The New Orleans Saints have struck with their 2025 draft class. It's still early, but they're already seeing returns on Kelvin Banks Jr., Tyler Shough, Jonas Sanker, Quincy Riley and Devin Neal. That's five players who have shown you strong potential in just their rookie year.
Danny Stutsman was everyone's favorite rookie coming into the season. He's made some standout tackles, but he finds himself behind Pete Werner. That's limited Stutsman's impact to a rotational role. In a typical class, a third round pick not seeing the field wouldn't even be noticeable. However, it stands out when compared to his peers.
That isn't an indictment of Stutsman and his path. Instead, it's a representation of just how involved this year's rookies have been in the Saints game plan this year. Many of them feel entrenched for years to come.
This draft class has the potential to define the Kellen Moore era for the Saints
The first year Sean Payton got to town, the Saints drafted what was their greatest draft in franchise history at the time. Debates can fly between the 2006 and 2017 classes, but the 2006 class has the best parallel to the Saints most recent draft class.
Moore may never become Payton, and the 2025 draft may not hold a candle to the 2006 class when it's all said and done. What those years have in common is it was the inaugural class of a new era with a first time head coach.
Jonas Sanker discussed the draft class earlier this week saying "Kelvin and I were some of the first two to be able to have an impact early, but a lot of those other guys have been ready this whole time. Now being able to see them go out there, make plays, I wouldn’t expect anything less." Banks has been a Day 1 starter, while Sanker has started since the second game.
Their impact was immediate. Riley forced a fumble before he was ever in the starting lineup. Neal had to wait his turn until injury forced him into a bigger role, in which he quickly grew. The operative word for Neal and the rest of this class is quickly. It all makes Sanker happy. "It’s awesome to see them get some of that burn they’ve been hungry for."
Even with all of those players, Tyler Shough was always destined to be the face of this class. He was drafted to be a potential franchise quarterback. Additionally, Shedeur Sanders was on the board, and many fans wanted Sanders. That left Shough to prove he was the right choice to the fans and a potential franchise guy to the front office. If he floundered, the class would be remembered by Shough's failure. His success doesn't make the class good, but it puts it over the top.