What Saints fans should know about Thursday's NFL Draft
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It's decision time for the New Orleans Saints at this week's NFL Draft in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
Why it matters: The Saints have a new coach, and they've got a pretty big question mark at quarterback as they await details on Derek Carr's shoulder injury.
The intrigue: Speaking with reporters Wednesday, Saints general manager Mickey Loomis made a sparse statement about Carr's status before refusing to answer further questions. Watch the press conference.
- "He does have an issue with his shoulder," Loomis said. "We're hoping to get some resolution and clarity on that in the near future, and when we do, I'll report back to you. Otherwise, I don't have anything more to state about Derek."
- Well, then.
Saints fans are likely hungry for more, especially since news of Carr's injury first broke weeks ago and with eligible candidates for QB on the board when drafting begins.
What they're saying: The Saints appear to only be making minor tweaks during this offseason, perhaps because the team seemed to be in good shape until injuries skidded any progress to an explosive halt.
- "With better health, there's no reason why they couldn't have competed for the top spot in the division," writes Patrick McAvoy for Sports Illustrated. "They were arguably the best team in the league through the first two weeks of the season before things went off the rails."
What's next: The Saints first-round pick Thursday night comes in at No. 9.
Here's everything you need to know about this year's draft:
The seven draft rounds will begin Thursday and conclude Saturday with 257 picks. All times are in CT:
- Round 1: 7pm Thursday
- Round 2 and 3: 6pm Friday
- Rounds 4 through 7: 11am Saturday
State of play: Forecasting picks can be tricky, since teams can trade picks before and during the seven-round draft.
These standout players are likely to be taken off the board first:
- Miami quarterback Cam Ward, Colorado's Heisman winner Travis Hunter, Penn State's Abdul Carter, Boise State's Ashton Jeanty, LSU's Will Campbell and Colorado's Shedeur Sanders.
Fun fact: This is the first time Green Bay, the NFL's smallest market, is hosting the major event.
How to watch the NFL Draft on TV
ABC, ESPN and NFL Network will broadcast the 2025 NFL Draft.
How to livestream the NFL Draft online
The NFL Draft can be livestreamed on NFL+, NFL.com, the ESPN App and ABC App.
- Fans can also use apps like YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, FuboTV and Sling TV.
What is the first-round order of the 2025 NFL Draft?
Here is the first round draft order (subject to change with trades):
1) Tennessee Titans
2) Cleveland Browns
3) New York Giants
4) New England Patriots
5) Jacksonville Jaguars
6) Las Vegas Raiders
7) New York Jets
8) Carolina Panthers
9) New Orleans Saints
10) Chicago Bears
11) San Francisco 49ers
12) Dallas Cowboys
13) Miami Dolphins
14) Indianapolis Colts
15) Atlanta Falcons
16) Arizona Cardinals
17) Cincinnati Bengals
18) Seattle Seahawks
19) Tampa Bay Buccaneers
20) Denver Broncos
21) Pittsburgh Steelers
22) Los Angeles Chargers
23) Green Bay Packers
24) Minnesota Vikings
25) Houston Texans
26) Los Angeles Rams
27) Baltimore Ravens
28) Detroit Lions
29) Washington Commanders
30) Buffalo Bills
31) Kansas City Chiefs
32) Philadelphia Eagles
View the draft order for rounds three and four here.