Somewhere a general manager is explaining how Edefuan Ulofoshio got past him. The Packers do not have to explain a thing at slot 216. The bottom line is a respectable B-.
Every board in the league had Turner III lower, and that gap is the story. With edge rusher, quarterback and other spots unsolved, spending premium capital on safety is the choice that costs them. That edge rusher hole did not close this weekend, and it was the biggest one on the wall.
In sum, a sturdy weekend with one asterisk, the edge rusher spot they never got to.
Pick-by-Pick
R1.25
· Pick 25
· Jer'Zhan Newton
· DL
· rank 12
In No. 25 they get a run-stuffing presence up front, outstanding value to boot. A clean fit for the roster.
R2.9
· Pick 41
· Brian Thomas Jr.
· WR
· rank 28
Value with a capital V on Brian Thomas Jr. in pick 41, a genuine coup. It shores up a spot that genuinely needed the help.
R2.25
· Pick 57
· Tyler Nubin
· S
· rank 30
You do not let a safety like Tyler Nubin reach the 57th overall pick and blink. They did not. A minor itch, scratched.
R3.25
· Pick 88
· Jaden Hicks
· S
· rank 107
A want over a need in slot 88: Jaden Hicks adds a safety while edge rusher, quarterback and other spots keeps waiting.
R3.28
· Pick 91
· Cedric Gray
· LB
· rank 135
A swing that ignored the value entirely, Cedric Gray well ahead of where he belonged. Useful body for a position without much behind the starter.
R4.26
· Pick 126
· Jaylen Wright
· RB
· rank 158
Jaylen Wright at Round 4, Pick 26 is an overdraft of the loud, memorable kind. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.
R5.32
· Pick 168
· Tanor Bortolini
· C
· rank 216
A wild overpay on Tanor Bortolini in pick No. 168, the sort that defines a class for the wrong reasons. A need, and now a little less of one.
R6.28
· Pick 203
· Andru Phillips
· CB
· rank 170
Circle this one: Andru Phillips at the Round 6 slot is a fall that decides a draft. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
R6.41
· Pick 216
· Edefuan Ulofoshio
· LB
· rank 156
Edefuan Ulofoshio at pick No. 216 is the steal of the weekend, a first-round talent at a bargain-bin price. Stacking talent where they were already deep.
R7.23
· Pick 243
· Daequan Hardy
· CB
· rank 225
Daequan Hardy in the 243rd pick is a gift, value that borders on unfair. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
R7.31
· Pick 251
· Charles Turner III
· C
· rank 311
A real head-scratcher, Charles Turner III in the Round 7 slot is miles ahead of his ranking. It plugs a real leak on the depth chart.