Call it belief, call it a gut call, but Zion Logue at the Round 6 slot is 22 spots clear of consensus, and that is the headline.
The Williams pick is fine in a vacuum, less so with quarterback, wide receiver and other spots still on the board. Landing Tampa that late papers over a lot of smaller sins. If this class has a fault line, it runs straight through quarterback.
They went 5 of 8 on their needs, which is most of what a draft is for.
In short, they left a little better than they arrived, which is the whole idea.
Pick-by-Pick
R1.25
· Pick 25
· Jared Verse
· DE-EDGE
· rank 16
In No. 25 they get juice off the edge, and a steal at that. The biggest hole, addressed.
R2.9
· Pick 41
· Jackson Powers-Johnson
· C
· rank 52
A conviction pick on Jackson Powers-Johnson at slot 41 that the board grades a round light. A sensible fit for a spot that needed help.
R2.25
· Pick 57
· T.J. Tampa
· CB
· rank 40
Nice patience on T.J. Tampa, who had no business lasting to the 57th overall pick. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
R3.25
· Pick 88
· Marist Liufau
· LB
· rank 86
A market-rate linebacker, with the board and the slot shaking hands on Marist Liufau. A minor itch, scratched.
R3.28
· Pick 91
· Jaden Hicks
· S
· rank 107
A reach on Jaden Hicks in the 91st pick; the board had better options right there. Not urgent, but hardly pointless.
R4.25
· Pick 125
· James Williams
· S
· rank 130
Of all the spots to shop, they chose safety. James Williams in Round 4, Pick 25 leaves quarterback, wide receiver and other spots for later.
R4.35
· Pick 135
· Braelon Allen
· RB
· rank 151
They paid a round early for Braelon Allen in No. 135, more than the board wanted. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
R6.28
· Pick 203
· Omar Speights
· LB
· rank 201
No edge and no loss on Omar Speights in the Round 6 slot; it is a wash and a sensible one. They added to a strength when a need was still open elsewhere.
R6.42
· Pick 217
· Myles Jones
· CB
· rank 204
Myles Jones at pick No. 217 is the sort of value that quietly wins a weekend. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.
R6.44
· Pick 219
· Zion Logue
· DL
· rank 241
Zion Logue in Round 6, Pick 44 is a bet on their own eyes over everyone else's grade. The roster fit checks out.
R7.26
· Pick 246
· Walter Rouse
· OT
· rank 248
They paid sticker price for Walter Rouse in the 246th overall pick, and that is fine. A real hole, addressed with a reasonable pick.