According to head coach Sean Payton, Kamara was one of the few running backs the Saints targeted in the draft because of his "unique traits as a 'joker' back or a running back that we would do some things uniquely different with." The Saints traded away a 2018 second-round pick to move back into the third round of last week's NFL Draft and select Kamara with the 67th overall pick.
Payton explained that with both Mark Ingram and the recently signed Adrian Peterson in the fold, New Orleans was not looking to draft another "pure running back." Rather, the team sought a player that could fit a pass-catching role similar to the one once occupied by Reggie Bush and Darren Sproles in some of Payton's most dynamic offenses. At 5-foot-10, 215-pounds, Kamara doesn't have the build of a traditional starting running back, but he flashed explosive skills in college and impressed Payton during workouts with his route-running ability and receiving chops. While it's probably unrealistic to expect Kamara to post Bush- or Sproles-like production -- Bush caught 88 passes as a rookie in 2006 and Sproles caught 86, 75 and 71 passes in his three seasons with the Saints from 2011-13 -- the rookie should at least beat out incumbent third-down running back Travaris Cadet for a part-time role as pass-catching back and hurry-up specialist.