Saints’ Banks, Shough named to PFWA All-Rookie Team

By Ross Jackson

The accolades keep rolling in for the New Orleans Saints’ 2025 draft class. Rookie quarterback Tyler Shough has been named a finalist for the Pepsi Zero-Sugar Rookie of the Year award, ESPN recognized the class as the best of 2025 and now Shough and first-round rookie Kelvin Banks Jr. have been named to the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA) All-Rookie Team.

Congrats to Tyler Shough and Kelvin Banks Jr. on making the @PFWAwriters All-Rookie Team! pic.twitter.com/2n4Gx8Imif

— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) January 20, 2026

The team is voted on by PFWA members and recognized 28 possible players, with some overlaps for returners, and also named three rookie awards for 2025.

While Shough was not chosen as the overall rookie of the year nor the offensive rookie of the year in the vote, he was named the top rookie quarterback. He was the only player selected at the position.

Banks was chosen as one of two top tackles along with New York Jets rookie Armand Membou.

This is the first time that two Saints have been chosen for the PFWA All-Rookie Team since 2019, when three Saints were selected: center Erik McCoy, cornerback C.J. Gardner-Johnson and punt returner Deonte Harty.

Banks started all 17 games for New Orleans and led the team in snaps played throughout the season. Shough started 9 games, going 5-4 in his starts and set rookie records for passing yards (2,384), passing touchdowns (10) and wins (5). His 67.6% completion percentage was the third-highest for any rookie quarterback all-time.