THE LLOYD PICK
Housekeeping first: Ivan is a champion. He won this league in 2024, beating Kashir in the final, and then followed it with a 4-10 title defense that landed him eleventh. Both of those seasons live in this roster.
It's the widest bet near the top of this board. Christian McCaffrey and Jalen Hurts as the engine, Jeremiyah Love in the second round, Quinshon Judkins in the fourth. If McCaffrey stays upright and one rookie hits, this team beats anybody in a one-week playoff round. That's the pitch, and it's real.
And then there is the pick. MarShawn Lloyd, 6.07, pick 67, market price 157. Ninety picks early, the largest reach in the draft by a factor of two. Asim's theory, offered in the chat with a laughing emoji, is that Ivan "only drafts names he knows." I regret how well the evidence fits, including the part where ESPN's own rankings apparently love this team, because the last time everyone agreed Ivan was doing it wrong, he won the whole thing.
The final rounds nearly balanced the books: Jeudy and Ridley arrived a combined 97 picks past their price. Nearly.
Eighth, with a ceiling well above eighth and a floor that involves the word "attrition." If Lloyd somehow takes the Green Bay job, the apology will run in full, above the fold.