The NFL saw a lot of change during the first week of free agency. Several high-profile players switched teams, and a lot of franchises made moves that should improve their status on paper. Among those teams is the New Orleans Saints, whose first week of free agency was highlighted by signing Justin Reid and re-signing Chase Young and Juwan Johnson.
New Orleans also made a trade for a veteran defensive tackle, and made important depth signings at corner, tight end, and offensive line. The Saints appear to be very aware of their weaknesses, as those are the areas they’re targeting. However, the team can’t address everything in free agency, and that’s why the draft is also important.
Let’s look at how New Orleans could approach the first three rounds of the 2025 Draft after making some moves in free agency.
Saints post-free agency 3-round 2025 NFL Mock Draft
Round 1, Pick 9: Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona
One of the biggest remaining needs for New Orleans is at the wide receiver position. The Saints have Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed, but they aren’t enough. In addition to needing more receivers in general, New Orleans needs a bigger, possession receiver to complement Olave and Shaheed.
Fortunately, the Saints could have the chance to land one with the No. 9 pick in the draft. Tetairoa McMillan, out of Arizona, is universally considered a top-two receiver in the class, and if he’s still available at nine, New Orleans should absolutely select him. At 6-foot-4, 219 pounds, his elite contested-catch ability would be great for the Saints offense.
Round 2, Pick 40, Shavon Revel Jr., CB, East Carolina
Another position of need for New Orleans is cornerback. Of course, Marshon Lattimore is no longer on the team, and Paulson Adebo also left in free agency, joining the New York Giants. That left a void in what was once a deep cornerback room. The Saints did bring back Isaac Yiadom, but he’s only a depth corner.
The Saints might have a chance to select Shavon Revel Jr. in the second round, and that’d be incredible, because he was initially expected to be a first-round pick before missing his final season with an ACL injury. However, Revel is still expected to be a good professional corner once he fully recovers. The Saints have been getting to know him, hosting him for a 30 visit, so it’d be great if they could land him in the second round.
Round 3, Pick 71, Jalen Milroe, QB, Alabama
The Saints are moving into 2025 with Derek Carr as their starting quarterback, but they clearly still need to find a quarterback of the future. That could be Spencer Rattler, who had some promising moments as a rookie in 2024, or it could be Jalen Milroe, who might be available in the third-round pick.
Milroe is an intriguing prospect, because he has some really high highs, but equally low lows. With unique athleticism, there wouldn’t be much surprise if he eventually develops into a star. He has been compared to fellow former Alabama quarterback Jalen Hurts, who Saints head coach Kellen Moore just won a Super Bowl with. If Milroe is still on the board at No. 71, New Orleans might be tempted to take a chance on him.
Round 3, Pick 93, Emery Jones Jr., OL, LSU
New Orleans did bring back Will Clapp to add depth on the offensive line, but a team can never have enough offensive lineman. Emery Jones Jr. is a talented offensive tackle who’s from Baton Rouge and excelled as a three-year starter at LSU. The Saints seemingly love to add Louisiana players to their roster, and Jones could be another one that addresses an important need.