The New Orleans Saints traded all of their day 3 NFL draft picks to move back into the third round and select Dayton tight end Adam Trautman.
The 6-foot-5, 255-pound prospect knew the franchise was interested in him but hadn’t had too much contact the coaches.
”I talked to my agent about it, obviously going through every single team in the league and yeah, he did mention that the interest from the Saints was nothing like super high or out of this world or anything like that, that I knew of,” Trautman said.
So he was quite excited when he received a call from Louisiana area code Friday night. He, however, was unaware of how much the Saints gave up to select him in with the 105th overall pick.
“Yeah, I actually didn't even know that until now,” Trautman said. “I mean I just got the call, I didn't see the trade information, anything like that, but yeah, it's definitely a good thing.”
The former high school quarterback didn’t play tight end until he got to college and said he never imagined that he would be preparing to work with the Saints one day when he made that switch.
“Honestly going to college I didn't really think I would play another position and then once I switched positions, I didn't think that it could get to this point, where you get drafted on day two and all that,” he said. “But I knew the work I put in helped to make that a realistic thing in my life and I couldn’t have imagined it, but obviously I’m glad it’s here now.”
Trautman said he models his game after San Francisco 49ers star George Kittle and Detroit Lions tight end T.J. Hockenson. He’s also studied the Saints offense and is excited about the opportunity to play in a system that uses the position in several ways. He’s hoping he’ll get to showcase his versatility in the New Orleans offense.
“I think I can do anything you ask of a tight end,” he said. “I do think I'm more of a traditional Y, I put my hand the dirt, but that's not for me to decide or anything like that obviously. But I mean I think I can do it all on the field as tight end.”
Saints coach Sean Payton said New Orleans expects Trautman to fit in nicely.
“We see him as a true Y,” Payton said. For a small college player we feel he has really good in-line strength. He’s also someone that we think has real good hips. His change of direction, you can see that in how he sets up his routes.
“For someone who played at a smaller level, you see a dominant player and we see him as someone that can help us as an in-line tight end, his first year build on some of the things that we feel like he can do outside.”