During this year’s head coach hiring cycle, the New Orleans Saints waited out Super Bowl LIX and bet big on former Cowboys, Chargers and Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore.
We’ll find out soon enough how big Moore and the Saints are betting on rookie quarterback Tyler Shough.
New Orleans made a significant investment in the 25-year-old Shough, spending the 40th overall pick on him during the 2025 NFL Draft. He’s got a clear path to the Saints’ starting gig out of the chute this year, with Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener his only competition entering training camp.
That could change, per analyst Sayre Bedinger of NFL Spin Zone.
Bedinger predicts the Saints will flame out in Moore’s debut season as head coach, leaving them in the mix for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 draft. Given that opportunity, he has Moore taking another stab at his franchise quarterback, mocking Clemson’s Cade Klubnik to New Orleans.
“We could put together a handful of different 2026 NFL mock draft projections right now and justify a variety of players in this spot,” he wrote. “Ultimately, the one name that seems to be gaining the most consistent #1 overall pick steam right now is Clemson’s Cade Klubnik, who is simultaneously in line for the unofficial ‘most underrated’ quarterback award. He’s got the arm talent and athleticism teams love, but his ability to put the ball in the end zone while limiting turnovers will endear him to just about any head coach.”
Shough has some intriguing upside, and his draft stock this year skyrocketed after he racked up 3,195 passing yards, 23 touchdowns and six interceptions over 12 games with Louisville. He’s got some unique college experience, battling through career-threatening injuries during previous stops with Oregon and Texas Tech.
The hit rate on quarterbacks, however, drops drastically after the first round of the draft. The Saints aren’t exactly set up for success this year, with a first-year head coach — the last one hired during this year’s cycle — and a rookie second-round quarterback leading the way.
Shough will be facing a lot of pressure in 2025. If the Saints end up with a top-three pick in next year’s draft, a much better quarterback class featuring Klubnik, Garrett Nussmeier, Fernando Mendoza — and possibly Arch Manning? — could be too big of an opportunity for Moore and company to pass on.
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