I'm as big a BB defender as there is here, but of course it's entirely possible that he made the WRONG call on Keene. He makes plenty of mistakes, but my point is that this is a terribly inexact science, and every study that's ever been done (including my own research) tells us that everyone makes TONS of mistakes, or has picks that just don't pan out for whatever reason (injuries, etc.).The frustrating part is that the 2020 draft was a critical one for the team, given the disaster that was the 2019 draft and the overall meh-ness of the prior drafts. So it's understandable for fans to have wanted more out of the middle rounds. The good news is that it seems as if both Uche and Jennings are having good camps, and they did uncover a decent starting OL in the 6th, and Dugger is a definite player. But the jury will still be out for this draft class for another year.
Like many 3rd round picks, looking back at the comments, it definitely seems as if Keene had some interesting traits, but also some concerns when it came to how those skills would translate to the NFL-level. One of those situations where Bill probably made the right call, but it just didn't work out.
But if it turns out that Jennings and Uche both are legit players, and Asiasi emerges (which it appears he has a chance to, as he's also had a terrific camp), and Onwenu continues his track to being a legit starting OL in the league, then the 2020 draft (which also features a stud in Dugger) ends up featuring 5 quality NFL players. If all that happens, then it's a wildly successful draft, actually. The only pick in that draft that was the total WTF pick was Rohrwasser at kicker. Of course I had never heard of Dugger or Lenoir-Rhyne before so when that pick was made it was a WTF moment, but it didn't take long for me to think, ohhhhh okay, that's why BB drafted him. But the Rohrwasser pick was truly baffling, and in my mind, the absolute worst pick BB has ever had. To spend a draft pick on a kicker is itself head-scratching. To spend a 5th was mind blowing. To spend a 5th on a guy who wasn't even among the top rated kickers was utterly incomprehensible. And to have him fail and not make the team...I mean, what a total waste, and that was not second guessing. That was all a true WTF is BB doing moment right from the word go.
But even with that pick, it looks like that draft could end up being pretty solid.
And of course, the 2021 draft was superlative: every single one of those picks except for Sherman look like they could be contributors at least, and some of them very very high level picks (Mac, Barmore, Stevenson).
And 2022...jury is obviously still out, but it's looking pretty good so far.
THAT is how you rebuild an organization.