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Shout out to Matt Miller; ESPN's NFL draft analyst embraced the tall task of projecting all seven rounds in the 2025 NFL draft with a 257-pick mock draft, and he took the further step to try and be fair for every team. That's not easy. But how did he do in projecting picks for the New Orleans Saints? To find out, we broke it down pick-by-pick and graded his selections on the same A-to-F scale you'll find on a kid's report card. Here's how we felt about his picks.
The Saints need another corner, and Barron is someone they know really well after hiring his position coach (Terry Joseph) as their defensive pass game coordinator. He could be a great fit in Brandon Staley's defense with high-end athleticism and playmaking ability despite some size limitations at 5-foot-11 with 29 and 5/8-inch arms. But I don't think he's a better corner than Michigan star Will Johnson, who Miller has going off the board just two picks later. Johnson makes as many plays as Barron while bringing NFL-prototype size to the table.
Grade: B
This is a whole round too soon for Ewers, who never met his potential at Texas. The Saints may like him but this is just too rich for my blood. He won't be expected to play as a rookie and while he may develop into a starter after a year on the bench, he isn't there yet, and I can't justify picking him here. The Saints could wait and get Jalen Milroe (Alabama) later in this mock draft or get someone with a similar projection to Ewers in the fourth or fifth round. Passing on guys who can play meaningful snaps at positions of need like Notre Dame safety Xavier Watts (No. 41 to the New York Jets) or Iowa State receiver Jaylin Noel (No. 47 to the Arizona Cardinals) would be a big mistake.
Grade: D
Royals doesn't add much to the offense from a size and speed perspective (he timed the 40-yard dash in 4.42 seconds after weighing in at 6-foot-0 and 205 pounds), but like signing Brandin Cooks he would add some built-in redundancy behind other smaller speedsters like Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed. Improving the depth behind them should be a priority given their extensive injury histories. Royals can make some nice moves after the catch, and he does play with more of a mean streak than Olave or Shaheed. This is a good spot to pick him.
Grade: A
Tuimoloau has the size the Saints tend to look for out on the edge (he weighed in at 6-foot-4 and 265 pounds at the combine, with 33 and 3/4-inch arms) and he brings a ton of big-game experience from the college level. He bagged at least one sack in each of the Buckeyes' four College Football Playoff games and was credited with 45 tackles for loss in his 55-game career. The Saints need someone to push Cameron Jordan for snaps as their third edge rusher and we haven't seen enough from Isaiah Foskey to this point in his pro career. This just may be too low for Tuimoloau, who is widely seen as a top-50 prospect in this draft class. Swap him with Ewers in this mock draft and I wouldn't blink.
Grade: A
Milum spent his college career at left tackle, where he didn't allow a sack and graded out well as a run-blocker at Pro Football Focus, but his 32-inch arms are well beneath average for a 6-foot-6 lineman. Moving him inside to guard would keep him out of trouble against longer opponents out on the edge. And while he put up decent scores in the agility drills and jumps among this year's tackles, those same numbers stand out well at guard, where his athleticism makes more of a difference. He could compete to start for the Saints and would be a good value at this pick.
Grade: A
James didn't put up the kind of testing numbers the Saints tend to look for at running back -- after weighing in at just 5-foot-9 and 205 pounds, he underperformed in the 40-yard dash (4.55 seconds) and didn't show much explosive burst in his jumps. His 4.65 Relative Athletic Score would be well beneath the Saints' usual standards. But there's no arguing with his tape. James was a productive runner for one of college football's most physical teams, scoring 26 touchdown runs over the last two years while averaging almost six yards per carry. He just turned 21 and has a ton of tread left on his tires. Maybe this is a case where the Saints make an exception, or where Kellen Moore values different traits than what are shown at the combine.
