SmashMouth

Simply by looking at this list is reason enough to know why we've regressed.

2018
Davenport should be quicker/better with only four fingers.
At least Boston Scott contributed, albeit on the Eagles.
2019
Ramz and CJ ...both solid contributors
2020
Ruiz... I guess.
2021
Werner, Adebo, and Landon
Better but still not good enough.
2022
Best class in a while, top to bottom. Every class needs to be more like this one.
2023
Ditto from above... is this a trend since SP left? Last two years?
Are we to expect a similar outcome this year?

BakoSaint

I disagree on 2022 and 2023 being a real improvement in drafting.

2019 is the best of those drafts. 5 picks that year due to the stupid Davenport deal. Also no 3rd or 6th due to other trades. We pick in the 2nd, 4th, 5th, and two 7ths. We come out with 3 quality starters in 5 picks: Erik McCoy is a pro bowl center, CJ Gardner Johnson has been to the playoffs 4 of his 5 nfl seasons, and Kaden Ellis is a quality starting linebacker.

2022 we traded an immense amount of future draft picks to secure two first round picks. To get an extra first rounded in 2022 we gave up our 2023 first rounder, and our 2024 2nd rounder. To trade up again for Olave we gave up 3rd and 4th round picks I believe. Trevor Penning has looked like a major bust so far. Olave looks like a good #1 receiver but not necessarily a world beater, he has 9 total TDs his first two seasons, has missed a game or two each year, had some issues with effort at times, and has not generally been a player to take over games per se. He is not known for blocking or moving the chains, but is a big play threat on a team without the oline to give the qb time to throw. He seems more like a receiver in the Brandin Cooks, Jaylen Waddle, Devonte Smith, Amari Cooper sort of tier than one of the major elite receivers like Jefferson, Chase, Hill, Adams, MT13 in his prime, Lamb, Brown, Evans, etc. When you consider all the assets we gave up in 2022, and we came away with Olave and Taylor, its not so impressive to me.

We did get back some of the picks we used to trade up in 2022 by trading Sean Payton in 2023. But I don't think thats a reason to ignore the costs.

I don't think we can call 2023 a good draft yet. We got a DT who is still a backup on our depth chart despite every sane person agreeing our starting DT's are very meh. He picked up a good amount of sacks for a part time DT but he has yet to play full time and show he can be well rounded and durable. Bragging about a pick before they start based on like 6 plays is ridiculous. The jury is still out on Bresee. Besides him, we finally found some value in the late rounds, but whiffed in the 2nd round with Foskey so far. Miller looked good in one game, but that was one game against a losing team in a game that was turning out to be meaningless where he averaged 5.6 yards. Thousands of NFL running backs who never became regular starters had one game where they averaged 5+ yards per carry for 70+ yards, so the jury is completely still out on Miller.