ESPN analyst Ben Solak has come out with his All-Rookie team, naming four New Orleans Saints players. This is the first time since 2022 (when wide receiver Chris Olave was named) that anybody from New Orleans has earned the honor at all.
Quarterback Tyler Shough, left tackle Kelvin Banks Jr., cornerback Quincy Riley, and safety Jonas Sanker are the players to be named this year. The first group of Saints players to be named to the all-rookie team since 2019, they are officially one of the best draft classes since the Sean Payton era.
Furthermore, depending on how Shough's career ends up, the 2025 draft class might be even better than the legendary class of 2017. We might be getting ahead of ourselves a little bit here, though. These guys have only been playing professional ball for four months now. It won't really be until next year, when they're in their sophomore season, that we'll be able to gauge the true quality. What we've seen thus far gives a lot of reason for optimism.
Despite the noise, Mickey Loomis delivered yet another stellar draft class
There was so much noise surrounding Saints General Manager Mickey Loomis this offseason that you would've thought that he was on the hot seat. Despite all of the hubbub from the fans, Loomis delivered yet another elite draft class to the city of New Orleans. It's a class that has jumpstarted excitement in the fan base.
It doesn't matter that none of the rookies from 2025 made the pro-bowl. No, what really matters is what they've shown on the field, and that can only be defined as stellar.
Banks Jr. has an 87.7% pass-block win rate and a 76.1% run-block win rate despite receiving no assistance from the tight ends; Shough has broken multiple team records; Riley took a starting job on his own two hands; and Sanker has looked like a 10-year veteran. If this is what they are doing in year one, year two and beyond should be a sight to see.