The rest of the league had time to spare on Walter Rouse; the Packers did not wait, grabbing him 31 spots ahead at No. 217. It nets out to a B-, which feels about right.
It is not that Eichenberg is a bad player; it is that the Packers had louder needs to answer first. The quarterback spot stays a question, and it was the one they most needed an answer at.
They banked enough surplus on Trice to cover a lot of smaller sins. Job largely done: edge rusher settled and 6 of 8 of the wish list covered.
All told, a draft that does its job without fuss, and there is real value in that.
Pick-by-Pick
R1.25
· Pick 25
· Kool-Aid McKinstry
· CB
· rank 19
In pick No. 25 they get a sticky cover corner. It fills the loudest need on the roster.
R2.9
· Pick 41
· Bralen Trice
· DE-EDGE
· rank 22
Bralen Trice in the 41st overall pick is a gift, value that borders on unfair. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.
R2.25
· Pick 57
· T'Vondre Sweat
· DL
· rank 60
A straight-up fair deal on T'Vondre Sweat at slot 57, value and slot in agreement. A sensible fit for a spot that needed help.
R3.25
· Pick 88
· Christian Haynes
· OG
· rank 77
Good things come to war rooms that wait, and Christian Haynes at the Round 3 slot is the proof. It plugs a real leak on the depth chart.
R3.29
· Pick 92
· Marist Liufau
· LB
· rank 86
Fair-plus on Marist Liufau, a quiet win that adds up over a draft. A quiet depth add at a thin-ish spot.
R4.25
· Pick 125
· Tommy Eichenberg
· LB
· rank 125
A want over a need in the 125th pick: Tommy Eichenberg adds a linebacker while quarterback and tight end keeps waiting.
R4.35
· Pick 135
· Jaylen Wright
· RB
· rank 154
Jaylen Wright at Round 4, Pick 35 is an overdraft of the loud, memorable kind. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
R6.28
· Pick 203
· Matthew Jones
· OG
· rank 233
Matthew Jones in the Round 6 slot is a bet on their own eyes over everyone else's grade. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.
R6.42
· Pick 217
· Walter Rouse
· OT
· rank 248
Walter Rouse at pick 217 is the pick scouts circle, and not in a good way. A real hole, addressed with a reasonable pick.
R6.44
· Pick 219
· Joshua Cephus
· WR
· rank 230
Joshua Cephus at pick No. 219 is a clear overpay, with better names still on the board. It shores up a spot that genuinely needed the help.
R7.26
· Pick 246
· Tatum Bethune
· LB
· rank 245
Tatum Bethune in No. 246 is fair value, right on his grade. Insurance at a position that did not really ask for it.