All of the big moves have been made in the 2025 NFL draft, with the third and final day bringing four more rounds of selections as teams look for diamonds in the rough. And so far, the New Orleans Saints have mostly addressed positions we regarded as “wants” rather than “needs,” depending on whether first-round pick Kelvin Banks Jr. starts at guard or tackle. Here’s how it shakes out. It’s tough to say whether they’ve really gotten much better after making their first four picks.
With that in mind, we’ve updated our list of the Saints’ team needs:
11. Want: Quarterback
Players under contract: Derek Carr, Spencer Rattler, Jake Haener, Ben DiNucci
Draft picks: Tyler Shough (No. 40)
Carr’s future is uncertain, but Shough is likely your Day 1 starter in September. Rattler deserves a chance to push him for that job but all expectations should have Shough winning that battle. Kellen Moore got his quarterback. The Saints should be done here but don’t be surprised if Moore adds another passer to fill the room out with more of his own guys.
10. Want: Offensive tackle
Players under contract: Taliese Fuaga, Trevor Penning, Landon Young, Josh Ball, Josiah Ezirim
Draft picks: Kelvin Banks Jr. (No. 9)
Ryan Ramczyk announced his retirement and the Saints drafted Kelvin Banks Jr. in the first round, but it’s possible he’ll end up starting at left guard, not left tackle (his college position). We’ll wait and see on that one, but this group shouldn’t see much more movement. If Banks does continue to play left tackle then Fuaga would likely go back to right tackle, his own college position. So what happens to Trevor Penning?
9. Want: Defensive tackle
Players under contract: Bryan Bresee, Davon Godchaux, Nathan Shepherd, Khalen Saunders, John Ridgeway III, Khristian Boyd
Draft picks: Vernon Broughton (No. 71)
Only four guys play on game days, so the Saints won’t be bringing all seven of these defensive tackles into the season. Someone is getting left outside. Broughton’s roster spot will be safe, and so is Bresee; Godchaux and Shepherd are locks, too. They’ll probably keep one backup on the roster as a healthy scratch on Sundays with another stashed away on the practice squad, but someone out of Saunders, Ridgeway, and Boyd may be left on the outside looking in.
8. Want: Safety
Players under contract: Tyrann Mathieu, Justin Reid, Jordan Howden, J.T. Gray, Millard Bradford, Ugo Amadi
Draft picks: Jonas Sanker (No. 93)
Sanker is a versatile playmaker who twice led Virginia in tackles and made a lot of impact plays. He’ll initially help on special teams but it’ll be hard to keep him off the field, especially if the Saints begin to reduce Mathieu’s role given his age. Reid and Sanker could be the future of the safety position in New Orleans.
7. Want: Linebacker
Players under contract: Demario Davis, Pete Werner, Nephi Sewell, Jaylan Ford, Anfernee Orji, D’Marco Jackson, Isaiah Stalbird
Draft picks: N/A
You’d like to get younger and more dynamic here but the Saints have already poured a lot of draft picks into the linebacker corps in recent years. Davis isn’t going to play forever.
6. Want: Tight end
Players under contract: Juwan Johnson, Foster Moreau, Dallin Holker, Taysom Hill, Jack Stoll, Michael Jacobson, Treyton Welch
Draft picks: N/A
This group might be set after Johnson signed a lucrative extension. The Saints passed on guys in the draft like Mason Taylor, Tyler Warren, and Colston Loveland, so they clearly feel like they can get it done with the players in the building. Could Stoll be in for a big role as a blocker?
5. Want: Offensive interior
Players under contract: Erik McCoy, Cesar Ruiz, Dillon Radunz, Nick Saldiveri, Will Clapp, Kyle Hergel
Draft picks: Kelvin Banks Jr. (No. 9)
This may or may not count, depending on where Banks lines up. For now we’re guessing he plays left guard since that would cause the fewest changes around him. But maybe he lines up at left tackle and Taliese Fuaga moves inside, where some analysts felt he could be even better this time last year. Either way, drafting Banks makes the entire offensive line better.
