Aug 14, 2025; Carson, CA, USA; A New Orleans Saints helmet on the field during a joint practice against the Los Angeles Rams at the Dignity Health Sports Park. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

3 Top Rookies Turning Heads At Saints Training Camp

Originally posted on New Orleans Saints on SI
By Patrick McAvoy | Last updated Aug 15, 2025 7:00 PM ET

The New Orleans Saints are just a few weeks away from hitting the field for a regular season, Week 1 matchup against the Arizona Cardinals.

New Orleans will kick off its season at home and there are going to be some new faces on the field when the Saints do so. Training camp has been going on for a few weeks at this point and there's a lot to like -- and some things to improve, for sure. There's a lot to discuss, but let's dive in specifically with the rookies right now.

The Saints kicked off the 2025 NFL Draft by selecting Kelvin Banks Jr. and Tyler Shough in the first two rounds. But, they are not the only talented players brought to town.

Saints seemingly struck gold in the 2025 NFL Draft

Here are the three top rookies so far in camp for the Saints:

Tyler Shough - Quarterback
I bet you didn't see this one coming. Shough is the guy to watch. He's competing for the starting quarterback job right now and there are plenty on social media who have been clamoring for him to win the job. He looked good in his first NFL action. Shough went 15-of-22 passing for 165 passing yards, one long passing touchdown, and an interception. The job is still up in the air, but Shough has made it difficult for the incumbents of Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener to pull away.

Kelvin Banks Jr. - Offensive Tackle
Banks was the Saints' first pick in the 2025 NFL Draft and hasn't gotten as many headlines as Shough has. That doesn't mean that he hasn't been good, though. He has been as advertised and has been sharp early on. In his preseason NFL debut, he had a 84.9 PFF blocking grade and didn't allow any pressures.

Fadil Diggs - EDGE
Diggs was the Saint's final pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. He was selected with the No. 254 pick in the seventh round. Diggs isn't a big-name guy by any means, but he has been steady in camp and has at least given himself a shot at the roster.

More NFL: Saints Announce 2nd QB Cut Of Training Camp

This article first appeared on New Orleans Saints on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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