Sports Buzz: Examining Dolphins' first-round draft options & Dolphins chatter

Thanks for the link. I wouldn't draft a DT in the 1st b/c I want to see more of our youngsters like A.Johnson. Would love any of the next three 6-3 plus WRs. Shaq? Most definitely. Yes to P.J. and if Landon C. falls(pipedream).

 

We need to get better at the point of attack so I would be fine with DT or OL. IF Scherff fell to us at 14, that could be interesting. He could play LG and be Alberts eventual replacement and instant backup. Whatever it takes to keep Dallas Thomas and Jason Fox off the field.

Outside of that, I'd be fine with a S, CB, LB, TE or WR.

 

Shelton or possibly Goldman would do wonders for our team. We could cut Starks, and then truly have a stacked dline, younger and cheaper too. Shaq is very interesting too and he might have more potential than the DT's but I really believe we need to get better in the trenches. Shelton does sound like a perfect fit imho.

 

Who's that other kid we have at DT? I wanna say number 97? All he does is make plays every time he is in.

 

I agree with your assessment. In all probability it's gonna come down to Goldman/Shelton, but I still think we should keep Odrick regardless.

 

I'm perfectly OK with the Dolphins taking a Defensive Tackle in the 1st out of principal, but I'm not sure there are the guys this year. I don't think Dennis Hickey is going to spend a high pick on a guy like Eddie Goldman or Danny Shelton, big heavy guys whose pass rush prospects are a bit dubious.

His entire career in personnel was spent on a team whose philosophy emphasized 3-techniques as the defensive lynchpin, I'd tend to think the big resources would go here. Especially with Earl Mitchell as the one guy in relatively good standing under contract.

 

No offense, but I'd be devastated if we took Bennett there. He's not considered a top 35 prospect by cbs sports and he's the exact opposite in skill set as a DT that this team needs. We don't need another light, pass rushing DT. WE NEED MEAT!

 

There's going to be quite a bit of movement in terms of guys moving up and down the theoretical draft boards, and a move from late 1st/2nd to mid 1st is hardly a big jump.

Those quicker, explosive 3-techniques are just as capable of being dominant run defenders as your biggest, heaviest space-eater. They're just doing it differently.

 

I'd like to fill the annual hole at left guard tbh, hate taking OL in the first round just think that and MLB are areas that we historically have had great players doing the job.

 

I know we need help on the Defense but we have needed a great RZ threat for awhile now and with the 14th pick it seems like a great Chance to grab one here. I would also like to see Miami draft Breshard Perriman UCF as well. Guy can ball and iirc it was not all that many years ago another wideout snuck out of UCF by the name of Brandon Marshall

 

I would love to see a DT or WR taken in the 1st round. Depending on which position has the best player available. The 2nd round has some good MLBs. Maybe in free agency a DT, G and CB. 1st round big RZ playmaking WR, 2nd round MLB, 3rd round a FS. Man I can't wait for free agency and the draft.

 

We tried that this year with Mitchell, it didn't work to well. At the end of the day imo you still need at least 1 Paul Soliai type player. See Casey Hampton/Vince Wilfork.

 

I like the idea of drafting to solidify the front-7 but there's one thought that keeps popping up in my head...

...this could finally be the year that we fix the O-line. Regardless of who needs to get healthy, Pouncey, James and Albert represent 3/5ths of a very solid O-line and all year we were talking about how we were a couple Guards away from getting past this issue that has plagued our offense now for over a decade--an issue that has undermined the success of every HC, OC and QB that we've attempted to build with.

If we stuck to our guns and drafted O-line again, we might finally be able to run between the tackles, pass-block in the 4th quarter, benefit from play-action and get away from being so dink-and-dunk.

 

In the end it all comes down to the players themselves. We cannot have a bust, that's the biggest concern. Meaning don't pull a Philadelphia Iggles and reach for a Danny Watkins/Marcus Smith just to fill a need. Shereff and maybe 1 or 2 other tackle/guard prospects should be on our board for our first pick and that should be it. If our ideal olineman isn't there, don't reach, go for another position. We have other dire needs like DT on this team as well as offensive lineman.

