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The New Orleans Saints' roster will have a lot more of a future outlook by the time the 2025 NFL Draft rolls around. Free agency and salary cap cut candidates will mold what they look like before grabbing a rookie class.
In Lance Zierlein's latest mock draft, the Saints tried to boost their defensive line with a prospect that dominated at the NFL Scouting Combine.
Saints pick Shemar Stewart from Texas A&M
The Saints could try to trade out if the board falls like this, but in this scenario, they make the risk/reward pick in Stewart. Hopefully, he can take the torch from Cam Jordan, who's turning 36 this summer. -- Zierlein
Stewart cobituned his rise in mock drafts because of his performance in Indianapolis. He showed off his unbelievable athleticism and ridiculous size.
Now, with Abdul Carter sidelined, Stewart has stolen the headlines. He became the third edge defender in more than 25 years to run a sub-4.7 40-yard dash, leap at least 40 inches, and have a broad jump of at least 117 inches. The other two were No. 1 picks Myles Garrett and Mario Williams.
His showing cannot be overlooked, and I'd expect many NFL teams to be impressed by the outing. New Orleans has always valued massive, athletic defenders along their defensive line, and Stewart fits that bill.
Shemar Stewart is a DE prospect in the 2025 draft class. He scored an unofficial 9.99 #RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 3 out of 1802 DE from 1987 to 2025.
— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) February 27, 2025
Splits projected, Times unofficial.https://t.co/r9HXsXwSH4 pic.twitter.com/V2jH2WF8EJ
His blend of mobility and stature did not translate to his numbers in college, though. Stewart didn't produce at a high level in the box score, with only 4.5 career sacks and relatively average overall pressure stats during his three-year timeline in college.
As far as the Saints' depth off the edge, they lack talent there. Carl Granderson is locked down long-term, but Cam Jordan's future remains cloudy. Chase Young is an impending free agent, too.
Stewart's ceiling in this year's first round seems to be fourth overall to the New England Patriots, so don't be shocked if he's on the Saints' radar if he is still on the board by then.
More must-reads:
- NFLPA reportedly under federal investigation
- Nick Saban responds to speculation about coaching return amid NFL rumors
- The 'Single-season sack leaders by NFL team' quiz
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Nick Saban responds to speculation about coaching return amid NFL rumors
Shortly after former Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback and current college football analyst Greg McElroy shared that someone "in the know" believes there's a possibility Nick Saban — who retired in January 2024 — might return to coaching, NFL insider Albert Breer suggested that the Dallas Cowboys could be a potential destination for the seven-time national champion. According to Mike Rodak of 247Sports, Saban was asked during a Friday appearance on Fox News if he intends to come out of retirement. "No, I'm really happy with what I'm doing right now," Saban responded. "It's exciting to still be involved in the game. It's exciting for me to work with athletic directors, conference commissioners, people in Congress to preserve the integrity of our game and continue to be able to create opportunities to help young people create value for their future that will help them be successful in their life, which is what we always try to do as a coach." Saban, now working as an ESPN analyst, will be 74 in October. Per Christian Datoc of the Washington Examiner, President Donald Trump could consider having Saban "lead a new commission examining problems arising with the growth of name, image, and likeness (NIL) rights and coinciding changes to the NCAA transfer process." Meanwhile, it's thought that Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones could look to hire a big-name candidate if first-year head coach Brian Schottenheimer fails to impress during the 2025 campaign. Additionally, Fox Sports personality Colin Cowherd recently hinted that Saban could be interested in becoming the head coach of the Cleveland Browns if the team selects Texas quarterback Arch Manning as the first pick in the 2026 draft. "There is no opportunity that I know of right now that would enhance me to go back to coaching," Saban added during Friday's segment. "I enjoy what I'm doing. I did it for 50 years. I loved it. I loved the relationships with the players. I loved the competition. But it's another station of life now. I enjoy what I'm doing right now and want to continue to do it — spend more time with my family, my grandchildren, my children. It's been really, really good." The "right now" portion of Saban's comments attracted the attention of Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio, who was quick to point out he did not say "no for good" regarding a return to coaching. In short, it seems that rumors about Saban's future could hover over the college and pro football communities through at least the rest of the year.
