**Gabriel Kahaian: Quarterback Tyler Shough, Saints**
I got lucky I was able to go first for this one. I think the clear answer is Saints' rookie quarterback, Tyler Shough.
It is time for a new era in New Orleans. Heading into the 2025 NFL Draft, it was made known that Derek Carr was dealing with a shoulder injury that would potentially threaten his availability for the upcoming season. With this information, the Saints selected Louisville's Tyler Shough with the 40th overall pick, early in the second round. Here are a few things you should know about the newest member of the Saints' quarterback room:
The first thing is his age. Shough was a seventh-year senior for the Cardinals. He spent three seasons with Oregon and three with Texas Tech before leading Louisville to an 8-4 record in 2024. Shough has studied plenty of different offenses over his 40-game college career. He was in the same recruiting class as Trevor Lawrence and was a backup for Justin Herbert during his time in Eugene. The rookie will reach 26 years of age when his Saints face off against the Buccaneers this October.
The second is his makeup. Physically, the quarterback has the prototypical build at six-foot-five, 219-pounds. He also brings solid athleticism, posting a 4.63-second 40-yard dash and a 32-inch vertical jump at this year's NFL Scouting Combine. Shough showed plenty of promise in Louisville's pro-style offense, something that endeared him to scouts. He also excelled in play-action, finishing last season without a single interception on designed play-action plays. There is serious talent to be found here.
However, questions remain about his transition to the next level. Shough only had one full year of starting experience at the college level. His age as a prospect could limit his developmental trajectory when compared to younger players. Finally, he suffered three major injuries that kept him out 20-plus games during his tenure with Texas Tech.
So, what does this all mean for the Buccaneers? Earlier this month, Carr announced his retirement, ending an era of New Orleans football. The Saints are searching for their new signal-caller and the spotlight is on Shough.
The rookie still has to earn the job. The quarterback room currently consists of Spencer Rattler, Jake Haener and undrafted free agent Hunter Dekkers. A veteran addition remains possible, but in the meantime, I would give the edge to the player they picked in the second-round. If Shough wins the job, the Bucs should prepare to see him twice next season.
Shough would have almost two months of experience before facing Tampa Bay in Week Eight on October 26. The rookie would have plenty of time to get acclimated by that point with at most seven games of NFL action under his belt. The Saints' offense will have the opportunity to form an identity. Although the Bucs would have liked to face them earlier, there will be a lot more information on how this new edition of New Orleans operates, giving them better insight on how to stifle the Saints.
One of the Bucs' NFC South rivals will have a new No.1 quarterback and it will be interesting to see how the division is affected with his arrival.
**Brianna Dix: Wide Receiver Tetairoa McMillan, Panthers**
There are several different ways I could have gone with this prompt but considering that the Buccaneers will face the Panthers twice and Tampa Bay's defensive backs will get to know this receiving threat well, I went with Carolina's first-round pick, Tetairoa McMillan. I enjoyed learning about McMillan during the pre-draft process and in many ways, his skillset mirrors that of Bucs' Future Hall of Fame receiver Mike Evans. No one can replicate Evans' ability on the field but several of McMillan's traits remind me of Evans, including his ability to shine at the catch point with a hardwood background. He pairs a large catch radius with long-striding speed that works to his advantage on slants and go routes. Sound familiar?
McMillan showcases great awareness along the boundary and has smooth redirection skills. He is as durable as they come and did not miss a single game in three seasons at Arizona. McMillan ranks No. 1 all-time in Arizona record books in receiving yards (3,423), No. 3 in touchdown catches (26) and No. 4 in catches (213). Over the previous two seasons, McMillan led the FBS in combined receiving yards (2,721), first downs (112) and catches of 20-or-more yards (42). He will add another dimension to the Panthers' offensive attack and will likely be a focal point for Tampa Bay when the two clubs face-off. There is a learning curve for every rookie during their transition to the pros, but given McMillan's consistent production in college and his longevity, he is poised to have a big year for Carolina. Hopefully, that will not be the case against the Buccaneers in Weeks 16 and 18.
Tampa Bay will unfortunately face the Panthers late in the season, which means the NFC South foe will have had ample time to find their groove offensively and the ways to weaponize McMillan's ability. I am intrigued to see how McMillan performs in 2025 down the stretch. He is the rookie I will have my eyes glued on.
**Scott Smith: Edges James Pearce Jr. and Jalon Walker, Falcons**
I'm cheating here by taking two players, but since Gabe and Bri have already turned in their work and this is the last Roundtable in our series, there's nothing they can do about it. It was all part of my evil plan.
(As a side note, I don't like that all the exciting rookies we are highlighting on the Bucs' 2025 schedule happen to be in the NFC South. Capturing that record-breaking fifth straight division title could be more challenging than ever.)
The Saints responded to their Derek Carr problem by using a high pick on a rookie quarterback who could start right away. The Panthers recognized the need to give Bryce Young more to work with and went with one of the most dynamic receivers possible at the eighth pick even with significant needs on defense. And the Falcons addressed what seems to be their own perpetual problem – an anemic pass rush – in the most dramatic way they have done so far: a first-round double dip.
First came the selection of Georgia's Jalon Walker at their original first-round spot, and the only surprise there was that Walker was still available at number 15. Then Atlanta doubled down by swinging a huge trade with the Rams to move from pick number 46 all the way back up to 26, giving up their first-round pick in next year's draft in the process. There, the Falcons snatched up Tennessee's James Pearce Jr., who may have only slid to the back half of the round due to character concerns. Both Walker and Pearce are supremely gifted athletes with very high ceilings as pass-rushers in the NFL.
Atlanta's 298 sacks of opposing quarterbacks over the past 10 seasons is the lowest total for any NFL team in that span. Their best quarterback hunter in that era was an interior pass rusher, Grady Jarrett, and he's now in Chicago. The Falcons did sign Leonard Floyd earlier in the offseason, and as consistent of a sack producer as he has been, he wasn't going to turn things around on their own.
No first-round picks are a sure thing, and we don't know yet if the Falcons have hit on dangerous pass-rushers with either the Walker or Pearce picks. But if those two _do_ both hit, which is certainly well within the realm of possibility, that changes everything for opposing teams like the Buccaneers. I can't necessarily say I'm _looking forward_ to seeing that new Falcons duo play this year, but when I look at the Bucs' schedule, I think the Walker-Pearce combo could be the most significant addition made by any of the team's upcoming opponents.