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Shough (6’5/219) is the rare seven-year prospect who was a part of Oregon’s 2018 recruiting class. He appeared in three games as a freshman but failed to record a stat, and threw for 144 yards and three touchdowns in 2019 as Justin Herbert’s backup. Following a COVID-shortened 2020 season in which he threw for 1,559-13-6 in seven starts, Shough transferred to Texas Tech, where he spent three more seasons (2021-2023) before closing out his career with a one-year stint at Louisville. For his career, Shough completed 63 percent of his passes while throwing for 7,820-59-23. Far from an elite prospect, his presence in an underwhelming draft class made him a prime candidate to be a Day 2 pick. His performance at the combine, where he posted a 4.63 40-yard dash and earned a RAS of 9.71, further boosted his stock amongst teams, but how he’ll translate to the NFL remains a question. Shough needed all seven years of schooling to finally break out as a prospect, and never threw for more than 13 touchdowns in a season before 2024, although this can be partly attributed to major injuries suffered in 2021, 2022, and 2023. Even at his best, Shough struggled to show consistency as a passer and struggled against pressure, completing less than 40 percent of his passes when pressured in three of his final four seasons. Shough’s experience will come in handy in New Orleans as there is a good chance he winds up as the team’s Week 1 starter. Derek Carr is dealing with a shoulder injury and his availability for 2025 is up in the air. Even if he can play, the Saints may have just pulled the plug on the Carr experience with the No. 40 pick.
about 2 months ago
April 25, 2025 11:46 PM