4. Want: Wide receiver
Players under contract: Chris Olave, Rashid Shaheed, Brandin Cooks, Cedrick Wilson Jr., Bub Means, Kevin Austin Jr., Dante Pettis, Mason Tipton
Draft picks: N/A
This group needs someone who can box out smaller opponents. That player just isn’t on the roster yet. Someone to watch on Day 3 is Stanford wide receiver Elic Ayomanor, who excelled at doing just that. Olave, Shaheed, and Cooks can run but they aren’t winning many 50/50 balls at their size.
3. Need: Running back
Players under contract: Alvin Kamara, Jordan Mims, Kendre Miller, Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Xazavian Valladay, Velus Jones Jr.
Draft picks: N/A
This group is begging for someone with big-play ability. Someone, anyone, who can run a 4.4 and who didn’t already get cut by another team. The Saints have fielded the least-explosive running backs room in the league the last few years and they still have some opportunities to improve it in this draft class.
2. Need: Edge rusher
Players under contract: Chase Young, Carl Granderson, Isaiah Foskey; Cameron Jordan, Ryder Anderson, Jonah Williams
Draft picks: N/A
This group might be set already, but you’d really like to find someone who can round out the edge rotation. Jordan’s career is reaching its end. Foskey didn’t show anything through his first two years. Young and Granderson are a good duo but you really need a third player to relieve them for a viable pass rush.
1. Need: Cornerback
Players under contract: Alontae Taylor, Kool-Aid McKinstry, Isaac Yiadom, Rico Payton, Rejzohn Wright, Travion Fluellen
Draft picks: N/A
Who is starting opposite McKinstry in September? Assuming Taylor continues to mainly play the slot with some time outside when the Saints run their base personnel, it’s tough to buy Yiadom as a full-time starter. Payton had some nice moments but that’s a lot to ask of him. You’d really like to have added someone earlier in the draft.
This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: 2025 NFL draft: Updating New Orleans Saints’ team needs for Day 3
All of the big moves have been made in the 2025 NFL draft, with the third and final day bringing four more rounds of selections as teams look for diamonds in the rough. And so far, the New Orleans Saints have mostly addressed positions we regarded as “wants” rather than “needs,” depending on whether first-round pick Kelvin Banks Jr. starts at guard or tackle. Here’s how it shakes out. It’s tough to say whether they’ve really gotten much better after making their first four picks.
With that in mind, we’ve updated our list of the Saints’ team needs:
11. Want: Quarterback
Players under contract: Derek Carr, Spencer Rattler, Jake Haener, Ben DiNucci
Draft picks: Tyler Shough (No. 40)
Carr’s future is uncertain, but Shough is likely your Day 1 starter in September. Rattler deserves a chance to push him for that job but all expectations should have Shough winning that battle. Kellen Moore got his quarterback. The Saints should be done here but don’t be surprised if Moore adds another passer to fill the room out with more of his own guys.
10. Want: Offensive tackle
Players under contract: Taliese Fuaga, Trevor Penning, Landon Young, Josh Ball, Josiah Ezirim
Draft picks: Kelvin Banks Jr. (No. 9)
Ryan Ramczyk announced his retirement and the Saints drafted Kelvin Banks Jr. in the first round, but it’s possible he’ll end up starting at left guard, not left tackle (his college position). We’ll wait and see on that one, but this group shouldn’t see much more movement. If Banks does continue to play left tackle then Fuaga would likely go back to right tackle, his own college position. So what happens to Trevor Penning?
9. Want: Defensive tackle
Players under contract: Bryan Bresee, Davon Godchaux, Nathan Shepherd, Khalen Saunders, John Ridgeway III, Khristian Boyd
Draft picks: Vernon Broughton (No. 71)
Only four guys play on game days, so the Saints won’t be bringing all seven of these defensive tackles into the season. Someone is getting left outside. Broughton’s roster spot will be safe, and so is Bresee; Godchaux and Shepherd are locks, too. They’ll probably keep one backup on the roster as a healthy scratch on Sundays with another stashed away on the practice squad, but someone out of Saunders, Ridgeway, and Boyd may be left on the outside looking in.
