Saints Making Exploratory Calls About Trading Up From No. 40

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports the Saints have made exploratory calls regarding a trade up from pick No. 40.

Schefter believes more quarterbacks could be taken in the first eight picks of the second round than in the entire first round. With the Browns and Giants currently holding picks No. 33 and 34, New Orleans would likely need to move up to get their pick of whoever remains.

Should they move up or sit at pick No. 40, Schefter thinks Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart could “figure to be squarely in play” for the Saints. While the belief is that New Orleans wants to draft a quarterback, there is skepticism whether they would take Dart No. 9 overall because of their offensive line and defensive needs.

One personnel executive believes the Saints are not high on Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders and thinks they are “hot and heavy” on Dart.

Dart, 21, was a four-star recruit ranked as the No. 2 player in Utah and the No. 13 overall QB in the 2021 recruiting class. He committed to USC in December 2020 and spent one year there before entering the transfer portal.

Dart was a four-star transfer and was ranked as the No. 3 quarterback in the portal in the 2022 offseason. He committed to Ole Miss and spent the next three seasons as a Rebel.

In his collegiate career, Dart appeared in 45 games over four seasons and completed 65.2 percent of his passes for 11,970 yards, 81 touchdowns and 27 interceptions. He also rushed 393 times for 1,541 yards and 14 touchdowns.