Somewhere a general manager is explaining how Smael Mondon Jr. got past him. The Cowboys do not have to explain a thing at No. 173. More right than wrong, and a B to match.

If Parrish pans out, nobody remembers the price. If not, this is the pick they hear about. They covered a lot of ground and still skipped quarterback, which is a strange place to end up. On the needs board they went 7 of 8, with wide receiver the one that mattered most.

Value over need was the throughline, for better and worse.

All told, a draft that does its job without fuss, and there is real value in that.