The move everyone will second-guess came early. The Packers reached some 32 spots for Eric Gentry, and value like that does not grow back.
They will answer for taking safety early while edge rusher, quarterback and other spots went begging. Leaving edge rusher unaddressed is the roster risk they will have to answer for in the fall.
That Williams pick is the receipt they will wave around later. Job largely done: cornerback settled and 4 of 8 of the wish list covered.
Good work on the whole, with edge rusher the one box left unchecked.
Pick-by-Pick
R1.25
· Pick 25
· Terrion Arnold
· CB
· rank 20
In slot 25 they get a ballhawk on the outside. It fills the loudest need on the roster.
R2.9
· Pick 41
· Tyler Nubin
· S
· rank 31
Tyler Nubin in No. 41 is a bargain the rest of the room will envy. It thickens a room that could stand to be thicker.
R2.25
· Pick 57
· Jackson Powers-Johnson
· C
· rank 52
Jackson Powers-Johnson at Round 2, Pick 25 nudges the ledger their way without any fuss. The roster fit checks out.
R3.25
· Pick 88
· Tykee Smith
· S
· rank 97
Of all the spots to shop, they chose safety. Tykee Smith in pick 88 leaves edge rusher, quarterback and other spots for later.
R3.28
· Pick 91
· Audric Estime
· RB
· rank 98
No drama and no debate, Audric Estime went about where he belonged in the 91st pick. Better still, it is exactly the hole they had to fill.
R4.25
· Pick 125
· Ty'Ron Hopper
· LB
· rank 153
They left a pile of value on the table to take Ty'Ron Hopper this early at the Round 4 slot. Not urgent, but hardly pointless.
R4.35
· Pick 135
· Jaylen Wright
· RB
· rank 158
A wild overpay on Jaylen Wright in No. 135, the sort that defines a class for the wrong reasons. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
R6.28
· Pick 203
· Omar Speights
· LB
· rank 208
Omar Speights in pick 203 is fair value, right on his grade. Stacking talent where they were already deep.
R6.42
· Pick 217
· Isaiah Williams
· WR
· rank 198
A wide receiver of that caliber at slot 217 is the definition of value, full stop. It plugs a real leak on the depth chart.
R6.44
· Pick 219
· Eric Gentry
· LB
· rank 251
Value said wait; Eric Gentry in the 219th pick says they were not listening. Insurance at a position that did not really ask for it.
R7.26
· Pick 246
· Dwight McGlothern
· CB
· rank 257
Dwight McGlothern at Round 7, Pick 26 is a clear overpay, with better names still on the board. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.