On Monday, top quarterback prospect Cam Ward held his pro day with his other draft-elegible teammates at the University of Miami. All 32 teams were represented, including the New Orleans Saints, who sent a large contingent to get a look at the Hurricane prospects. The Saints’ group included general manager Mickey Loomis, assistant GM Jeff Ireland, head coach Kellen Moore, both coordinators, the team’s offensive line coach, and multiple scouts.
Whenever a team is represented like this at a pro day, it means they have significant interest in a prospect that’s expected to go near the top of the draft. From Miami, that’s Ward. However, Ward is expected to be the No. 1 overall pick, and the Saints aren’t set to be on the clock until No. 9. So the team’s heavy presence at Ward’s pro day could mean one of two things.
Either the organization just figured it’d be convenient to all fly to Miami together before heading to Austin, Texas to have dinner with Quinn Ewers, or the team is contemplating putting together a significant trade package to get up to No. 1.
Saints contingent listed at Miami Hurricanes pro day.
— Fletcher Mackel (@FletcherWDSU) March 24, 2025
I’m told NOLA loves Cam Ward…but could they get up to get him at No. 1 overall?
GM Mickey Loomis
Asst. GM Jeff Ireland
HC Kellen Moore
OC Doug Nussmeier
DC Brandon Staley
OL Brendan Nugent
Scout Casey Talley
Scout Ryan Powell pic.twitter.com/D9BUO4X8jR
What would it cost the Saints to trade up to the No. 1 pick in the 2025 Draft?
Unless the entire NFL world is being bamboozled, Ward won’t be available for New Orleans to draft at No. 9. There are five times that could take a quarterback selecting before the Saints, and Ward is considered the top QB— the second-best in the class at worst. If New Orleans wants him, it has to go up and get him.
There have been talks about the Tennessee Titans possibly trading the No. 1 pick, but the question is: what will it take for the Saints to convince Tennessee to move back to No. 9? The best way to answer that is looking at the trade that took place in 2023 for the same picks.
The Chicago Bears possessed the No. 1 pick in the 2023 Draft, and the Carolina Panthers had pick No. 9. In order to move up and select Bryce Young, the Panthers sent pick nine, pick 61 (second round), a 2024 first-round pick, a 2025 second-round pick, and wide receiver DJ Moore.
So for the Saints, that means sending two first-round picks, two second-round picks, and Chris Olave to move up to No. 1. New Orleans will have to ask itself if that’s too much. The NFL has shown that if a team believes a quarterback is the one to turn their franchise around, nothing is too much.