Boards are made to be trusted, and the Packers shredded theirs for Xavier Thomas. He came off 36 spots early, and the room will hear about it.
Spending an early pick on safety with quarterback, wide receiver and other spots open is the decision the grade keeps circling back to. The quarterback hole is the one line item this class does not answer.
Whatever else happened, they won the night they took Nubin. They went 5 of 8 on their needs, which is most of what a draft is for.
All told, a solid class that does its job everywhere but quarterback.
Pick-by-Pick
R1.25
· Pick 25
· Quinyon Mitchell
· CB
· rank 30
In pick No. 25 they get a sticky cover corner. Exactly the need they had to hit.
R2.9
· Pick 41
· Tyler Nubin
· S
· rank 29
A tidy bit of business in the 41st pick, where Tyler Nubin graded well above the range. A minor itch, scratched.
R2.25
· Pick 57
· Edgerrin Cooper
· LB
· rank 58
They took Edgerrin Cooper at par in the 57th overall pick, which is nothing to complain about. Depth more than a fix, but depth they can use.
R3.25
· Pick 88
· Bucky Irving
· RB
· rank 93
A straight-up fair deal on Bucky Irving at slot 88, value and slot in agreement. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.
R3.28
· Pick 91
· Michael Hall Jr.
· DT
· rank 89
Michael Hall Jr. in No. 91 is exactly on the number, no argument either way. A real hole, addressed with a reasonable pick.
R4.25
· Pick 125
· Sataoa Laumea
· OT
· rank 122
A tidy little value on Sataoa Laumea in Round 4, Pick 25, a step better than break-even. It fills a real need, too.
R4.35
· Pick 135
· Malik Mustapha
· S
· rank 139
They bypassed pressing needs at quarterback, wide receiver and other spots to take Malik Mustapha, a safety that was not the priority.
R6.28
· Pick 203
· Jawhar Jordan
· RB
· rank 209
Jawhar Jordan at pick 203 is neither steal nor reach, just the going rate. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
R6.42
· Pick 217
· Omar Speights
· LB
· rank 208
Omar Speights slipping to Round 6, Pick 42 is the kind of luck good rooms make for themselves. It is more luxury than necessity; they were already set here.
R6.44
· Pick 219
· Xavier Thomas
· DE-EDGE
· rank 255
A big swing on Xavier Thomas at the 219th pick, well ahead of any board in the building. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
R7.26
· Pick 246
· Dwight McGlothern
· CB
· rank 257
A reach on Dwight McGlothern in the 246th overall pick; the board had better options right there. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.