The New Orleans Saints have found their quarterback of the future in fifth-round draft pick Tyler Shough, according to offensive coordinator Kellen Moore.
“Tyler’s experience, certainly there’s value to that,” said Moore. “You can see it in the classroom aspect of this thing. His ability to process football at a very easy rate in the classroom. It’s really, really good when you throw him up there and you’re watching film and you’re talking about plays and concepts. He’s got great exposure, and he’s got great experiences that he can lean on.”
The Saints entered the draft with uncertainty at quarterback. Derek Carr is expected to miss significant time with an injury, while Spencer Rattler is entering just his second NFL season.
Shough, 25, impressed scouts at the NFL Combine with his throwing mechanics and football IQ, though some teams were concerned about his age.
Reports indicate Shough could compete for the starting role immediately given his experience at the collegiate level.
ESPN analyst Ryan Clark praised the Saints’ selection on Wednesday.
“He can flat out throw a football. He understands where it needs to go, when it needs to get there and exactly where it needs to be on the receiver,” Clark said.
Pre-draft speculation had linked the Saints to other quarterback prospects including Shedeur Sanders and Jaxson Dart.
Sanders reportedly believed he was being drafted by New Orleans after receiving what turned out to be a prank call from Jax Ulbrich, son of Atlanta Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich.
The Falcons ultimately selected Tyler Shough, the quarterback the Saints had targeted all along.
