As the NFL postseason kicks into high gear, the awards season is starting to take shape. While the league’s biggest honors - MVP, Rookie of the Year, and Hall of Fame inductions - will be announced during Super Bowl weekend, some accolades are already rolling out. On Tuesday, the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA) revealed their 2025 NFL All-Rookie Team, and two New Orleans Saints earned their place on the list.
Quarterback Tyler Shough and left tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. represented the Saints on the PFWA All-Rookie squad, standing out from a 2025 draft class that gave New Orleans a much-needed injection of young talent. While safety Jonas Sanker and cornerback Quincy Riley also had impressive rookie campaigns, it was Shough and Banks who got the nod. The Saints were one of six teams - alongside the Patriots, Buccaneers, Seahawks, Browns, and Falcons - to have two players selected.
For New Orleans, it’s the first time since 2022, when Chris Olave was honored, that a Saints rookie made the PFWA list. And this year, they didn’t just get one - they got two foundational pieces.
Let’s start up front with Banks. The Saints used the 9th overall pick on the former Texas Longhorn after he put together back-to-back All-American seasons in college.
He was the third offensive lineman taken in the draft, but he wasted no time showing why he belonged in that elite tier. Banks stepped in as the team’s starting left tackle from Day 1, anchoring the line for all 17 games and logging more offensive snaps than any other Saint - 95% of them, to be exact.
That kind of durability and consistency is rare for a rookie, especially at one of the game’s most demanding positions. Banks was a force in the run game and held his own in pass protection, giving the Saints a reliable blindside protector. Paired with 2024 first-rounder Taliese Fuaga at right tackle, New Orleans looks like it’s finally found its bookend tackles for the foreseeable future - a massive win for any franchise trying to build from the trenches out.
Then there’s Shough, whose path to this honor was a bit more winding - but arguably just as impactful. The Saints used the 40th overall pick, early in the second round, to grab the Louisville standout. He was the third quarterback off the board, and while that draft slot raised some eyebrows at the time, Shough quickly silenced the doubters once he got his shot.
He didn’t make his first start until Week 9, but once he took over, the Saints’ offense found a rhythm it had been sorely missing. In the nine games Shough started, New Orleans went 5-4 - a modest record on the surface, but a significant turnaround considering the team’s injury-riddled roster.
He completed 67.6% of his passes for 2,384 yards, tossing 10 touchdowns against 6 interceptions, and added three scores on the ground. More importantly, he brought stability and efficiency to an offense that had been sputtering.
Before Shough took the reins, the Saints were averaging just 13.9 points and 198.3 passing yards per game. With him under center, those numbers jumped to 19.8 points and 251 passing yards per contest - a clear uptick, especially given the circumstances.
At one point, the Saints were so depleted at running back and wide receiver that they were relying on practice squad call-ups and career backups. Yet Shough kept the offense competitive, showing poise, accuracy, and the kind of leadership that’s hard to teach.
With his late-season surge, Shough has emerged as one of the frontrunners for Offensive Rookie of the Year, alongside Panthers wideout Tetairoa McMillan. That race will be decided on Super Bowl weekend, but regardless of the outcome, Shough has already made a strong case for being the most impactful rookie quarterback of the 2025 class.
Between Shough and Banks, the Saints have two cornerstone players to build around. Add in the promising rookie seasons from Riley, Sanker, linebacker Danny Stutsman, and running back Devin Neal, and it’s clear that New Orleans nailed the 2025 draft. For a franchise that’s been searching for stability and youth in key spots, this rookie class might be the one that helps turn the tide.