The New Orleans Saints seem to at least be interested in Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart. How interested are they, though? There are a couple of moves they could make, or not make, that would answer this question.
There was a report suggesting Dart could creep into the first half of the opening round. If that happened, it would be one of the more surprising moves of the NFL draft. Kellen Moore could fall for Dart and believe those whispers (or be the source of them), so much so that he jumps for him at ninth overall.
This move would likely be heavily criticized, but if Moore doesn’t see the quarterback dropping past No. 16, it would be the only course of action to grab a player you think can lead you through the next decade. As it stands, this feels the least likely. The true pivot point for Dart is the Pittsburgh Steelers. This feels like a team with the perfect mesh of need and first-round positioning (they pick at No. 21). The Saints could choose to jump back into the first round ahead of the Steelers or wait to see if Pittsburgh passes on Dart.
Both scenarios result in the secondary option of trading back into the first round for Dart. The benefit here is securing a fifth year option for the rookie. It also gives you the opportunity to get ahead of the New York Giants who could look to add a quarterback in the second round if they can’t grab one with the third overall pick. Drafting Dart early or late in the first round says New Orleans really likes him.
Lastly, the Saints could take Dart if he falls in their lap in the second round. It isn’t a first round pick, but making a quarterback a top-50 selection is still significant. It would paint Dart as Moore’s preferred franchise quarterback.
The last option is they could do none of that. You’ve seen mock drafts with Dart dipping to the third round. That feels less likely as the draft approaches, but if the Saints are willing to risk that then it tells you how they feel about Dart. They aren’t sold.
This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: We're about to learn just how much the Saints like 2025 QB Jaxson Dart
