7-700-2022 Direct

By Saturday morning—the "marathon" rounds 4 through 7—the glitz of the Vegas stage had faded into a war of attrition. This was where the real "useful" stories were written. Teams weren't looking for stars anymore; they were looking for "grinders."

Only one QB ( Kenny Pickett ) was taken in the first two rounds, a historic rarity. 7-700-2022

Brock Purdy , the very last pick, eventually became a Pro Bowl starter. Brock Purdy , the very last pick, eventually

In a small apartment in Athens, Georgia, Nakobe Dean sat with his phone in his lap. He had been the heartbeat of the Bulldogs’ national championship defense. Analysts called him a first-round lock. But as the first round ended on Thursday night, his name hadn't been called. Friday came—the second and third rounds—and still, silence. Concerns about his size and a "nagging" shoulder injury had turned a "sure thing" into a slide. Analysts called him a first-round lock