Does Sean Payton already have undrafted rookie Deonte Harris on the Saints’ 53-man roster?

‘He’s a player that feels like he can make a significant return on every play,’ Payton says.

METAIRIE, La. — There's something Deonte Harris does to the New Orleans Saints sideline whenever he catches a punt.

Sean Payton can see it.

The players can feel it.

The coach said Tuesday how the undrafted rookie from NCAA Division II Assumption College in Worcester, Massachusetts, draws the attention of his teammates.

"He's a player that feels like he can make a significant return on every play," Payton said. "I know our bench feels that way.”

The Saints in the offeseason added veteran Marcus Sherels as a primary return specialist. But with Sherels unable to play the first three preseason games because of injury, Harris has thrived.

Just days after Harris said he was due to break off a long return to the end zone, the 5-foot-6 Baltimore native returned a punt 78 yards for a touchdown Saturday against the New York Jets.

The return came not long after Harris fumbled and recovered a kickoff when a Jets player punched the ball from his grasp.

Asked how Payton balanced the touchdown against the fumble in his evaluation of Harris, the coach said "we can correct the latter."

"It's hard to invent the first thing," he said in reference to the touchdown. "We will work on (the fumble). He's young. I'm encouraged with what I've seen."

NFL teams have until 3 p.m. Central time Saturday to trim the roster from 90 to 53. Payton doesn't tip his hand about much, but his frequent praise of Harris seems to indicate something positive for him.

"I do not think (the stage) is too big for him," said Payton, whose final preseason look at Harris will come Thursday against the Miami Dolphins.

While in college, Harris returned a combined 14 punts and kickoffs for touchdowns. 

Drew Canan, the special teams coordinator when Harris played there, said how teammates commonly lateraled the ball back to Harris on kickoff returns. Good things happened with the ball in his hands.

While at Harvard for his pro day, Harris clocked a 4.35-second 40-yard time, former Assumption strength and conditioning coach Chris Grautski said.

The Saints had "high grades" on Harris coming out of college, Payton said. After the draft, the Saints recruited him as a free agent.

"The level of competition wasn't maybe as high as some of the others," Payton said. "And yet you still watch a player do it. And that's why he ended up here."

Taysom Hill led the Saints with 14 kickoff returns last season. His workload returning kickoffs could change this season.

"When you got a guy like Deonte, he's done a really nice job," Hill said. "I'm really proud to be able to block for him."

Hill has played only one snap on special teams in three preseason games. That number will surely increase in the regular season.

As for Harris, his placement on the team appears more certain than it did even a week ago. The final determination will come soon.

• Related: 'An uneasy time.' How Saints, players get ready for league-wide roster cuts.