The New Orleans Saints are in quite the predicament, as they sit at 2-6 for the first time since 2005, and are one of the worst teams in the NFC at this current juncture. Their matchup with the Carolina Panthers in Week 9 could move the Saints even further up the board with a loss, as the tie in record would go in favor of the Saints due to their strength of schedule. As of right now however, the Saints sit at pick number six in the 2025 NFL draft and are high up in each round due to this, which leaves them with the opportunity to really set up a young core for the future.

So what should be done with that high draft pick? Using the Pro Football Focus mock draft simulator, here is my belief as to how the draft could go if they end up sticking around this range by the end of the season:

Round 1, Pick 6: DT Mason Graham, Michigan

The first pick for the Saints in this draft is a difficult one, as pretty much any position is in play. Obviously, players like Ashton Jeanty and Tetairoa McMillan would be huge additions to the offensive side, and in this case, Jeanty was available while McMillan was not. However, with how high up in the draft the Saints now are, it is hard to justify a running back pick near the top five, no matter how amazing the player is (and Jeanty is an exceptional talent).

My choice ultimately came down to where I see the Saints failing the worst in recent weeks, and the run defense has been one of the most notable weak points of this team. Bryan Bresee has done well trying to hold things down, but the other defensive tackle spot has struggled in run defense downs. Adding one of the top talents in this whole draft with Mason Graham would help solidify that issue and really focus on one point where the Saints can be dominant. At 6-foot-3 and 320 pounds, Graham is an absolute giant among men on the interior, but he also moves exceptionally well for that size.

Statistically, he has been productive as well, according to PFF he has put up 23 pressures so far in 2024 with 5 sacks, he has only 1 penalty to his name, as well as 18 tackles. He and Kenneth Grant have absolutely locked down the interior for Michigan this season, as they are allowing only 101 rush yards per game in 2024 (15th best among NCAA FBS teams).

Having Graham, Bresee, and Carl Granderson for the future would be a great building block for this Saints' defense in the upcoming years, and would allow them to get back to their ways of stopping the run at an extremely high level like they did in the late Drew Brees era.

Round 2, Pick 38: RB Quinshon Judkins, Ohio State

To satisfy the need for more offensive firepower on this Saints team, they could go with Quinshon Judkins out of Ohio State to compliment Alvin Kamara in the backfield, while also not moving a premier pick to do so. Judkins has been an exceptional talent at the college level for a few years now, especially so in his 2022 season when he led the sport in rush attempts, yards, and touchdowns with 247 attempts, 1,567 rushing yards, and 16 rushing touchdowns that year alone. In 2023 he also led the NCAA in rushing touchdowns as well with 15, and despite a decrease in yards per carry, still ended up with 1,158 rushing yards on 271 attempts. In 2024, he has been much more efficient, with 81 carries for 520 yards (6.4 per carry, a career-high) and 6 rushing touchdowns through seven games.

My ultimate goal with this pick was to get talent while also somewhat being realistic about what the Saints tend to look for, and Judkins fits the mold at 6-foot-even and 218 pounds. While his injury history is pretty clean, he did have a minor hand procedure done mid-way through October, however, he did not miss time due to it. With Jamaal Williams not yet panning out and Kedre Miller dealing with a vast array of injuries, it would be smart to protect the Saints' investment in Alvin Kamara and get him a running mate to allow more flexibility for both players.

Round 3, Pick 70: TE Tyler Warren, Penn State

This pick almost becomes self-explanatory at a certain point given the Saints' need for a tight end for a few years now. Juwan Johnson will be a free agent after the 2024 season, and Foster Moreau has only the 2025 season remaining on his three-year deal, with a potential out after the 2024 season for both sides if they decide that to be in their best interest. Wide receiver is in a tough spot as well, but tight end could potentially help both groups out, especially with a big red-zone or contested catch target like Tyler Warren.

Warren has been the epitome of what you want from a true tight end, good size at 6-foot-6 261 pounds, good production with 47 receptions for 559 yards (11.9 per reception), and 4 touchdowns through only seven games this season so far. Pairing him up with Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed would provide a great counterbalance between playstyles, and would give the Saints a great over-the-middle target for the offense.

Round 4, Pick 107: S Keon Sabb, Alabama

One of the other biggest needs for the Saints is a safety alongside Tyrann Mathieu, and getting Keon Sabb in the fourth round feels like very strong value. Sabb was also part of the 2023 National Championship team with Michigan and Mason Graham before leaving for Alabama in 2024. Sabb has 39 tackles, a tackle for loss, 2 interceptions with 87 return yards, and 4 pass deflections for Alabama this season.

He gets utilized in many different positions as a defensive back as well, with 397 career snaps at free safety, 210 in the slot, 192 in the box, 22 along the defensive line and 11 at corner. If you find any value in PFF grades, he had an 82.1 overall defensive grade for 2023, with an 82.6 coverage grade and 80.4 run defense grade. While he has not been as exceptional this season, his production is still there, and he comes in with decent size as well at 6-foot-1 and 205 pounds.

Analyzing our draft

Ultimately this mock draft ended up being a little more different than initially anticipated based on how the board fell. While wide receiver and guard were not addressed, both positions are plentiful in the upcoming 2025 free agency class as well, and I would put more trust into a proven commodity at those positions for the time being to really ensure a quality roster.

This draft became more like a supplemental draft of sorts, where the goal was to fill out some of the immediate needs of the Saints while still keeping room for improvement via free agency and trade options. Quarterback is the other notable need, however, Derek Carr's contract makes that exceptionally difficult as the dead cap hit of cutting him would incur at least a $50 million penalty until the end of 2025.

Being able to sure up two of the skills positions with Judkins and Warren would help whoever the quarterback of 2025 may be, and whoever the coach may be if things start to change. Additionally, solidifying the defensive line with Graham and the safety room with Sabb would give the Saints that defensive advantage they have previously relied on in recent years. This was somewhat of a conservative mindset in that I went for a mix of need and talent rather than purely one direction or the other, though in the scenario of a new coach, things could get alot more unpredictable in the 2025 NFL Draft.

This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: 4-round 2025 mock draft: What to do with the No. 6 pick?