The rest of the league had time to spare on Kimani Vidal; the Packers did not wait, grabbing him 40 spots ahead at the 169th pick.
The Grable steal is the beam this whole class leans on. They covered a lot of ground and still skipped edge rusher, which is a strange place to end up. The Smith pick is fine in a vacuum, less so with edge rusher, cornerback and other spots still on the board.
The roster is better shaped than it was, with running back chief among the fixes.
So much rides on Jordan Morgan that the real verdict is a season or two away.
Pick-by-Pick
R1.25
· Pick 25
· Jordan Morgan
· OT
· rank 34
In No. 25 they get a plug-and-play piece up front, reach and all. A clean fit for the roster.
R2.9
· Pick 41
· Edgerrin Cooper
· LB
· rank 48
Edgerrin Cooper at Round 2, Pick 9 is neither steal nor reach, just the going rate. It thickens a room that could stand to be thicker.
R2.26
· Pick 58
· Javon Bullard
· S
· rank 54
Fair-plus on Javon Bullard, a quiet win that adds up over a draft. A minor need, but a need all the same.
R3.25
· Pick 88
· Roger Rosengarten
· OT
· rank 97
They paid up for Roger Rosengarten at pick No. 88 when waiting would have done the job. It plugs a real leak on the depth chart.
R3.28
· Pick 91
· Dominick Puni
· OT
· rank 89
They took Dominick Puni at par in the 91st overall pick, which is nothing to complain about. A sensible fit for a spot that needed help.
R4.26
· Pick 126
· Tykee Smith
· S
· rank 149
The needs board was loud and they turned it down, spending pick 126 on Tykee Smith with edge rusher, cornerback and other spots unsolved.
R5.33
· Pick 169
· Kimani Vidal
· RB
· rank 209
They reached a country mile for Kimani Vidal at No. 169, and the board is aghast. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
R6.27
· Pick 202
· Tyrice Knight
· LB
· rank 212
Tyrice Knight in the 202nd pick is early enough to raise a brow, if not a full objection. Insurance at a position that did not really ask for it.
R6.44
· Pick 219
· Evan Williams
· S
· rank 232
They paid a round early for Evan Williams in pick 219, more than the board wanted. They added to a strength when a need was still open elsewhere.
R7.25
· Pick 245
· Tylan Grable
· OT
· rank 224
They robbed the room for Tylan Grable here, a fall nobody at the table saw coming. It shores up a spot that genuinely needed the help.
R7.35
· Pick 255
· Michael Barrett
· LB
· rank 251
A tidy little value on Michael Barrett in slot 255, a step better than break-even. Stacking talent where they were already deep.