8. Want: Safety
Players under contract: Tyrann Mathieu, Justin Reid, Jordan Howden, J.T. Gray, Millard Bradford, Ugo Amadi
Draft picks: Jonas Sanker (No. 93)
Sanker is a versatile playmaker who twice led Virginia in tackles and made a lot of impact plays. He’ll initially help on special teams but it’ll be hard to keep him off the field, especially if the Saints begin to reduce Mathieu’s role given his age. Reid and Sanker could be the future of the safety position in New Orleans.
7. Want: Linebacker
Players under contract: Demario Davis, Pete Werner, Nephi Sewell, Jaylan Ford, Anfernee Orji, D’Marco Jackson, Isaiah Stalbird
Draft picks: N/A
You’d like to get younger and more dynamic here but the Saints have already poured a lot of draft picks into the linebacker corps in recent years. Davis isn’t going to play forever.
6. Want: Tight end
Players under contract: Juwan Johnson, Foster Moreau, Dallin Holker, Taysom Hill, Jack Stoll, Michael Jacobson, Treyton Welch
Draft picks: N/A
This group might be set after Johnson signed a lucrative extension. The Saints passed on guys in the draft like Mason Taylor, Tyler Warren, and Colston Loveland, so they clearly feel like they can get it done with the players in the building. Could Stoll be in for a big role as a blocker?
5. Want: Offensive interior
Players under contract: Erik McCoy, Cesar Ruiz, Dillon Radunz, Nick Saldiveri, Will Clapp, Kyle Hergel
Draft picks: Kelvin Banks Jr. (No. 9)
This may or may not count, depending on where Banks lines up. For now we’re guessing he plays left guard since that would cause the fewest changes around him. But maybe he lines up at left tackle and Taliese Fuaga moves inside, where some analysts felt he could be even better this time last year. Either way, drafting Banks makes the entire offensive line better.
4. Want: Wide receiver
Players under contract: Chris Olave, Rashid Shaheed, Brandin Cooks, Cedrick Wilson Jr., Bub Means, Kevin Austin Jr., Dante Pettis, Mason Tipton
Draft picks: N/A
This group needs someone who can box out smaller opponents. That player just isn’t on the roster yet. Someone to watch on Day 3 is Stanford wide receiver Elic Ayomanor, who excelled at doing just that. Olave, Shaheed, and Cooks can run but they aren’t winning many 50/50 balls at their size.
3. Need: Running back
Players under contract: Alvin Kamara, Jordan Mims, Kendre Miller, Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Xazavian Valladay, Velus Jones Jr.
Draft picks: N/A
This group is begging for someone with big-play ability. Someone, anyone, who can run a 4.4 and who didn’t already get cut by another team. The Saints have fielded the least-explosive running backs room in the league the last few years and they still have some opportunities to improve it in this draft class.
2. Need: Edge rusher
Players under contract: Chase Young, Carl Granderson, Isaiah Foskey; Cameron Jordan, Ryder Anderson, Jonah Williams
Draft picks: N/A
This group might be set already, but you’d really like to find someone who can round out the edge rotation. Jordan’s career is reaching its end. Foskey didn’t show anything through his first two years. Young and Granderson are a good duo but you really need a third player to relieve them for a viable pass rush.
1. Need: Cornerback
Players under contract: Alontae Taylor, Kool-Aid McKinstry, Isaac Yiadom, Rico Payton, Rejzohn Wright, Travion Fluellen
Draft picks: N/A
Who is starting opposite McKinstry in September? Assuming Taylor continues to mainly play the slot with some time outside when the Saints run their base personnel, it’s tough to buy Yiadom as a full-time starter. Payton had some nice moments but that’s a lot to ask of him. You’d really like to have added someone earlier in the draft.
This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: 2025 NFL draft: Updating New Orleans Saints’ team needs for Day 3
