The New Orleans Saints surprised with their second-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Although many believed going into the draft that the Saints could use the event as an opportunity to get a new signal-caller amid the uncertainty about the future of Derek Carr at that time, not a lot thought that New Orleans would take Shough, especially with the likes of Shedeur Sanders, Jalen Milroe and Dillon Gabriel still up for grabs.
When Carr eventually decided to retire last May, Shough suddenly found himself in a position to become the Saints’ QB1, starting in the 2025 NFL campaign.
The clear lack of experience in the NFL is a big question about Shough, but he’s also already 26 years old and seemingly undeterred by the potential challenges ahead of him in the pros.
New Orleans Saints rookie QB has fearless outlook
Before the Saints took him in the second round as the 40th overall pick, Shough played for the Oregon Ducks, Texas Tech Red Raiders and Louisville Cardinals.
He had backup duties in college, notably to former Ducks star Justin Herbert, who is now the starter for the Los Angeles Chargers.
He suffered injuries along the way as well. Given all the challenges he had to overcome to get where he is now today, Shough thinks that there’s nothing football can throw at him that will damage his spirits.
“I think for me and what I’ve been through: I’ve been carted off the field, I’ve been booed, I’ve been an MVP, I’ve been a starter, I’ve been a backup to Herbert — I’m like, throw some s— at me, you’re not going to faze me if we start off 0-2 or I f—— suck,” Shough said during a recent appearance on St. Brown Podcast (h/t Grant Gordon of NFL.com). “It’s going to be fine. That’s what I was excited about, that opportunity, or any opportunity, and I think, going into it, I’ve got to continue to get to know the guys; like I said earlier, I’m still a rookie. I may be older, but I have to earn the respect of everybody and do my job.”
In his final season in college, which was with the Cardinals in 2024, Shough passed for 3,195 yards and 23 touchdowns against six interceptions.
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