I don’t believe that Loomis strictly does as the head coach says. I believe it’s always been a collaborative effort where compromise exists.
I find it hard to believe that during Payton’s entire tenure the only QB that he wanted to draft high was Patrick Mahomes. I’m purely speculating, but it’s quite odd that he never spent a first or second round pick on a QB with the Saints, but immediately drafts one in the first round with Denver.