The New Orleans Saints have never been afraid of surprising people during the NFL draft.
The latest 2025 NFL mock draft from Destin Adams gives Saints fans a different look for their class, compared to many other scenarios for April’s event.
This pick does not get made often with how the board fell in this particular mock.
With the Saints on the clock, Will Campbell, arguably the top offensive lineman in the class, is available. Will Johnson, a potential CB1 for an NFL team, is on the board, too.
Other notable players available include Ashton Jeanty, Mike Green, James Pearce Jr., none of which were the selection for the Saints.
Instead, the Saints take a big swing on potential with defensive lineman Walter Nolen. Nolen had a great week at the Senior Bowl and shows off some splashy traits as a prospect.
That being said, I’m just not sure Nolen makes a ton of sense here, as New Orleans does still have Bryan Bresee as a pass rush-first interior DL on his rookie deal. That being said, they certainly do need more help in the trenches this offseason.
Really like the fit of Hairston in New Orleans. The need at cornerback for the Saints is clear, especially if Paulson Adebo departs in free agency.
Hairston is a physical DB who fits the type of secondary defender that New Orleans has valued in recent years, and he would get playing time immediately as a rookie.
Higgins is one of my favorite day two offensive targets in this entire class. The big-bodied wideout wins down the field and provides a different body type for the Saints’ WR depth chart.
Tight end could be a major need for the Saints by the time April rolls around.
Juwan Johnson is an impending FA, and Taysom Hill is coming off a season-ending torn ACL from last season. Foster Moreau could also be a potential cut candidate for cap space savings. Accordingly, addressing TE in the draft may be vital for the Saints’ offense.
Ferguson is a balanced prospect at the position. He works hard in the blocking game and really grew this past season for the Ducks when it comes to his receiving output.
While the first-round selection is one that I would probably choose a different route on, this sort of class for Kellen Moore could pay off for them over the next few seasons.
New Orleans needs to have a productive draft in order to get off on the right foot with a brand new coaching staff.