The Dolphins went off the board in a big way for Elijhah Badger, 52 picks early. Conviction is one thing; this is another. No fireworks, but a solid B-.
Taylor at that cost is the sort of edge that compounds over a roster. They covered a lot of ground and still skipped quarterback, which is a strange place to end up.
Wide receiver was the priority and it is no longer a question, which is most of the job. The weekend tilted hard toward the defense.
Good work on the whole, with quarterback the one box left unchecked.
Pick-by-Pick
R1.13
· Pick 13
· Nick Emmanwori
· S
· rank 9
Good price on Nick Emmanwori in slot 13, a hair ahead of his grade with no real quibbles. Useful body for a position without much behind the starter.
R2.17
· Pick 49
· Jack Sawyer
· DE
· rank 26
You do not let an edge rusher like Jack Sawyer reach the 49th overall pick and blink. They did not. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
R3.34
· Pick 98
· JT Tuimoloau
· DE
· rank 61
Circle this one: JT Tuimoloau at pick No. 98 is a fall that decides a draft. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.
R3.35
· Pick 99
· Luke Kandra
· OG
· rank 114
A conviction pick on Luke Kandra at the 99th pick that the board grades a round light. One more legitimate question on the roster, answered.
R4.15
· Pick 116
· Barrett Carter
· LB
· rank 87
Barrett Carter at pick 116 is a first-round grade at a bargain-bin price, no notes. Another box on the needs board, quietly ticked.
R5.13
· Pick 151
· Mason Taylor
· TE
· rank 104
Steal is underselling it; Mason Taylor at the Round 5 slot is a heist with the alarm still ringing. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.
R5.21
· Pick 159
· Ricky White III
· WR
· rank 201
Ricky White III in No. 159 is a reach so steep the board needed a second look to believe it. The one spot they could not leave alone, and did not.
R7.11
· Pick 225
· Clay Webb
· OG
· rank 226
A market-rate offensive lineman, with the board and the slot shaking hands on Clay Webb. A real hole, addressed with a reasonable pick.
R7.19
· Pick 233
· Elijhah Badger
· WR
· rank 285
A wild overpay on Elijhah Badger in the Round 7 slot, the sort that defines a class for the wrong reasons. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
R7.37
· Pick 251
· Terrance Ferguson
· TE
· rank 222
They barely believed it either: Terrance Ferguson still on the board at pick No. 251. It plugs a real leak on the depth chart.