Two NFL Draft prospects Saints should avoid
03/05/2025
By Ross Jackson
Even with free agency still to go, the NFL Draft feels like it’s right around the corner. After spending last week in Indianapolis at the NFL Scouting Combine, the excitement around the draft is hard to miss. But in all of the excitement, caution should not be thrown to the wind.
The New Orleans Saints were connected to quite a few players throughout all of the Combine chatter. We picked six of those names for this series, which was divided into three parts:
- Most likely and impactful
- Lucky to get them at No. 9
- May want to avoid
This final installment is all about the aforementioned caution. Late draft risers, injury-prone players, questionable transition ability and level of competition are all typical draft red flags a team may be cautioned to avoid. This year, two players consistently tied to the Saints fit the bill.
Stuart put up eye-popping numbers during the NFL Combine but has very modest in-game production for his position. The Saints have been taken in the past with hyper-athletic, big-bodied defensive ends before. They have invested multiple first round picks in raw, developmental prospects only to see them not pan out.
6’5″ 267 lb DE Shemar Stewart just jumped 40″ in the vert ‼️@AggieFootball @ShemarStewart14
📺: #NFLCombine on @NFLNetwork
📱: Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/4zqMpcPwqM— NFL (@NFL) February 27, 2025
Stewart feels very close to another one of those prospects. Yes, he is an amazing athlete for his size and had one of the best Combine performances regardless of position. However, the Saints don’t feel like a team in a situation conducive to going that route this season. New Orleans needs a sure thing in the first round and despite his assuredly high ceiling, Stewart is not yet a sure thing.
Combine Measurements
- 6-foot-5
- 267 pounds
- Hand Size: 9.63 inches
- Arm Length: 34.13 inches
Combine Testing Results
- 40-Yard Dash: 4.59 seconds
- Vert: 40 inches
- Broad Jump: 10-foot-11
- RAS: 10.00u
2024 Season Stats
- 31 total tackles (6 for a loss)
- 1.5 sacks
- 1 forced fumbles
- 39 total pressures
While it hurts me to admit it, New Orleans may be better off avoiding Jeanty in the first round. The team is in need of much talent on their roster, running back included, but Jeanty may just not be a selection that’s in the cards.
This year’s draft is deep at running back. It would not be surprising to see a team wait until the middle rounds to land an impactful rusher. The Saints are also a team trying to improve their injury luck and investing a first-round pick in a high-injury position may not be wise while they navigate their own high injury rate of 2024. Finally, New Orleans tends to avoid running backs with massive workloads in the draft. Jeanty, as the Boise State workhorse back, carried the ball a whopping 374 times in 2024 and another 220 in 2023. He added 66 receptions over those two years as well. One would be warranted in worrying if there’s enough tread left on the tires for Jeanty to succeed in the NFL for a prolonged period.
ASHTON JEANTY’S FIRST TOUCH IS A TD 🤯😤
(via @CFBONFOX) pic.twitter.com/4Tbf7vvx56
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) October 5, 2024
Combine Measurements
- 5-foot-8
- 211 pounds
- Hand Size: 9.25 inches
- Arm Length: 28.25 inches
Combine Testing Results
Jeanty did not participate in workouts at the Combine.
2024 Season Stats
- 374 rushes
- 2,601 rushing yards
- 29 touchdown runs
- 23 receptions
- 138 receiving yards
- 1 touchdown catches