 

I'm not sure that's logical. You try something and it doesn't work, so you categorically assume it doesn't work? There are plenty of teams without space-eaters who have dominant run defenses.

I don't think Paul Soliai gives you notably better results than Earl Mitchell, either.

 

I'd say cite Seattle as a prime example. They've been very successful stopping the run. Outside of the KC game after they lost Brandon Mebane, they've made excellent run-stopping work with Kevin Williams, Tony McDaniel (we remember him, right?), and Jordan Hill in the interior.

 

Don't discount their linebackers. Getting Bobby Wagner back took their run defense to a whole new level.

 

In the first I'd love Shelton, White or Shaq (Yes....at MLB). Corner we can deal with in Free Agency. Running back and OL can be added later in the draft and in FA (Grab one guard and then find a backup tackle/guard to compete with Turner et al). And there's no real free safety prospect for the first. So that really leaves DT/WR/MLB for that 14th pick considering the talent available.



Who doesn't love a 340lb barrel roll ;p

 

Say this about Danny Shelton, he's been a HIGHLY effective pass rusher in college. I mean, 9.0 sacks. He's not necessarily built to be a pass rusher, but then neither is Haloti Ngata yet he's an every down guy and a force to be reckoned with on passing downs.

He's just so big and brutally strong (upper body) that he ends up making 300+ pound offensive linemen look small and outclassed. That's quite a feat to do that with just brute strength. It's common for high quality DLs to make those big OLs look outclassed by means of quickness, ability to go around them, making them look like they've got cement shoes. But it's not common for a guy to make them look like FCS players from pure physical size and strength standpoints.

Shelton is a guy to keep an eye on but we'll know long beforehand whether they will be looking at him or not, because they will likely have to part ways with both Starks and Odrick for that to be the case.

 

If they get rid of Kevin Coyle then I think Landon Collins will be a top target for Dennis Hickey.

They've been citing a lot of miscommunication issues along the way in this defensive meltdown. The defensive meltdown did not necessarily coincide EXACTLY with the injury to Louis Delmas...but it's close. He didn't play against New England who dropped 41 on us, nor against the Vikings who dropped 35 on us, nor the Jets who absurdly dropped 37 on us.

Prior to that the only real complaints about the defense had to be the Broncos game and perhaps the Ravens game. But the Broncos go figure had Peyton Manning throwing to Demaryius Thomas, Emmanuel Sanders and Wes Welker. And they were at home. So yeah I expected a defensive beatdown there especially as they were discovering that gem of theirs C.J. Anderson. And it's also worth noting that when Louis Delmas left the game against the Ravens, Baltimore had only scored 21 points and had 2nd & 8 on their own 21 yard line with 6 minutes left in the game. That final TD drive was done against a defense missing Delmas.

I'm not saying that losing Delmas was the sole cause of the defensive meltdown but considering how much it's being said that the defense had miscommunications and were not in the right spots, it's worth noting as a potentially significant contributor to the collapse.

And if you think about it, when Hickey filled that FS spot with a Louis Delmas I think he knew he was getting a one year stopgap. Delmas has bad knees and is on a one-year deal. Walt Aikens has now run afoul of them from a disciplinary standpoint, and the coaches can't seem to decide whether he's a corner or safety anyway. So in Dennis Hickey's mind that second safety spot opposite Reshad Jones could be one of the team's top needs.

And the reason I mentioned Kevin Coyle is, I believe we have plenty enough evidence to say that Coyle wants veteran safeties that have a lot of experience and are very communicative. I don't think he will want a rookie, even if it's one coached by Nick Saban. But if Coyle is jettisoned, Hickey will have nobody arguing against him on Landon Collins.

 

Well I think based on the results of having Paul and a solid run d for years points to the idea he would have improved our run d over Mitchell. But regardless of that, getting a guy with the skill sets of Bennett isn't likely to improve our run d over Goldman/Shelton. Your point that I'm not logical to categorically assume a bunch of 3 tech guys won't work is an irrelevant point. All i'm doing is comparing Bennett to Goldman/Shelton, and pointing out how traditionally, in nfl history, weight and frame matter. That's why I mentioned Wilfork/Hampton and big Paul, somehow guys with those types of bodies have excellent run defenses. Even Atlanta had a better run d than us statistically this year. So keep on believing 3 tech guys are the shizzznit, and when we select Goldman or Shelton in the draft you'll learn why these big guys are so valuable for years to come.

