The New Orleans Saints are shaping up to be the most entertaining team to watch as draft day approaches. With just over 24 hours remaining until the draft kicks off, trade rumors are heating up. The Cleveland Browns and New York Giants are reportedly fielding calls and entertaining potential offers for the No. 2 and No. 3 picks.
Still, all eyes are on New Orleans in the first round. The decision the Saints make could shape the direction of the entire opening night. The team is reportedly targeting a quarterback—either Shedeur Sanders or Jaxson Dart. Mel Kiper believes Sanders will be the pick for New Orleans. However, that may not end up being the case.
In recent days, the Saints have been strongly linked to Dart. While many evaluators consider him a second-round talent, there’s growing buzz that some teams could get aggressive and trade up to get him. Dart is viewed as a solid fit for New Orleans.
“And maybe Shedeur Sanders is the pick here, as many prognosticators have suggested. But Dart could very well be a better fit with rookie HC Kellen Moore,” Nate Davis wrote.
There's still a lot of uncertainty, but it’s beginning to look like the Saints may not select a quarterback in the first round after all.
“Speaking of Dart, there is skepticism about whether the Saints would take the Ole Miss passer at No. 9—it feels high to many around the league,” Moe Moton wrote. “Dart would figure to be squarely in play for the Saints' next pick, whether that's in the second round (No. 40) or in a trade-up.”
Follow The Sporting News on WhatsApp
If New Orleans passes on Dart at No. 9, it could signal that the team is confident he’ll still be available in the second round—or that they plan to move up later to grab him. Either way, the Saints appear to hold the keys to how the first round unfolds. Whatever they do at No. 9 will likely send ripple effects through the rest of the draft.