The rest of the league had time to spare on Dominic Zvada; the Packers did not wait, grabbing him 54 spots ahead at the Round 7 slot. No fireworks, but a solid B-.
That Hurst pick is the receipt they will wave around later. They will regret leaving edge rusher for another day if the season turns on it.
They went 5 of 8 on their needs, which is most of what a draft is for. Trading back for volume was the quiet throughline of their weekend.
Good work on the whole, with edge rusher the one box left unchecked.
Pick-by-Pick
R2.30
· Pick 62
· D'Angelo Ponds
· CB
· rank 48
The board had D'Angelo Ponds higher than the 62nd overall pick, and the cornerback fell to them anyway. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.
R3.23
· Pick 87
· Davison Igbinosun
· CB
· rank 80
A reasonable price with a little left over, Davison Igbinosun in pick 87. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
R4.8
· Pick 108
· Trey Zuhn III
· C
· rank 127
A wild overpay on Trey Zuhn III in slot 108, the sort that defines a class for the wrong reasons. Another box on the needs board, quietly ticked.
R4.11
· Pick 111
· Darrell Jackson Jr.
· DT
· rank 106
Fair-plus on Darrell Jackson Jr., a quiet win that adds up over a draft. It plugs a real leak on the depth chart.
R4.20
· Pick 120
· Ted Hurst
· WR
· rank 89
Ted Hurst in the 120th pick should not have been possible, and that is the whole point. The roster fit checks out.
R4.30
· Pick 130
· Julian Neal
· CB
· rank 119
Good things come to war rooms that wait, and Julian Neal at Round 4, Pick 30 is the proof. The one spot they could not leave alone, and did not.
R5.14
· Pick 154
· Tim Keenan III
· DT
· rank 154
Tim Keenan III at the Round 5 slot is neither steal nor reach, just the going rate. It patches a soft spot without any drama.
R5.20
· Pick 160
· Pat Coogan
· C
· rank 205
This one needs a full-page explanation: Pat Coogan in pick 160, miles early. It fills a real need, too.
R6.20
· Pick 201
· Dae'Quan Wright
· TE
· rank 189
A quiet steal in Round 6, Pick 20: Dae'Quan Wright for less than the market said. One more legitimate question on the roster, answered.
R6.30
· Pick 211
· Eric McAlister
· WR
· rank 204
A tidy little value on Eric McAlister in the 211th overall pick, a step better than break-even. It shores up a spot that genuinely needed the help.
R7.20
· Pick 236
· Owen Heinecke
· LB
· rank 250
A premium they did not need to pay, Owen Heinecke a notch or two before his time. Not urgent, but hardly pointless.
R7.39
· Pick 255
· Dominic Zvada
· PK
· rank 309
Value said wait; Dominic Zvada in pick No. 255 says they were not listening. A want more than a need, though you can never have too many.