Yankees have finally found their third baseman in Ryan McMahon
After years of speculation and nothing materializing, the New York Yankees have at last acquired third baseman Ryan McMahon from the Colorado Rockies, per the New York Post's Jon Heyman. Pitching prospects Griffin Herring and Josh Grosz are headed to the Mile High City in return. They were the number eight and 21st-ranked prospects in the Yankees' farm system, per MLB.com. Given the Yankees' struggles at the third-base position over the last few years, bringing in a guy who was an All-Star in 2024 and will be much more reliable is a win. Former MLB player and current analyst Cameron Maybin certainly believes that, as he was pushing the McMahon-to-New York narrative over the last week and feels it could be a great fit for both sides. "The third baseman they need plays in Colorado...I'm telling you! Defensively more than adequate and Taylor made for the ballpark offensively," Maybin wrote on social media. Maybin went on to mention how McMahon will feel reinvigorated joining a World Series contender like the Yankees after the last six-and-a-half years of being at the bottom in Colorado. The 30-year-old is not having his best season, slugging 16 home runs and 35 RBI with a .217 average through 100 games with the Rockies, per MLB.com stats. However, he's consistently been a 20-plus home run hitter who drives in runs at a strong rate and has a large sample size of doing so. Arizona Diamondbacks third baseman Eugenio Suarez (.252 average, 36 HRs, 86 RBI) has seemed to be No. 1 target for most teams, and for good reason, but given the Yankees' current situation and weaknesses, McMahon made more sense. Not only does he play a better third base, which New York desperately needs, but he has another two years of control after 2025, whereas Suarez would have been a rental. The acquisition cost was nothing crazy, and adding a lefty bat with some power to potentially take advantage of the short porch at Yankee Stadium is always a bonus. Some may not be satisfied until they see McMahon positively impacting the New York Yankees, but rest assured, this is a very solid pickup.
Warriors' Stephen Curry believes NBA players are 'underpaid'
Are NBA players underpaid? Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry argues yes. The greatest shooter in NBA history said Thursday on Complex’s “360 With Speedy” that because the league’s current CBA doesn’t allow for current players to invest in league and team equity, players are leaving money on the table. “I would say, yes, we are underpaid,” Curry admitted when asked, despite enormous salaries, if the players were getting short-changed, “because you wanna be able to participate in that rise [of equity].” “It’s a partnership with ownership, [and] it’s a partnership with the league,” the 37-year-old stressed, revealing that league salaries do not reflect players’ impact on team valuations. If anyone has the right to begrudge the current CBA on player participation in equity, it’s Curry. When drafted in 2009, the Warriors were worth $315 million. Current valuations in May of 2025 have the team at $9.4 billion, the most in the league. Curry’s been paid handsomely during his time in Golden State, and he doesn’t overlook it. “I know we’re blessed to be in a position where we’re playing basketball for a living, and these are the type of checks that people are earning,” he told Complex. However, when he signed his $62.6 million one-year extension in 2024 that would keep him in a Warriors’ jersey until 2027, many felt that no amount of money the franchise could offer him would represent his worth. Curry had an undeniable impact on the Warriors’ valuation increasing by nearly 3,000%. He’s benefited by being the most salaried player on the roster and plenty of endorsement deals. But is he getting his fair share? Something similar may happen with reigning NBA Finals MVP and Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who just signed the richest contract in league history with an average annual value of $71.25 million. According to Forbes, the Thunder’s valuation increased 20% from 2023 to 2024 and will likely take another jump after this year’s championship. Curry concedes that player participation in equity isn’t a simple concept and not all markets are created equal: “You got competitive advantage considerations…and want every market to have a fair chance, like I get all that.” He believes, however, that finding a solution is a “mutually beneficial proposition” for players, teams and the league. Even the most expensive people in the world need to find other investors to make owning an NBA team possible. The best example of Curry’s point is the Boston Celtics sale in March. The most-championed franchise in league history was sold to Bill Chisholm for $6.1 billion, the largest ever sports franchise sale in North America at the time. Chisholm needed Rob Hale, Bruce Beal Jr., and private equity firm Sixth Street, to afford the purchase. Because team ownership is already a multi-investor operation, the league could potentially come to an agreement with the players by the next CBA negotiation at the end of the decade. If not, the league's best players will continue to simultaneously earn a ridiculous amount of money, and it will not be nearly enough.
