Mike Florio compares Saints' Shedeur Sanders interest to 2017 Patrick Mahomes draft heartbreak

NFL analyst Mike Florio has warned the New Orleans Saints they could face another draft day heartbreak similar to their 2017 Patrick Mahomes miss. He claimed history might repeat itself if they don't act decisively to secure Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders.

The warning comes amid increasing pressure on the Saints to address their QB situation following Derek Carr's shoulder injury.

Florio's take directly references the 2017 draft when the Kansas City Chiefs traded up to select Mahomes one spot ahead of the Saints.

On Sunday, Florio made these comments during his NFL on NBC Pro Football Talk segment:

"If they're locked in on Shedeur Sanders, having Carr injured makes it even more obvious, which invites someone to cut to No. 8, just like the Chiefs cut the line 1 spot in front of the Saints in 2017 to get Patrick Mahomes," Florio said (Timestamp: 0:01).

"I know they thought they were getting there to get in front of the Cardinals at 12, but the Chiefs got to 10 and necessarily got in front of the Saints at 11 and got Patrick Mahomes. So, it can happen to the Saints again."

The Saints hold the ninth pick in the 2025 NFL draft, but recent news about Carr's shoulder injury has intensified speculation about their quarterback plans. According to reports from NFL Network Insiders Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo on Saturday, Carr might require surgery that could sideline him for the entire 2025 season.

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The situation resembles 2017, when the New Orleans Saints, holding the 11th pick, reportedly targeted Patrick Mahomes as a successor to Drew Brees. However, the Chiefs executed a trade with Buffalo to move from 27th to 10th, selecting Mahomes just before New Orleans could make their pick.

In 2017, the Saints settled for cornerback Marshon Lattimore after missing out on Mahomes. He has since become one of the NFL's premier quarterbacks, with multiple Super Bowl appearances and victories.

Media consensus has built around Shedeur Sanders as a potential Saints selection. According to a Saints Wire article published Monday, five of eight surveyed mock drafts projected Sanders to New Orleans. However, the article also noted minimal public contact between the Saints and Sanders beyond a formal combine interview and sending their quarterbacks coach to his pro day.

The betting markets have also shifted dramatically following the latest on Carr's injury. Yahoo Sports reported on Saturday that the odds of the Saints drafting a QB first moved from +300 to -105 after the injury news broke.

While Shedeur Sanders appears to be the favorite, other QB options include Ole Miss's Jaxson Dart. NFL.com described him as excelling "at throwing deep" with "17 touchdown passes on deep passes" and "a 92.6 PFF passing grade on deep throws in 2024." This skill set could align well with rookie coach Kellen Moore's offensive philosophy.