The 2020 NFL Draft is months away, but it’s never too soon to speculate about who the New Orleans Saints could end up picking. Especially with the college football season hurtling towards bowl game season. We aren’t going for accuracy here; think of this exercise as a preview for this weekend’s games

We used The Draft Network’s Mock Draft Machine to accurately simulate a selections before and after each of the Saints’ picks.

Round 1, Pick 30: QB Jalen Hurts, Oklahoma

Watch him next vs. TCU Saturday, Nov. 23 at 8 p.m. ET on FOX

Right now, Hurts is seen as a fringe first-round quarterback prospect, but his stock should rise once the pre-draft process kicks off in the spring just like it has for other quarterbacks. And expect Saints coach Sean Payton to be intrigued by Hurts’ abilities. Payton has been a fan of similar prospects like Kyler Murray, Baker Mayfield, Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, and Carson Wentz and Andrew Luck, all of whom featured rare arm strength along with the ability to make plays with their legs.

Hurts has made huge strides under Sooners coach Lincoln Riley after transferring from Alabama, leading Oklahoma in both passing yards (3,039) and rushing yards (983) while scoring a combined 43 touchdowns in 10 games (28 as a passer, 15 as a runner). He’s protected the ball well by throwing just five interceptions and fumbling six times.

With Drew Brees, Teddy Bridgewater, and Taysom Hill each due to receive new contracts after this season, the Saints are probably going to need a new face at quarterback. It’s tough to see Bridgewater remaining in New Orleans after going undefeated in his five-game stint as the starter and with so many quarterback-needy teams around the league. Whether Hurts, who will be a 21-year-old rookie, sits behind Brees for a year or competes with Hill to start, he’s the ideal prospect to bring under Payton’s tutelage.