Report: Saints looking to make major jump up draft board

The New Orleans Saints have made a number of phone calls in an effort to jump significantly up the draft board from No. 27 overall, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.

If the Saints manage to swing such a trade, there's reason to believe it would be with an eye on a quarterback intended to become the heir apparent to 39-year-old Drew Brees.

Saints head coach Sean Payton recently gave a lackluster assessment of this year's quarterback class, but that may have simply been a smokescreen. He told Peter King of The MMQB he wouldn't be surprised if Sam Darnold is the only successful pivot from this year's crop.

New Orleans was known to be interested in picking Patrick Mahomes last year before the Kansas City Chiefs traded up to snag the former Texas Tech gunslinger.