The rest of the league will want that one back. Jermod McCoy tumbling to the Dolphins in No. 87 is a gift they did not have to think twice about.
Whatever Fernando Mendoza becomes, the front office has tied its fortunes to the answer. Overpaying at the table undid a lot of the good work elsewhere. Spending an early pick on cornerback with interior defensive lineman, tight end and other spots open is the decision the grade keeps circling back to.
They will regret leaving interior defensive lineman for another day if the season turns on it. The bill for those future picks comes due whether the class hits or not.
Bottom line, they will need several of these picks to beat their grades just to break even, and interior defensive lineman is still a hole.
Pick-by-Pick
R1.12
· Pick 12
· Fernando Mendoza
· QB
· rank 4
In Round 1, Pick 12 they get their quarterback of the future, outstanding value to boot. Exactly the need they had to hit.
R1.24
· Pick 24
· Mansoor Delane
· CB
· rank 8
Mansoor Delane at slot 24 is money in the bank, a cornerback taken below his worth. It thickens a room that could stand to be thicker.
R1.30
· Pick 30
· Spencer Fano
· OT
· rank 10
In No. 30 they get a building block for the line at a price that makes it sweeter. A real need, handled.
R2.7
· Pick 39
· David Bailey
· LB-EDGE
· rank 5
A edge rusher of that caliber at the 39th overall pick is the definition of value, full stop. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
R2.22
· Pick 54
· Carnell Tate
· WR
· rank 12
They robbed the room for Carnell Tate here, a fall nobody at the table saw coming. The biggest hole on the depth chart just got a whole lot smaller.
R3.6
· Pick 70
· Olaivavega Ioane
· OG
· rank 22
Olaivavega Ioane at Round 3, Pick 6 is a first-round grade at a bargain-bin price, no notes. It fills a real need, too.
R3.23
· Pick 87
· Jermod McCoy
· CB
· rank 18
They bypassed pressing needs at interior defensive lineman, tight end and other spots to take Jermod McCoy, a cornerback that was not the priority.
R3.32
· Pick 96
· Akheem Mesidor
· DL-EDGE
· rank 37
They barely believed it either: Akheem Mesidor still on the board at pick No. 96. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
R5.40
· Pick 180
· CJ Daniels
· WR
· rank 138
Taking CJ Daniels in the Round 5 slot is close to grand larceny; a wide receiver that good had no business lasting this long. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.
