The New Orleans Saints have a new head coach in Kellen Moore and, after adding some needed depth to the team in free agency, are full steam ahead to the NFL Draft. With teams filling roster gaps with free agent signings, and pro days standing as the final stop before the 2025 Draft, here’s a look at 50 mock drafts posted since free agency began to see where pundits figure the Saints to go with the ninth overall pick.
The mock drafts were nearly even between offense and defense, with 22 of the 50 picks going to defensive players. The most mocked position was defensive end, with 12 drafts having the Saints bolstering their defensive line with the hopes of finding an heir to Cam Jordan. 10 drafts had the Saints going for a cornerback to strengthen the secondary after the losses of Paulson Adebo and Marshon Lattimore.
The player most often mocked to New Orleans is cornerback Will Johnson out of Michigan, as he appeared on eight drafts at the No. 9 spot. Geoff Schwartz of Fox Sports recently appeared on FS1’s First Things First and had Johnson to the Saints as well, as the defensive MVP in the 2023 National Championship Game has become a trendy pick to fill the gaps in New Orleans’ secondary.
The second most-mocked player to the Saints is Georgia EDGE Jalon Walker. Seven drafters had New Orleans strengthening their pass rush with the Butkus Award winner who finished 2024 as a third-team All-American.
On offense, Arizona WR Tetairoa McMillan and Penn State TE Tyler Warren were tied with six picks each as additional, much-needed pass catchers. Armand Membou led the offensive line picks with four, with Louisiana native and LSU standout Will Campbell getting two picks of his own.
NFL Spin Zone’s Lou Scataglia had the Saints lucking into Heisman winner and two-way superstar Travis Hunter at 9, possibly filling the gaps at wide receiver and cornerback with one player.
Six drafts have the Saints picking quarterback, with the clubhouse leader being Hunter's Colorado teammate Shedeur Sanders with four picks. Trenton Corn of Corny Sports Network has the Saints picking Quinn Ewers out of Texas, while Pro Football Network’s Marco Enriquez has the Saints going even deeper on the board for QB with Jaxson Dart out of Ole Miss as a project with “all the traits to be a franchise cornerstone.”
Other picks include Texas A&M EDGE Shemar Stewart (3 picks), Michigan TE Colston Loveland (2), Tennessee EDGE James Pearce Jr, Boston College EDGE Donovan Ezeiruaku, Texas OT Kelvin Banks, & Texas CB Jahdae Barron. The most unique picks of the fifty mock drafts came from Molly Bauer of Canal Street Chronicles, picking standout running back Ashton Jeanty out of Boise State. Bauer was the only drafter to have the Saints select Jeanty, or any running back with the ninth pick.
The first round of the 2025 NFL Draft kicks off in Green Bay, Wisconsin on April 24.