There is conviction, and then there is this. The Chargers took Stefon Thompson a full 56 picks ahead of where the board had him, an overdraft steep enough that it colors the whole weekend. The board pushed back all weekend, and the D- is the result.
Whatever Caleb Williams becomes, the front office has tied its fortunes to the answer. Overpaying at the table undid a lot of the good work elsewhere. The Smith pick is fine in a vacuum, less so with cornerback still on the board.
That cornerback hole did not close this weekend, and it was the biggest one on the wall. They are betting the present roster is worth a lighter draft next spring.
Bottom line, they will need several of these picks to beat their grades just to break even, and cornerback is still a hole.
Pick-by-Pick
R1.1
· Pick 1
· Caleb Williams
· QB
· rank 2
In Round 1, Pick 1 they get a long-term answer under center at fair value. A clean fit for the roster.
R1.5
· Pick 5
· Joe Alt
· OT
· rank 3
In pick No. 5 they get a cornerstone up front. A real need, handled.
R1.16
· Pick 16
· Chop Robinson
· DE-EDGE
· rank 13
In No. 16 they get juice off the edge at fair value. The biggest hole, addressed.
R1.18
· Pick 18
· Jared Verse
· DE-EDGE
· rank 21
In slot 18 they get a quarterback's worst nightmare. Exactly the need they had to hit.
R2.18
· Pick 50
· Trey Benson
· RB
· rank 65
A premium they did not need to pay, Trey Benson a notch or two before his time. The roster fit checks out.
R3.8
· Pick 72
· Maason Smith
· DT-EDGE
· rank 78
The needs board was loud and they turned it down, spending pick 72 on Maason Smith with cornerback unsolved.
R4.8
· Pick 108
· Junior Colson
· LB
· rank 120
They jumped the gun on Junior Colson, taking him earlier than his grade liked. Useful body for a position without much behind the starter.
R5.9
· Pick 145
· Ainias Smith
· WR
· rank 161
Ainias Smith at slot 145 jumps the queue by a touch more than is comfortable. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
R6.11
· Pick 186
· Fabien Lovett
· DL
· rank 178
The board had Fabien Lovett higher than the 186th overall pick, and the interior defensive lineman fell to them anyway. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
R6.17
· Pick 192
· Oronde Gadsden II
· TE
· rank 202
The board had cheaper options than Oronde Gadsden II at pick No. 192, and it noticed. A sensible fit for a spot that needed help.
R6.43
· Pick 218
· Jordan Jefferson
· DT
· rank 242
A big swing on Jordan Jefferson at the Round 6 slot, well ahead of any board in the building. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
R7.1
· Pick 221
· J.J. Weaver
· LB-EDGE
· rank 241
Value said wait; J.J. Weaver in Round 7, Pick 1 says they were not listening. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.
R7.9
· Pick 229
· Stefon Thompson
· OLB-EDGE
· rank 285
They reached a country mile for Stefon Thompson at the 229th pick, and the board is aghast. Where it fits the depth chart is the real question.
