Round one of the 2025 Draft may be over but there are a multitude of talented prospects still available for teams to draft. The New Orleans Saints chose offensive lineman in Kelvin Banks Jr. in the first round which frees them up to select a different positional need at pick 40.
Of course, New Orleans still has a ton of needs, and they won’t be able to address them all with one pick. However, they will have quite a few talented players to chose from. Here are five options at different positions the Saints could opt to select with their second round pick.
Shedeur Sanders
Shedeur Sanders falling out of round one was easily the biggest story from Thursday night. The Saints passed on him at pick nine but that doesn’t mean they aren’t interested in him in the second round. The biggest issue with this is that the Browns hold picks 33 and 36. The Saints could trade up to try to get him but he will need to get past Cleveland at pick 33 for them to have a chance.
New Orleans will still have some options if they want a quarterback at 40 and Sanders isn’t on the board. Jalen Milroe and Tyler Shough will most likely be available with that pick. Milroe is more enticing to fans due to his elite athleticism but the Saints have been interested in Shough throughout the offseason. Either way, if Kellen Moore wants a quarterback he will have options.
Will Johnson (or any other corner)
Will Johnson falling to the second round hasn’t been talked about nearly as much as it should be because of Shedeur Sanders. Johnson is top 10 on a lot of analysts' big boards and fills a positional need for the Saints. He missed a majority of the 2024 season with a toe injury but looked spectacular in the games he did participate in. Johnson would be a perfect selection if he’s available at pick 40.
Similarly to quarterback, if Johnson isn’t available the Saints still have options at corner. Shavon Revel Jr., Trey Amos and Benjamin Morrison are all options that will likely be on the board. There is still a ton of talent left at this position that the Saints should capitalize on.
Nick Emmanwori
The Saints haven’t hidden their affinity for RAS scores in recent years. Emmanwori’s perfect 10.0 score makes him an attractive option for the Saints. The former Gamecock contains the desired speed, strength, and size for an NFL safety. New Orleans would be a great situation for him as well. Letting him learn behind Tyrann Mathieu would aid his development dramatically. Selecting Emmanwori at 40 would give the Saints a star on defense for years to come.
Jayden Higgens
Jayden Higgins would perfectly complement Chris Olave, Rashid Shaheed and Brandin Cooks in the Saints offense. He’s a big body receiver (6’4”) who is able to bring down contested catches. Last year at Iowa State he brought in 87 receptions for 1,185 yards and nine touchdowns. In addition, he brought in 14 contested catches for the Cyclones. It’s still unclear who the Saints quarterback will be in 2024. If it is Spencer Rattler, or a rookie, then giving him a reliable option in Jayden Higgens would be a smart move.
There are still options for the Saints if they don’t select Higgens. Luther Burden, Jalen Royals, Jack Bech and Jaylin Noel all would make sense. It all depends on what archetype of receiver they want.
Mike Green
The Saints addressed one side of the trenches in the first round, why not fix the other side with their second round pick. From a production standpoint, Green is unmatched. In 2024 he had 17 sacks and 59 pressures. He proved that the level of competition coming from Marshall isn’t an issue while at the Senior Bowl. A clip of him bulldozing first round offensive lineman Josh Connerly went viral and showed that he’s a beast. The Saints currently don’t have a dominating presence on the defensive line, selecting Green would give them that.
If they want to select a defensive lineman but opt not to choose Green they still have other options. Donovan Ezeiruaku, Nic Scourton and Landon Jackson would all make sense at this spot. If they want a disruptive defensive lineman, they will have options at pick 40.