Few draft commentators are as well-liked as Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com. A former professional scout, Jeremiah provides in-depth coverage of the annual draft each year. With some New Orleans Saints selections in previous years, he’s struck the mark, so it’s critical to pay attention and see what he’s expecting for the upcoming 2024 NFL draft.

But this choice is really good. On Friday, Jeremiah released his first 2024 mock draft. With quarterback Bo Nix of the Oregon Ducks selected at No. 14, he sees the Saints making a contentious pick. Jeremiah explains why he believes Nix ought to be a saint:

I’m a big fan of Nix’s game. I think his experience as a five-year starter is a positive for him as he heads to the next level. He would be a plug-and-play starter in New Orleans. I’m not confident the Saints view Derek Carr as the answer.

Nix started for three years at Auburn before moving to Oregon for the 2022 season, when he didn’t exactly win over SEC fans. In 34 games, he committed 20 fumbles and threw 16 interceptions. But after attending Oregon, Nix made a shift in direction. In 27 games with the Ducks, he has only mishandled the ball 13 times. He has also become a better passer and used his legs more effectively, averaging 20 rushing touchdowns and taking just 6 sacks in the last two seasons.

He’s fascinating to watch and really active. However, it will be difficult for Saints supporters to ignore his early-career setbacks and the dubious caliber of opposition he has encountered in the west. It wouldn’t be like he was walking into a warm place.

Furthermore, Jeremiah said, “I’m not confident the Saints view Derek Carr as the answer,” in response to the topic that remains unanswered. That may be Jeremiah’s own theory (and it contradicts the endorsements Carr has received from Mickey Loomis and Dennis Allen in the public eye), but it is worth considering.

Because of his contract, Carr is too costly to maintain as a backup, and the Saints committed to him until 2024 when they guaranteed his salary in the second year of his deal. As anticipated, if they restructure him this year, they will also lock him in until 2025. Though it would need some really deft salary cap accounting, it is plausible that the Saints would maintain Carr on his $35.7 million cap cost this year and then part ways in 2025, giving Nix the starting job. It also seems implausible to ask a rookie quarterback who will turn 24 years old in a few months to wait another year or two to make his debut.

However, with this team, you never know. Perhaps they have a higher opinion of Nix and this quarterback class than they do of Carr’s long-term outlook. It’s these unknowns that give the draft cycle its intriguing quality.