8 NFL Rookies Who Already Look Like Draft-Day Steals After 2025 OTAs (check out #1)

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QB Tyler Shough, New Orleans Saints
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Tyler Shough won't be handed the New Orleans Saints' starting quarterback job, but he's one step removed from that point.

With Derek Carr's retirement, Spencer Rattler's performance during his rookie season (under a different coaching staff) and a Jake Haener injury at the start of OTAs, this year's 40th overall draft pick is positioned well to be a Day 1 starter. His early returns certainly haven't hurt the rookie's standing.

"The rookie can absolutely spin it," Luke Johnson of NOLA.com wrote after attending the Saints' organized team activities.

"Given about 15 plays in a seven-on-seven period, Shough made several attention-grabbing throws that showed off a varied skillset as a thrower."

The 6'5", 219-pound signal-caller being able to make all of the throws shouldn't come as a surprise. He was a highly regarded recruit, who went on to start at three different Power Four programs. Multiple injuries and age, as a seventh-year senior, were the primary factors that held Shough back throughout the process.

His age can be viewed as a positive, at least in the Saints' situation.

"It's really, really cool to come in and operate," Shough said, per ESPN's Katherine Terrell. "I feel a lot more prepared being kind of an older rookie coming in, not being as nervous to develop those relationships [with teammates], but knowing that's my whole job is to continue to earn my role and do everything I can."

The next step for Shough to win the job outright will come in training camp where his post-snap decision-making will come under fire during live reps. If he operates within the system and plays efficient football, the start he provided at OTAs will snowball into starting status.

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