When the story of this class is written, it opens with Tanner Mordecai at the 246th overall pick, a reach of 59 spots that the board flatly disagrees with.
They covered a lot of ground and still skipped tight end, which is a strange place to end up. That is a wide receiver worth more than the slot they spent on him, plainly.
They went 7 of 8 on their needs, which is most of what a draft is for. They chose more darts over a bigger single swing.
Good work on the whole, with tight end the one box left unchecked.
Pick-by-Pick
R1.25
· Pick 25
· Kool-Aid McKinstry
· CB
· rank 14
They read the board right and Kool-Aid McKinstry was the payoff at slot 25. Better still, it is exactly the hole they had to fill.
R2.9
· Pick 41
· Graham Barton
· OT
· rank 33
A tidy bit of business in Round 2, Pick 9, where Graham Barton graded well above the range. A need, and now a little less of one.
R2.25
· Pick 57
· Byron Murphy II
· DL
· rank 71
Byron Murphy II at the 57th pick is a clear overpay, with better names still on the board. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.
R3.25
· Pick 88
· Christian Mahogany
· OG
· rank 86
They took Christian Mahogany at par in pick 88, which is nothing to complain about. The roster fit checks out.
R3.30
· Pick 93
· Marist Liufau
· LB
· rank 89
Marist Liufau at pick No. 93 is a sound buy, the sort that quietly helps a class. A quiet depth add at a thin-ish spot.
R4.25
· Pick 125
· Jaden Hicks
· S
· rank 126
No edge and no loss on Jaden Hicks in the 125th overall pick; it is a wash and a sensible one. Not urgent, but hardly pointless.
R4.35
· Pick 135
· Shemar Turner
· DL-EDGE
· rank 137
Shemar Turner in slot 135 is exactly on the number, no argument either way. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
R5.31
· Pick 167
· Moose Muhammad III
· WR
· rank 153
A slide stopped in the 167th overall pick, with Moose Muhammad III worth more than the price. A sensible fit for a spot that needed help.
R6.28
· Pick 203
· Jawhar Jordan
· RB
· rank 202
Jawhar Jordan in the 203rd pick is fair value, right on his grade. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
R6.42
· Pick 217
· Zakhari Franklin
· WR
· rank 214
Good price on Zakhari Franklin in No. 217, a hair ahead of his grade with no real quibbles. It shores up a spot that genuinely needed the help.
R6.44
· Pick 219
· Miles Frazier
· OG
· rank 235
Miles Frazier in pick 219 is the kind of reach that only looks good if he outplays it. It fills a real need, too.
R7.26
· Pick 246
· Tanner Mordecai
· QB
· rank 305
A real head-scratcher, Tanner Mordecai in Round 7, Pick 26 is miles ahead of his ranking. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.
R7.31
· Pick 251
· Cody Schrader
· RB
· rank 237
Cody Schrader is a better player than pick No. 251 suggests; smart patience, rewarded. The biggest hole on the depth chart just got a whole lot smaller.