Grade: C
This feels really low for Roberts, who is frequently being mocked as a top-100 pick, but you never know. Maybe his limitations to a 3-4 front and just-average athletic profile cause him to slide in the draft. He's an ideal fit in a 3-4 given his unique body type, weighing in at 285 pounds at 6-foot-3 with just 33-inch arms. And he's experienced in that role. He could add a lot Brandon Staley's defense in that capacity while giving the Saints another option behind Cameron Jordan. It makes sense to double-dip here given how poorly their pass rush finished last season. The Saints have shown some interest in Roberts on the pro day circuit, too.
Grade: A
Here's the big target we've been looking for -- Armstrong caught the Saints' eye at his pro day and put up a good 40 time (4.51 seconds) while impressing with a 37.5-inch vertical jump at 6-foot-4 and 202 pounds. He also finished top-5 this season in both contested catches (18) and receiving yards (1,140) despite dealing with a nagging hamstring injury. Teams aren't as high on him as they probably should be. He's well worth a seventh-round pick.
Grade: A
Bayer is a tough dude -- he tore his ACL last April but was ready to play when the Red Wolves' season started in September, suiting up for them in Week 2. He's a really well-rounded athlete as a former powerlifter and discus thrower, and his 7.05 Relative Athletic Score is a good composite for him. He spent his college career at center and was a consistent blocker for his teams to rely on. The Saints learned the value of having a good backup plan at center after they lost 8 of the 9 games Erik McCoy missed with injury last year, plus two others he couldn't finish.
Grade: A
Maybe that's too many Grade A's; but the Saints got good value in Round 3, and with their last three picks, while finding a potential starter in the middle of the draft. That gets an A. You can't expect too much of late-round rookies. Except for reaching on a backup quarterback in Round 2 and overlooking some athletic standards the Saints have valued at running back (and even then, it's a fourth-round pick), this looks like a good haul for the Saints. We'll see how it compares when the draft begins in late April.
This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: 2025 NFL draft: Grading Saints' picks in ESPN's 7-round mock
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Round 1, Pick 9: CB Jahdae Barron, Texas
The Saints need another corner, and Barron is someone they know really well after hiring his position coach (Terry Joseph) as their defensive pass game coordinator. He could be a great fit in Brandon Staley's defense with high-end athleticism and playmaking ability despite some size limitations at 5-foot-11 with 29 and 5/8-inch arms. But I don't think he's a better corner than Michigan star Will Johnson, who Miller has going off the board just two picks later. Johnson makes as many plays as Barron while bringing NFL-prototype size to the table.
Grade: B
Round 2, Pick 40: QB Quinn Ewers, Texas
This is a whole round too soon for Ewers, who never met his potential at Texas. The Saints may like him but this is just too rich for my blood. He won't be expected to play as a rookie and while he may develop into a starter after a year on the bench, he isn't there yet, and I can't justify picking him here. The Saints could wait and get Jalen Milroe (Alabama) later in this mock draft or get someone with a similar projection to Ewers in the fourth or fifth round. Passing on guys who can play meaningful snaps at positions of need like Notre Dame safety Xavier Watts (No. 41 to the New York Jets) or Iowa State receiver Jaylin Noel (No. 47 to the Arizona Cardinals) would be a big mistake.
Grade: D
Round 3, Pick 71: WR Jalen Royals, Utah State
Royals doesn't add much to the offense from a size and speed perspective (he timed the 40-yard dash in 4.42 seconds after weighing in at 6-foot-0 and 205 pounds), but like signing Brandin Cooks he would add some built-in redundancy behind other smaller speedsters like Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed. Improving the depth behind them should be a priority given their extensive injury histories. Royals can make some nice moves after the catch, and he does play with more of a mean streak than Olave or Shaheed. This is a good spot to pick him.
