This Year's Breakout Star Will Be ... Tyler Shough? Why Scouts, Execs Like Saints QB

When we surveyed people around the NFL on which player could be the next Drake Maye or Jaxon Smith-Njigba and make a sudden leap in 2026, one common answer emerged.

New Orleans Saints quarterback Tyler Shough was routinely mentioned by scouts and executives we spoke with as a rising star to watch this season.

In fact, one NFL executive told us that there's no young quarterback "better set up for success" than Shough, while a scout told us that he was the best rookie quarterback last season.

There were also a pair of Chicago Bears standouts that people around the league have their eyes on this season as rising stars.

So, let's unpack what we're hearing about potential breakout candidates this season.

Ralph Vacchiano: Even the New Orleans Saints weren’t quite sure what they had in second-round quarterback Tyler Shough at the start of last season.

But by the end of the year, it looked like they had found their quarterback of the future.

He was also the best of the quarterback class of 2025, even though he made just nine starts.

And some around the NFL think he should be even better in Year 2 since the Saints have surrounded him with a stellar supporting cast.

"There is no young quarterback better set up for success than [Shough]," an NFL executive told me.

"Kellen Moore is a brilliant offensive mind, for starters.

And look what they surrounded him with.

He already had [wide receiver Chris] Olave and [tight end Juwan] Johnson.

And in the right hands, Travis Etienne is a terrific running back — way better than Alvin Kamara at this stage.