Shedeur Sanders‘ drop will continue. The Saints are taking a quarterback at No. 40, leaving the Colorado prospect on the board. Instead, New Orleans is going with Louisville’s Tyler Shough.

A seven-year college arm who impressed during the pre-draft process, Shough will join a Saints team in turmoil at the position, thanks to Derek Carr uncertainty. Stemming from a 2023 shoulder injury, Carr has a possible surgery in his plans. Shough now provides an immediate option for the Saints, carrying extensive experience to the Big Easy.

Shough has an NFL-ready arm with enough athleticism to extend plays behind the line of scrimmage, though that does not extend to running the ball for positive yardage. He will primarily need to improve his processing and vision to succeed in the NFL, two traits that are less developed than expected for a seven-year college player who will turn 26 years old during his rookie year. However, Shough only has one full year of starting experience (2024 at Louisville) after three major injuries during his time at Texas Tech. The Cardinals offense averaged 36.6 points per game under Shough last year, who threw for 3,195 yards and 23 touchdowns with just six interceptions.

Shough interviewed well with the Saints, according to The Exhibit’s Josina Anderson, potentially earning their trust to start under center in the near-future. If Carr is sidelined to begin 2025 season, Shough will likely be pushing for a starting job right away with Spencer Rattler as his primary competition.

After bringing in a new head coach this offseason in Kellen Moore, the Saints are hoping they’ve acquired their quarterback of the future in Shough, as well. His age will tighten his developmental window and create more pressure to take over at QB in his first two NFL seasons. He will already be 30 by the end of his rookie deal, so he’ll need to come along quickly to have a major long-term impact in New Orleans.