One of the teams to watch tonight is going to be the New Orleans Saints. They hold the 40th pick and are one of the teams that still “needs” to find a quarterback in this draft… But do they really?

Personally, I think they should avoid taking a quarterback in day two. Let me tell you why.

First, this draft might not have the star power that other drafts have, but it is absolutely loaded with starting-caliber players. At 40, the Saints will have their choice of any of these guys, many of whom I think were good enough to go in round one:

Will Johnson, CB
Trey Amos, CB
Mike Green, DE
Donovan Ezeiruaku, DE
Nick Emmanwori, S
Darius Alexander, DT
TreVeyon Henderson, RB
Mason Taylor, TE
Luther Burden, WR
Jayden Higgins, WR

In my opinion – and this will be a hot take to some of you – all of those guys help your team more than any of the quarterbacks who are still on the board.

I don’t think Tyler Shough, Shedeur Sanders or Jalen Milroe are the answer to the Saints questions are QB. There’s a reason 32 teams passed on those guys. They do much more homework on them than any draft expert or fan. They’re not letting a guy they think is their franchise savior fall just to spite anyone. The Saints, Giants, Browns, Titans and Steelers (Raiders, Cowboys and Rams could’ve been interested in a QB too) all passed on them because they don’t think they’re the answer to their problems.

Another reason is, if you don’t believe in a QB enough to take him in the first round and get that fifth year of contractual security, you don’t like him enough to take him eight picks later at 40. If they really loved Shough, Sanders or Milroe, they would’ve spent the extra third, fourth or whatever to move up and get that fifth year on his contract like the Giants did.

Another reason, and one I’ve gone into depth about earlier this month, is because next year’s class is loaded with talent. I don’t care if Arch Manning doesn’t enter the draft next year, the 2026 class is still much better than the 2025 class and in the off chance Manning does enter, it just gets even better. There are AT LEAST two guys – Garrett Nussmeier and LaNorris Sellers – I’d rather have over Sanders, Shough or Milroe. Depending on what happens next year, that list could grow even more with Arch Manning, Drew Allar and Cade Klubnik all also in that class. I think there’s a good chance that when it’s all said and done, Sanderson, Milroe and Shough would’ve been QB5 or worse in next year’s class.

In my opinion, the Saints would be much better off taking three non-QBs tonight. With 40, get someone like Trey Amos, Darius Alexander, Will Johnson or some defensive playmaker who can step in immediately help Brandon Staley’s defense. Then in the third round, find an interior offensive lineman and an offensive playmaker to help bolster Kellen Moore’s offense.

Too many fans are blinded by the excitement a new QB will bring to realize that it’s just not the best move. Again, if they loved a guy and think he’s their franchise QB, I think they would’ve made a move to get him in round one and get that fifth year. That doesn’t mean I don’t think they’ll take one (I think it’ll end up being Shough), but if they do, I’m not sold that they really love him.

That’s my two cents. I know there are a lot of people that feel the same way and a lot of people that will disagree with everything I said. I just think taking three starters is a much better way to go about tonight than taking one of the three top QBs left.