You can also get a WR in rounds 2 and 3. I tend to think a top #1WR is more important for QB development than it is for winning in the long term.
Right, quality WRs are just so much more abundant than quality OL. I also think, by the time DJ Moore is no longer a WR1, that Caleb will be far enough in his development that he won't need a true stud #1 anymore. If he isn't, then we have bigger problems.
I think the issue is that, at least according to various involved people, the value is so much higher for O-linemen than for D-linemen at #9. I'm leaning tradedown even with Odunze on the board, assuming a team (Jags?) want to pay to move up.
Another possibility is getting someone like Fautanu with some position versatility to come in and be the top backup at OL positions except C the first year. It's by no means an exciting pick, and probably doesn't make the team drastically better year 1, but it provides depth on the O-line in case of injury immediately, and puts the team on track to have an strong O-line for the next half decade.
I think the only realistic option that would leave me disappointed is someone like Verse at #9. I just don't think the upside is there for a top 10 pick. I wouldn't be disappointed at all with Odunze. I'd be slightly wary over where the O-line will be in 2 years and how the D-line will improve, but I wouldn't worry about having to overpay for a great receiver any time in the next 5 years.
#9 is an awkward place to be for the lines unless Alt or Turner fall to us, which seems doubtful. I agree that I'd rather trade down to a team in the mid teens who wants to trade up for Odunze.
If we're going by Brugler's The Beast, there's 5 tackles in the 12-19 range (Fashanu at 12, Latham at 13, Fuaga at 17, Mims at 19). He has Byron Murphy and Jared Verse in that range too. I think the mid- to late-first is the sweetspot, because then we are more or less guaranteed one of the tackles or D-linemen.
Looking at potential trade partners, the Jaguars make sense. They could use a stud #1 for Trevor, and the value lines up nicely for the trade to be 9 for 17+48. Brugler has a number of WRs ranked around 48 (Pearsall, Worthy, Corley, Franklin), so we could still come away with a promising WR.
I used to be on the Odunze train, but I now think a trade down is better. That being said, if they stay put and take Odunze as BPA, I don't think it's a bad pick by any means.
