The trade table was where it all came apart. The Commanders shipped out far more than they hauled back, and no amount of spin dresses up the bill.
The whole projection now runs through Jayden Daniels; hit there and everything else looks smarter. If this class has a fault line, it runs straight through edge rusher.
If Wiley pans out, nobody remembers the price. If not, this is the pick they hear about. On value alone, Jackson makes the weekend a net positive.
In the end, a class the front office will want to grow past quickly.
Pick-by-Pick
R1.6
· Pick 6
· Jayden Daniels
· QB
· rank 7
In slot 6 they get the arm they will build around. A real need, handled.
R2.4
· Pick 36
· Jordan Morgan
· OT
· rank 35
Jordan Morgan at Round 2, Pick 4 is neither steal nor reach, just the going rate. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
R2.7
· Pick 39
· Edgerrin Cooper
· LB
· rank 42
They took Edgerrin Cooper at par in No. 39, which is nothing to complain about. A quiet depth add at a thin-ish spot.
R2.8
· Pick 40
· T.J. Tampa
· CB
· rank 49
They paid a round early for T.J. Tampa in the Round 2 slot, more than the board wanted. Better still, it is exactly the hole they had to fill.
R2.15
· Pick 47
· Xavier Worthy
· WR
· rank 56
Xavier Worthy in pick No. 47 is early enough to raise a brow, if not a full objection. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
R3.3
· Pick 67
· Kamren Kinchens
· S
· rank 73
No drama and no debate, Kamren Kinchens went about where he belonged in the 67th overall pick. Useful body for a position without much behind the starter.
R4.1
· Pick 101
· Mekhi Wingo
· DT
· rank 113
They went early on Mekhi Wingo in the 101st pick, and the value did not follow. It fills a real need, too.
R4.3
· Pick 103
· Khyree Jackson
· CB
· rank 84
A top-tier cornerback at a bargain, Khyree Jackson in pick 103, plain and simple. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
R5.2
· Pick 138
· Ainias Smith
· WR
· rank 131
Ainias Smith at the Round 5 slot is a sensible buy, a touch better than market for the wide receiver. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
R6.6
· Pick 181
· Jared Wiley
· TE
· rank 200
They reached into another round for Jared Wiley, and the board is nowhere close to agreeing. The biggest hole on the depth chart just got a whole lot smaller.
R6.45
· Pick 220
· Josh Proctor
· S
· rank 215
Fair-plus on Josh Proctor, a quiet win that adds up over a draft. A luxury on a unit that was already in good shape.