at the end of the Round 1 in the 2023 NFL draft — at No. 29 overall, to be exact. To take that a step further, the Saints would not submit their pick until about 10:22 p.m. CT on Thursday night. But if they get their way, fans might not have to wait so long to greet the newest member of the black and gold.

Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer reports that the Saints are one of a few teams who could trade up in the first round, along with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Kansas City Chiefs. Breer wrote: “I’d put the Saints in that category as well, with their history being that they identify guys and aren’t afraid to make moves up for them (last year, they went up for Chris Olave), even if costs them future capital.”

Breer adds that other teams are looking to acquire 2024 draft picks in hopes of eventually trading for a top-flight quarterback like USC’s Caleb Williams or UNC’s Drake Maye, so New Orleans could very well find a willing trade partner if the right situation presents itself. We’re speculating, but watch out for teams the Saints have traded with before like the New England Patriots (at No. 14), the Washington Commanders (at No. 16), and the Minnesota Vikings (No. 23).

That tracks with their usual strategy under general manager Mickey Loomis. The Saints often spend the days leading up to the draft calling other teams to gauge interest in possible trades if the right prospect is available at the right pick, and New Orleans is willing to pay the right price to another team. It’s all about finding the right match.

Sometimes a deal materializes (as happened last year when they leaped from No. 16 to 11, targeting wide receiver Chris Olave; and again in 2018, when they moved halfway up the board for defensive end Marcus Davenport). Sometimes nothing comes of it (as happened a year earlier, when the Saints were eyeing top cornerbacks Jaycee Horn and Patrick Surtain Jr.).

Without seeing how the 2023 draft shakes out we can’t say that the Saints are readying to push their chips in for a certain prospect. This won’t be the last report or rumor to float around as the Saints put the finishing touches on their 2023 draft strategy.

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