No. 56: TE Nate Boerkircher
Grade: C-
Wishful Pick: DE Gabe Jucas
Should Have Picked: DE Keyron Crawford
I gave some grace because the Patriots did snipe us by trading up for Gabe Jucas. And I don't hate Nate Boerkircher, if he's the TE that Liam Coen wants in his system. I mean he's a tremendous blocker, especially in the pass game and we needed a dynamic blocking tight end even if he offers little production in the passing game. There was just no reason to take him this early. Like even if he was undoutedbly favorite TE in the draft - he would have been there at 100. The consensus board doesn't necessarily tell you who to pick, it just tells you when who will be available. So I'm fine with Boerkircher at pick 100 or 124. At 56 you should just take a flier on a guy that won't be available later, like Romello Height or Keyron Crawford. Even if you don't like them that much, take them anyway cause it's worth the gameble if the pan out and you will still get your guy.
No. 81: DT Albert Regis
Grade: D
Wishful Pick: DE Romello Height
Should Have Picked: DT Gracen Halton
I just flat out don't like this pick no matter where it was. We already have the best run defense in the NFL, and we took a DT... who can only stop the run. Meanwhile, we could have taken Halton as a designated interior pass rusher for 3rd and long situations. We have the personell to stop the run, but we don't have the guys to advantage of long down situations, to pin their ears back and get after the QB. Now if this pick is paired with a Halton, absolutely fine. Or if we take well-rounded DT like Domonique Orange who can do both, albeit not as well as Regis in the run game or Halton in the pass game, again fine. But doubling down on a strength instead of addressing a weakness gives a negative grade here.
No. 88: OG Emmanuel Pregnon
Grade: A+
Easily the best pick of the draft. Some pundits had him graded higher than Keylan Rutlege, who went in the 1st. This is a steal to snag him in the 3rd round, he can compete for playing time as early as this year. And that's partly why I didn't crush the 56 pick, cause if you swap him and Pregnon, our draft looks a lot better. Pregnon still would have been great value at 56 and while Boerkircher might have still been a reach at 88, at least you could justify it because of the run on tight ends. Since we ended up with both players, where we drafted them becomes rather irrelevant.
No. 100: S Jalen Husky
Grade: C-
Should Have Picked: S Jalon Kilgore
Just, why? Sure, he's versatile and we needed safety depth as a potential replacement for Eric Murray and/or Antonio Johnson. But there were so many versatile safeties with better production available, from Jalon Kilgore to Kamari Ramsey. I mean Gracen Halton was still available so we could have doubled up on DT like the Vikings did and still gotten Husky after this. Again, maybe he's a guy Campanile said he wants for his scheme. There's still no reason to take him this early when consensus tells ypu he'll be there later.
No. 119: DE Wesley Williams
Grade: F
Should Have Picked: LB Kyle Louis
Two sacks last year. Again why take a DE who can set the edge in the run game but doesn't offer much in pass rush when we already have Travon Walker. Now our run defense wasn't as good when Walker was hurt, but we still don't have a designated pass rusher. Especially with the coverage LB Kyle Louis available, this is a fail.
No. 164: TE Tanner Koizol
Grade: B-
Good college production, would have prefered a well rounded TE like Dallen Bentley though.
No. 191: WR Josh Cameron
Grade: A
Contested catch specialist, exagtly what we need go replace Tim Patrick.
No. 203: WR CJ Williams
Grade: B
Not terrible, just would have preferred DT Landon Robinson who was available.
No. 233: DE Zach Durfee
Grade: D
Again, DE Max Llewellyn was available, and he had a higher grafe and more sacks.
No. 240: LB Parker Hughes
Grade: C
How do you make this pick with Deontae Lawson available?
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