Grade: A
Round 3, Pick 93: DE JT Tuimoloau, Ohio State
Tuimoloau has the size the Saints tend to look for out on the edge (he weighed in at 6-foot-4 and 265 pounds at the combine, with 33 and 3/4-inch arms) and he brings a ton of big-game experience from the college level. He bagged at least one sack in each of the Buckeyes' four College Football Playoff games and was credited with 45 tackles for loss in his 55-game career. The Saints need someone to push Cameron Jordan for snaps as their third edge rusher and we haven't seen enough from Isaiah Foskey to this point in his pro career. This just may be too low for Tuimoloau, who is widely seen as a top-50 prospect in this draft class. Swap him with Ewers in this mock draft and I wouldn't blink.
Grade: A
Round 4, Pick 112: OG Wyatt Milum, West Virginia
Milum spent his college career at left tackle, where he didn't allow a sack and graded out well as a run-blocker at Pro Football Focus, but his 32-inch arms are well beneath average for a 6-foot-6 lineman. Moving him inside to guard would keep him out of trouble against longer opponents out on the edge. And while he put up decent scores in the agility drills and jumps among this year's tackles, those same numbers stand out well at guard, where his athleticism makes more of a difference. He could compete to start for the Saints and would be a good value at this pick.
Grade: A
Round 4, Pick 131: RB Jordan James, Oregon
James didn't put up the kind of testing numbers the Saints tend to look for at running back -- after weighing in at just 5-foot-9 and 205 pounds, he underperformed in the 40-yard dash (4.55 seconds) and didn't show much explosive burst in his jumps. His 4.65 Relative Athletic Score would be well beneath the Saints' usual standards. But there's no arguing with his tape. James was a productive runner for one of college football's most physical teams, scoring 26 touchdown runs over the last two years while averaging almost six yards per carry. He just turned 21 and has a ton of tread left on his tires. Maybe this is a case where the Saints make an exception, or where Kellen Moore values different traits than what are shown at the combine.
Grade: C
Round 6, Pick 184: DL Elijah Roberts, SMU
This feels really low for Roberts, who is frequently being mocked as a top-100 pick, but you never know. Maybe his limitations to a 3-4 front and just-average athletic profile cause him to slide in the draft. He's an ideal fit in a 3-4 given his unique body type, weighing in at 285 pounds at 6-foot-3 with just 33-inch arms. And he's experienced in that role. He could add a lot Brandon Staley's defense in that capacity while giving the Saints another option behind Cameron Jordan. It makes sense to double-dip here given how poorly their pass rush finished last season. The Saints have shown some interest in Roberts on the pro day circuit, too.
Grade: A
Round 7, Pick 248: WR Andrew Armstrong, Arkansas
Here's the big target we've been looking for -- Armstrong caught the Saints' eye at his pro day and put up a good 40 time (4.51 seconds) while impressing with a 37.5-inch vertical jump at 6-foot-4 and 202 pounds. He also finished top-5 this season in both contested catches (18) and receiving yards (1,140) despite dealing with a nagging hamstring injury. Teams aren't as high on him as they probably should be. He's well worth a seventh-round pick.
Grade: A
Round 7, Pick 254: C Jacob Bayer, Arkansas State
Bayer is a tough dude -- he tore his ACL last April but was ready to play when the Red Wolves' season started in September, suiting up for them in Week 2. He's a really well-rounded athlete as a former powerlifter and discus thrower, and his 7.05 Relative Athletic Score is a good composite for him. He spent his college career at center and was a consistent blocker for his teams to rely on. The Saints learned the value of having a good backup plan at center after they lost 8 of the 9 games Erik McCoy missed with injury last year, plus two others he couldn't finish.
Grade: A
The final word
Maybe that's too many Grade A's; but the Saints got good value in Round 3, and with their last three picks, while finding a potential starter in the middle of the draft. That gets an A. You can't expect too much of late-round rookies. Except for reaching on a backup quarterback in Round 2 and overlooking some athletic standards the Saints have valued at running back (and even then, it's a fourth-round pick), this looks like a good haul for the Saints. We'll see how it compares when the draft begins in late April.
This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: 2025 NFL draft: Grading Saints' picks in ESPN's 7-round mock
Continue reading...