 

A talented LT @ 14, IMO. Kick him inside to G and let him develop. Also an insurance policy for Albert.

Albert, Rookie LT, Pouncey, Turner?, James. Solid starting 5. I'm tired of seeing Tannehill beaten to a pulp. LB and S with the next two picks wouldn't be a bad idea. Maybe even WR depending on who we cut this off-season.

 

We have had guys play out of position on the line this year and didn't work out. I want a true guard.

 

I would love Shelton, White, or Devante Parker. We need that big boy stopping the run.

 

Huh?? Did I read that correctly ??

 

this to me falls into a trap of finding very specific types, like the clamoring for a big wide receiver, and how one can get in trouble, just find good football players regardless of size...

I think at this point we know ryan is a pocket type qb so I think you have to max protect and get him a really good wide receiver, Devonta Parker has all the size you need..

 

I'm really ok with not giving Odrick that big contract, I think he's worth 6 mill a year.

 

Training LT's at guard isn't a super hard transition. Much better than converting them to the other T position from my understanding and a better way to groom them. And I'd rather shoot for more of a sure thing. Besides, we need to take preparations to have a replacement for Albert lined up. He's been dinged up over the last few seasons and is now coming off of an ACL injury. His injury significantly hurt our offensive production. a LT to G conversion @ 14 is win-win, IMO.

If a big time MLB falls to 14, I'd be open minded. Hell, I'd be happy with Gurley in round 2 as well if he fell that far. Lots of possibilities, but I'd really like to care of Tannehill. For three years he's been beaten to death.

 

Devante Parker would be a terrific fit IMO. Size, hands, YAC, red zone, ball skills, he can pretty much do it all.

 

I want best player available other then at RB.

 

I thought BT had injury issues? Frankly, he wasn't ready anyway. A DII rookie LT? No thanks.

 

Yeah, I missed it...but even then, are we ok with our tackles given Albert's injury and age?? I just wouldn't say that we have no need at that position...although I like Jason Fox...

 

No, we're not OK but its hard to get a starting quality backup LT. The teams who need a starter will out bid you in the draft and FA. Albert has a history but any OL can get hurt the way he did vs Detroit, that's more bad luck than anything.

 

You know what's funny. Everyone spends time debating on which prospects fit our schemes, which ones are good/bad, who we want, etc. Realistically, most of us don't know shi** about what these players are actually all about nor do we know what our staff is thinking as far as draft strategy. There are men who get paid and work full time to scout these college players and here we are sitting here concluding a player is a beast because he did a barrel roll before his sack haha. Anyways, I just think it's all really funny although it's so fun to try and predict and critique.

I think most of us could have sworn we were taking tackle in 2013 or Eifert. We traded up and then I REALLY could have bet the house on Lane Johnson. Dion Jordan...Shocker. Nothing against talking about the draft, I enjoy it tons. Just think it's funny.

 

Yes, I shouldn't put Shelton in that category strictly but I'm not entirely sure I know what to think about him. I'm a bit apprehensive about guys who get it done largely by bull-rushing being able to do so in the NFL. There's a pretty fine line there in practice that'll get you a guy who is just occupying blockers at the line of scrimmage and who is giving you that rare interior technique guy who can play all downs.

I'm all a 1st for the next Shaun Rogers or Kris Jenkins, don't get me wrong. I think I'm also a bit apprehensive about hearing djphinfan complaining about his body for the next 4+ years lol. I'm just not entirely sure it's easy to tell them from a Dan Williams or Phil Taylor.

 

I dunno, if you're talking about a 2-down player I don't think you should be spending that kind of resources in general. Once you're running 1-gap I don't think you need to be picky or spend a lot, you can find someone good enough for cheap.

 

i agree..im just not into specialists