New Orleans Saints NFL Mock Draft Roundup 1.0

It's unclear what will happen with Derek Carr's (shoulder, contract) remaining tenure in the Crescent City, but it appears the Saints would like to move on sooner than later. Will the Saints double-dip to begin Kellen Moore's tenure with Nussmeier, whose father (Doug Nussmeier) is the Saints' offensive coordinator or wait for a shot at Arch Manning in 2027?

Nussmeier will be 24 as a rookie, weighs only 200 pounds, and four multi-interception games within a five-game stretch in the middle of the 2024 season highlights the risk of his gunslinger mentality. That said, he has the sound mechanics and football IQ you'd expect from a coach's son (in this mock, uniquely) with the arm talent to test tight windows as well as throw with accuracy and touch and the ability to make plays on the move.

Arch Manning has attempted 95 passes since arriving in Austin as an early enrollee two years ago, but that is a reflection of the team's investment in former No. 1 overall recruit Quinn Ewers. Honestly, he likely would return in 2026.

Arch Manning, the son of Cooper Manning and nephew of Peyton and Eli Manning, saw extended action in victories over Louisiana-Monroe and Mississippi State last season. The idea of Arch Manning at No. 1 overall is a steep projection, but the pedigree is there.

The other interesting storyline to this selection is that Arch Manning will begin his career where his grandfather, Archie Manning, began and spent 12 of his professional seasons. In fact, the franchise has not used a first-round pick on the position since Archie Manning in 1971.

But wait, there's more. Saints offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier is the father of LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier, who is expected to be another top quarterback prospect in this draft.

Yes, the Saints drafted Tyler Shough in the second round this year, but that won't stop them from drafting another QB if they're in the top 10. Remember, Derek Carr isn't a lock to remain with New Orleans beyond 2025.

Allar took a big step as a junior in 2024, throwing for 3,327 passing yards and 24 touchdowns with 8 interceptions. He has prototypical size (6-5, 238 pounds) and every raw tool a coach could want. He's known for his strong arm but still needs to work on his ball placement and progressions; his completion rate increase from 60% in 2023 to 66.5% in 2024 bodes well. Allar should be in the first-round conversation if he continues his upward trajectory.

Downs (6-0, 205 pounds) is arguably the best defensive player in the country and an immediate game changer for whatever franchise takes him. The best safety prospect since Kyle Hamilton, Downs is worthy of his sky-high fifth-overall draft capital in this scenario.

There's a nonzero chance that the Saints would look to trade up to the top pick if native son Arch Manning enters the draft, but should that scenario not come to pass, Kellen Moore can still land a true franchise quarterback from just up the road in Nussmeier (whose dad just happens to be the team's offensive coordinator).

The Saints haven't drafted a quarterback in the first round since Archie Manning in 1971, so it would certainly be poetic if his grandson breaks that streak. At this point, scouts believe there is a good chance Manning returns to school for his fourth year in 2026. But first, he needs to turn the hype into on-field production as a first-year starter in 2025.

A year ago, I billed Colorado's Travis Hunter as the best draft-eligible player in college football, and Downs is another blue-chip talent whose greatest liability is probably that defensive backs rarely warrant top-five consideration. A Day 1 difference-maker at both Alabama and Ohio State, Downs is the ideal modern-day safety, possessing the open-field tackling skills and agility for coverage to be a threat on every play.

This goes a lot further than the local connection. Not only was Nussmeier's father, Doug, a fourth-round draft pick of the Saints in 1991, he's also the team's newly hired offensive coordinator under first-year coach Kellen Moore. The younger Nussmeier defies the typical characterization of a coach's son at quarterback, as he whips passes into tight windows with daredevil decision-making. Even though New Orleans took a shot on Tyler Shough in the second round, it might take a superlative performance from the Louisville passer to extend the team's streak of not taking a first-round quarterback since Archie Manning in 1971. Nussmeier can be the catalyst New Orleans needs as it embarks upon a long-awaited rebuild.