Emma Raducanu, Elena Rybakina retired during DC Open doubles semifinals
The journey of Emma Raducanu and Elena Rybakina in the DC Open doubles came to an end after the unprecedented pairing retired during their semifinal match against Taylor Townsend and Shuai Zhang. It was a difficult match on paper against the second seeds, which unfortunately didn't even manage to finish the first set. The duo had surprised many when their entry into the doubles draw was announced, and they debuted with an impressive win against Tereza Mihalikova and Olivia Nicholls, overcoming a set deficit to secure a 2-6, 7-6(7), 11-9 victory in the super tie-break of the third set. Then, in the quarterfinals, they seemed to gel as a team, defeating Giuliana Olmos and Aldila Sutjiadi, two other specialists in the category. Both Rybakina and Raducanu took to the court earlier Friday, both with wins that propelled them to the semifinals of the DC Open singles draw. They nevertheless decided to show up for the doubles match — barely an hour after Rybakina's singles triumph. Townsend (Doubles No. 2) and Zhang (No. 15) entered with a certain favoritism, considering their extensive experience as doubles players and both being Grand Slam champions in the category in the past. They had just defeated the duo of Venus Williams and Hailey Baptiste in a tight encounter. Not much happened in the match, which began with the first service game in favor of Rybakina and Raducanu. However, Townsend and Zhang showed their experience, easily holding their service games and securing two consecutive breaks. The match stood at 4-1 in favor of the doubles specialists when Raducanu/Rybakina — with everything against them and realizing they would have to work extremely hard for a victory — decided to retire from the doubles, opting to physically preserve themselves for their singles semifinals matches scheduled for this Saturday. Singles focus for Raducanu and Rybakina The pairing of Rybakina and Raducanu surprised at the beginning of the week, partnering up to gain match practice on hardcourts amidst a demanding swing and after the surface change from the grass-courts at Wimbledon a few weeks ago. However, for both, the main objective was singles, where both delivered this week. Indeed, during the day, former US Open champion Raducanu reached the semifinals of the tournament after convincingly defeating Maria Sakkari in straight sets. There is little doubt that Raducanu is achieving consistency at the top level, with wins this week against strong opponents like Marta Kostyuk, Naomi Osaka, and Sakkari, returning to a tournament semifinal. Since winning the US Open title in 2021, the Brit has never returned to a final, and now she is just one win away from breaking a nearly four-year final drought. She will face Russia's Anna Kalinskaya, who surprised fourth-seed Clara Tauson earlier in the afternoon, in what will undoubtedly be a thrilling match for a spot in the final. Raducanu has also secured a climb of 14 positions in the rankings and is currently positioned at world No. 32 in the live ranking, her best ranking since 2022 — when a good portion of her points were still from her Flushing Meadows triumph. Rybakina, for her part, has also achieved convincing victories this week. After receiving a first-round bye, she defeated young star Victoria Mboko in her debut and then Polish fifth-seed Magdalena Frech in the quarterfinals, both victories in straight sets. The third-seed is preparing to face Canadian Leylah Fernandez — who has found inspiration at the DC Open. They have two previous encounters, both in 2024, with one win for each, the last of which was in favor of Fernandez in Cincinnati. Although the Kazakh will not see a ranking movement for now — where she is No. 12 — the possibility of reaching the final would place her in the WTA Race top eight, meaning she would return to a WTA Finals qualification spot, just before the start of the WTA 1000 doubleheader in Canadian and Cincinnati Opens. Rybakina has 14 wins in her last 18 matches and will look to reach the 21st final of her career against Fernandez. Match Statistics Raducanu E / Rybakina E vs. Townsend T / Zhang S
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