Saints Land Skyrocketing QB Prospect In Latest Mel Kiper Mock Draft

What will New Orleans do with the No. 9 pick?

Mar 1, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Mississippi quarterback Jaxson Dart (QB03) during the 2025 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The New Orleans Saints currently have Derek Carr and Spencer Rattler as their top quarterbacks, but they still must plan for the future at football's most important position.

Will a top QB prospect be available when the Saints are on the clock at ninth overall in the 2025 NFL Draft? That remains to be seen, but in his latest mock draft, ESPN's Mel Kiper has New Orleans using the No. 9 pick to select Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart. Kiper mocked Miami QB Cam Ward and Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders to the Tenessee Titans (No. 1) and New York Giants (No. 3), respectively.

"OK, here's the surprise pick," Kiper wrote in a piece published Tuesday. "And I know the Saints just restructured Derek Carr's contract to tie him to the team for at least one more season. But what happens after that season? New coach Kellen Moore might want a young quarterback to work with and develop over the course of 2025 before turning the offense over to him in 2026. I'm hearing more and more first-round buzz on Dart, and New Orleans seems like a good fit. He wouldn't be forced to play right away and could learn behind Carr. This team still has a lot of roster-building decisions to make, but getting the QB of the future now does make some sense.

"Dart was very accurate in Lane Kiffin's run-pass option offense at Ole Miss, and he can cause headaches for opposing defensive coordinators with his ability to tuck and run. Dart threw for 4,279 yards and rushed for 655 more last season."

Although Ward is viewed as a legitimate first-round talent, opinions are split on Sanders and Dart. Some experts believe both would be worthy first-rounders, while others believe both are better fits for Day 2.

To that end, you could argue the Saints instead should explore a trade for someone like New England Patriots quarterback Joe Milton III.

More NFL: Saints Learn Patriots' Price For Joe Milton Trade As QB Rumors Swirl