Every team let quarterback Tyler Shough fall down the 2025 NFL Draft order until the New Orleans Saints took a flier on him via the 40th overall pick of the player-selection process.
While Shough is hardly a sure-thing long-term QB1 at this stage of his development, he has given those running the Saints reason to believe he could one day be viewed as the top steal of his draft class. According to a piece produced by NFL insider Jason La Canfora of SportsBoom US that was published on Wednesday, Shough also has some executives second-guessing decisions they made last spring.
Tyler Shough has NFL executives “singing a very different tune” one year into his pro career
“Several executives who, a year ago, were skeptical about whether he could develop into a starting solution for the Saints are now singing a very different tune after a rookie season that defied expectations,” La Canfora wrote about Shough.
Shough began his rookie season as a backup for Spencer Rattler before Saints head coach Kellen Moore turned to the 26-year-old after Week 8. In total, Shough went 5-4 across nine starts. He finished Week 18 ranked 24th in the NFL among qualified players with a 48.8 adjusted QBR and 19th with a 91.3 passer rating. Over 11 total appearances, Shough tallied 10 touchdown passes and three rushing scores.
Why Tyler Shough likely still has plenty to prove to the Saints
Analysts are already predicting that the 2027 draft will be filled with multiple top-tier quarterback prospects, meaning a team may not have to possess a top-five pick next spring to land a desired signal-caller. At least one unnamed longtime personnel evaluator who spoke with La Canfora seems unconvinced that Shough is currently better than some of the quarterbacks who could be available to the Saints next offseason.
“I don’t look at him and see a franchise guy,” the evaluator said about Shough. “There isn’t that high-end ceiling you ideally look for. But I could see him sticking around there for more than one contract if he keeps building on what he did as a rookie… He’s better than I thought, and he has the right mentality for the job. The decision-making was pretty sound.”
Shough could silence talk about the Saints drafting his eventual replacement next year if he breaks through that advertised ceiling by the time January 2027 comes around.
