Heading into the 2025 NFL Draft, the New Orleans Saints were widely seen as a team in need of a quarterback. With Derek Carr’s status for the season uncertain, speculation quickly turned to who they might target, and many expected Shedeur Sanders to be high on their list. So, when the Saints used their No. 40 overall pick to select Louisville’s Tyler Shough instead, it raised more than a few eyebrows.
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And one of the loudest voices in the room? Former NFL quarterback and current analyst Robert Griffin III, and simply put, he didn’t hold back.
“If anybody should have drafted Shedeur Sanders and had him be the second quarterback that they drafted, it should have been the New Orleans Saints, not the Cleveland Browns,” RGIII argued on an episode of his pod, Outta Pocket.
Shedeur, who threw for 4,134 yards and 37 touchdowns in his final year at Colorado, ended up falling to the fifth round. He was selected by the Browns at No. 144 overall. So, to Griffin, the Saints missed a golden opportunity, especially considering the quarterback room the Buffs quarterback would’ve been walking into.
“Why wouldn’t you put [Shedeur] in a situation where he’s competing against Tyler Shough, Spencer Rattler, and Jake Haener?” he asked. “I’m completely lost at what the New Orleans Saints’ draft strategy was.”
The former Commanders QB’s issue wasn’t just that Shedeur Sanders was passed over, but also with who the Saints chose instead. And he made that clear with his signature RGIII flair.
“Tyler Shough might be the next coming of Josh Allen,” he joked. “And if he is, I will go streaking. I will run through the streets with no clothes on.”
It was humorous, yes, but the sarcasm was laced with real skepticism. Shough’s college career was defined by flashes of potential and long stretches on the sideline. Injuries and inconsistency hampered his development, and while his 2024 numbers at Louisville were solid [3,195 yards, 23 touchdowns, 62.7% completion], they didn’t scream second-round pick.
Griffin also pushed back against one of the common knocks on Sanders — arm strength.
“Shedeur doesn’t have a strong arm? Well, that dome is going to increase his arm strength by at least 5%,” he said, pointing to the Saints’ indoor stadium as the ideal environment to enhance Sanders’ strengths.
And for anyone suggesting that Shedeur brings too much media attention for a backup role, RGIII wasn’t buying it either.
“Even if he brings attention, he’s competing against guys who haven’t proven themselves,” he said. “That should be the least of your concerns.”
New Orleans is a team looking to reset, and the quarterback decision will define how that reset goes. But who knows — maybe Shough will impress all of us, including RGIII, come the regular season.
