Tyler Shough was the third quarterback taken in the 2025 Draft, selected with the 40th-overall pick by the New Orleans Saints, and he’s walking into an ideal situation for a rookie quarterback. After the surprising announcement that Derek Carr was retiring, the Saints’ quarterback room now consists of Shough, a second-year Spencer Rattler, and a third-year Jake Haener.
All three young quarterbacks have some talent, but none of them are established in the NFL. That means the Saints will have a wide open quarterback competition, and Shough, the highest drafted of the three, will have a chance to be the Week 1 starter for New Orleans.
Draft analyst Field Yates thinks that could happen. In a recent ESPN piece, Yates ranked the non-first-round rookies based on how big of an immediate impact they can make with their teams. Yates ranked 10 players on offense and 10 on defense. On the offensive side of the ball, Tyler Shough was the highest-rated player.
Draft analyst expects Tyler Shough to have a big impact on Saints as a rookie
Yates kept it simple by saying he believes Shough will beat out Rattler and Haener in the training camp quarterback battle that will take place this summer. Considering New Orleans’ need for a long-term answer at quarterback, Yates is confident the team will see what Shough has to offer.
"Now, the Saints' roster might not be set up for the immediate success of a rookie quarterback, but they will likely give Shough every chance to show he can become their long-term fixture under center. Shough's arm talent, ability to read the defense and mobility are the foundation of an impressive skill set. He threw 23 touchdown passes last season and has 32 career starts under his belt."Field Yates (ESPN)
While Yates might not be high on New Orleans’ roster, it’s a solid starting group for a rookie quarterback. When healthy, the offensive line is good, and the unit just added first-round pick Kelvin Banks Jr. Alvin Kamara remains the starting running back and he’s still one of the better backs in the league. On the perimeter, the Saints have Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed, two consistently productive receivers when healthy.
New Orleans definitely still has depth concerns, and that was the downfall of the team last season. However, Tyler Shough will possibly be starting in the best situation of any starting rookie quarterback next season. If he can deliver on expectations, he has a chance to win Offensive Rookie of the Year.