Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images
By Ross Jackson
Finding an answer at quarterback is every NFL team’s first priority when endeavoring to rebuild a franchise. The New Orleans Saints appear to be closing in on their potential answer with No. 40 overall selection and rookie quarterback Tyler Shough.
After getting his first start in Week 9 of the 2025 season, Shough is one of five drafted passers with multiple starts across the league this year. And so far, he’s the winningest of the draft class.
With three wins on six starts, Shough has more wins than any quarterback in his rookie class.
Most wins by rookie QBs in starts this season:
3 – Tyler Shough
2 – Jaxson Dart
2 – Cam Ward
1 – Shedeur Sanders
1 – Dillon Gabriel pic.twitter.com/iHnYd7Cq0M— Underdog NFL (@UnderdogNFL) December 16, 2025
Tennessee Titans’ Cam Ward, the No. 1 overall pick, and New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart trail Shough by just one game with two wins a piece. But each have started more games than the Saints’ second-rounder with Ward being the only rookie to be named a Week 1 starter and Dart having nine starts under his belt.
Like Shough, Cleveland Browns rookie Dillon Gabirel has led the way for his team six times, pulling off only one win, and Browns’ fifth-round quarterback Shedeur Sanders also has a lone win on just four starts.
The Saints will host the New York Jets in Week 16, a game in which New Orleans is favored. FanDuel Sportsbook has the Saints as a 4.5-point favorite entering the matchup.
With a win against the Jets and one more win on the season, Shough would lock down his spot as, at worst, tied for the most wins among his rookie class. He and Ward will also face off head-to-head in Nashville in Week 17.
Though his career started with criticism around his age and viral NFL Combine videos, Shough is proving that pre-draft perception doesn’t mean a thing. Instead, what happens in the league and on the field is what matters most. Since becoming the Saints’ starter, the team’s upward trajectory has been hard to miss.
Shough may not have been the top quarterback drafted in the 2025 class, but he sure is playing like he should have been.
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