The New Orleans Saints made a rare move in last week's NFL Draft, trading their 2021 sixth-round pick in order to get a selection in the seventh round. 

Saints head coach Sean Payton revealed to The Athletic that the Saints made the move in order to land quarterback Tommy Stevens, who was set to sign with the NFC South rival Carolina Panthers as an undrafted free agent.

Stevens, who had 381 rushing yards last season at Mississippi State, has drawn comparisons to Saints quarterback/flex player Taysom Hill.

"There's no way I was going to lose this kid," Payton said of Stevens. "We know the role. We invented the role."

The Saints had been without any picks on Day 3 of the draft after moving up into the third round to select tight end Adam Trautman. The team attempted to reach a deal with Stevens under the condition he went undrafted, but discovered he already had a pact in place with the Panthers that he intended to honour. 

New Orleans then reached a deal to acquire the 240th pick in the draft – 15 picks from last – from the Houston Texans to draft Stevens.

"I said, 'Honestly, I was having some fun,'" Payton said. "'You had given your word and I respect that. But we weren't going to lose you. You were going to become a Saint.'"

The Saints head coach said after the draft he expects Stevens to see snaps at tight end and on special teams while he develops as a quarterback.