The New Orleans Saints had a disastrous season in 2024. From a 3-0 start to missing the playoffs, they are in desperate need of talent this offseason. The 2025 NFL Draft is approaching, and the Saints hold the ninth overall pick in the first round. We ran a Pro Football Focus seven-round mock draft simulator to see who New Orleans picks in the draft.
The Saints pick ninth in the first round and have their own second, third, fourth, and sixth round selections. They picked up an extra third, fourth, and sixth rounder in the Marshon Lattimore trade while giving up their fifth. New Orleans also has the Eagles’ seventh-round pick from the CJ Gardner-Johnson trade. PFF lists the Saints’ needs as running back, wide receiver, and defensive line.
The Saints need a great draft to start their rebuild on the right foot. Does this mock draft simulator of the 2025 NFL Draft meet those expectations?
The Saints beef up the offensive line in the first round
When the Saints are on the clock at number nine, the mock draft simulator has picked a chalky first round. Cam Ward goes to the Tennessee Titans, and the Browns pick Abdul Carter. There are two first-round tackles on the board, and the Jets take Will Campbell at number seven. That leaves Armand Membou, the offensive tackle from Missouri, for the Saints at number nine.
Membou played in all three seasons with the Tigers and continued to get better. He allowed just eight hurries and no sacks in over 800 snaps at right tackle, according to PFF. Membou dominated on both passing and running snaps and could be a building block for New Orleans’ future.
An SEC edge rusher is just what New Orleans needs
Part of the reason the Saints collapsed last year was their defense. They allowed the third-most yards and 14th-most points in the league in 2024. After their offensive line pick in the first round, they flip to defense in the second round. With the 40th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, the Saints select Arkansas edge rusher Landon Jackson.
While Jackson is an edge rusher, his best PFF numbers come in the run game. He also gets after the quarterback, picking up 6.5 sacks in the last two seasons. The Saints could use a young, rotational edge rusher to come in and blow up plays while learning the system. Expectations won’t be too high for Kellen Moore’s squad next year, so a high ceiling should be the target for the second round.
One defense and one offense in the third
The Saints are on the clock with the first of their two third-round picks at 70th overall. After taking an edge rusher in the second round, they go back to the defense’s most important position. They select Oregon defensive end Jordan Burch. He spent five years in college, three with South Carolina and the last two with the Ducks. His best season was his last, with 8.5 sacks in just 10 games.
The Saints just gave Alvin Kamara a two-year extension that should round out his prime. They found him late in the historic 2017 draft and need to find another running back in the later rounds soon. They take a shot this year with Central Florida running back RJ Harvey at 93rd overall. Harvey ran for 1,500 yards with a conference-high 22 touchdowns for the Knights last year. Learning behind Kamara is a great way to develop a running back who could become a star.
The Saints add to their quarterback room
The Saints need a better defense and could not add much in free agency. They’ve already taken two defensive ends in this mock draft simulator, but feel like they need another here at 112th overall. The pick is Ashton Gillotte, defensive end from Louisville. They have other needs on the defense and taking a third edge rusher is not the way they should go here. It’s nothing against Gillotte, who had a solid college career. But Virginia Tech corner Dorian Strong should have been the pick.
This offseason, the Saints committed to Derek Carr for another season. He is under contract through 2026 but there is no guarantee he even makes it that far in the Big Easy. So the Saints take a project quarterback to learn behind Carr in Riley Leonard, from Notre Dame at 131st overall.
Leonard had his best college season in his lone year at Notre Dame. He led the Irish to the National Championship Game, but he has never been a great passer. With Kellen Moore as the head coach, he could benefit from learning the system and developing in practice. It is worth a shot for New Orleans, who desperately need a quarterback on a rookie deal to help fix their cap.
Getting the quarterbacks some help in the sixth and seventh
The Saints have a lack of talent at almost every position on the field. They have a great wide receiver in Chris Olave, but he cannot stay healthy and they have no depth. If Carr or Leonard is going to have a successful season this year, they need a star to emerge from the later rounds. In the sixth round, general manager Mickey Loomis picks two players to help them out.
The first one comes at 184th overall with Tai Felton, the Maryland wide receiver. He spent all four years in College Park, continuing to improve in every season. With 1,124 yards in his senior year, he was one of the top receivers on the Terps. With a lack of talent on the offensive side, this is a bet worth taking.
The Saints finish off their draft in the same lane. The 248th overall pick in this NFL mock draft simulator is Jo’quavioius Marks, Southern Cal running back. Despite their brutal season last year, the Saints can turn it around after a great draft. We see the new-coach bump impact a team every year, and after this draft, it could be New Orleans.
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