HANAGRIFF: Saints can’t miss in 2025 NFL Draft

By Charles Hanagriff

Some Good News for Saints Fans

As the NFL Combine takes place in Indianapolis, I thought some good news for Saints fans would probably be appreciated.

As always, I’m here to help. I’ll stay away from my concerns about how the franchise is handling free agency and the salary cap. That ground has been covered.

I will also avoid, for the moment, the Saints hiring of Bo Davis to coach the defensive line. The strong addition for New Orleans comes at the expense of the flagship school an hour down the road. Fans that root for both teams surely have mixed feelings about that surprising move.

Why the 2025 NFL Draft Is a Crucial Opportunity

The good news is that just under two months from the NFL Draft, the Saints are continuing to do evaluations on a selection meeting in which they almost can’t miss.

It does not mean the players they choose will be stars in the NFL, but it would be almost impossible to take a player the franchise can’t use.

The “Best Player Available” Myth

In the week before the draft, general managers around the league will hold press conferences during which they will be deceptive and unrevealing. These sessions are a colossal waste of time, but they will almost all include some form of “we’ll take the best player available.”

Sounds easy. From the times on the playground when sides were chosen up, who did you take? The best player, of course! Same thing applies in the NFL, right?

Not really.

The best player available is subject to bow down to the biggest need on the roster. It happens every year. If the Kansas City Chiefs had somehow acquired the top pick in last year’s draft, they wouldn’t have taken Jayden Daniels or Caleb Williams.

That Mahomes fellow is quite good.

In that same 2024 Draft, 12 teams passed on Brock Bowers, the consensus top tight end in the draft and arguably a top three prospect overall.

Are the teams that passed on him regretting the decision? Bowers responded with a record-breaking season in Las Vegas, but the Bears, Commanders, Patriots, and Broncos all desperately needed quarterbacks. The Falcons didn’t, but took one anyway.

The Giants and Cardinals took receivers that look like stars. The Chargers, Titans, and Jets took franchise tackles. Minnesota took a quarterback that got injured. The Bears used their second top 10 pick on a receiver to pair with their number one QB.

Outside of Daniels, Bowers was better than all of them, but some of those teams would probably stick with their original picks because of the needs at their respective positions.

Why the Saints Are in a Unique Draft Position

That’s why the Saints would be hard pressed to miss. They need players at every single position. They can really take the best player available.

If they want an edge rusher at nine, James Pearce from Tennessee or Mykel Williams from Georgia would be just fine. Cam Jordan is near the end of his run, and the Saints need pass rushers.

The defensive interior? If Mason Graham from Michigan somehow slid that far, he would be a fantastic addition to an underperforming group.

At linebacker, not the Saints most pressing need but in need of attention with Demario Davis at age 36, Jalon Walker from Georgia is a versatile player that I’m sure new DC Brandon Staley could find a use for.

At corner, whether the Saints re-sign Paulson Adebo or not, a player like Will Johnson from Michigan would be a tremendous boost.

New Orleans needs help at safety in the worst way. Malaki Starks from Georgia would not be a big reach at nine.

Offensive Line and Skill Position Options

The Saints need help on the offensive line. If they took Will Campbell from LSU or Kelvin Banks from Texas, either would be ready to step in and start somewhere. It would also allow them to potentially look at Trevor Penning at guard, should they be so inclined.

Nine would be a touch high for Alabama guard Tyler Booker, but he is likely to be gone not terribly long after that, and he would fill a big need.

The Saints need help at wide receiver, with both of their starters having missed large chunks of time with injuries, and very little depth behind them. Tet McMillan, the rangy and productive receiver from Arizona, would make an impact immediately.

Running Back and Quarterback Considerations

Finally, to the positions where the Saints are least and most likely to make a pick. If they took Ashton Jeanty, the record-breaking running back from Boise St, he would give the team a playmaker they have lacked. Alvin Kamara is closer to the end of his career than the beginning, and Kendre Miller can’t seem to stay on the field, so Jeanty would be a big addition.

There are other places I would use the pick, but I can’t say Jeanty wouldn’t help them.

Quarterback doesn’t seem likely in the first round, with the top two players in Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders almost certainly gone, but if New Orleans wanted to take a shot after that, I could think of worse ideas. Agree or not, the Saints seem content to ride with Derek Carr in 2025.

The Tight End Wild Card

Which brings us to tight end, and the very real possibility that the Saints will take Penn St product Tyler Warren. A record breaker with the Nittany Lions, and a matchup nightmare, Warren fits any system, and is just the kind of unique weapon Kellen Moore could use to give this offense a shot of adrenaline.

Kind of like what many were saying last year about…Brock Bowers.