Well, let's face it, draft time has arrived early for Dolphins fans- again. Plenty of holes to plug once again- one year I'll stop being pissed off that we could have easily and cheaply solved a good part of the OG and WR problems by drafting OG Trai Turner and WR Martavis Bryant- and gotten another vital 2nd rd pick by trading down and still getting RT Ja'Wuan James- but it won't be this year. Instead we got the immortal Walt Aikens and Billy Turner, who at least is a work in progress. Trai Turner, meanwhile, is having a Pro Bowl year and Martavis Bryant is one of the most dangerous deep threat/big receivers in the league. Please explain your actions and thought process, Dennis Hickey. Anyway, new year and new draft. Three defenders clearly stand out imo, and all would be great fits for the Dolphins: CB Vernon Hargreaves III, FS Jalen Ramsey and OLB Jaylon Smith. Hargreaves is a shutdown corner with very good size, plenty of speed & quicks, tough and smart with very good hands and is dangerous on interception returns: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGHGBALUYS8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-HHKBoUubs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U2tzI9O4vxs Jalen Ramsey- he definitely has wheels, was a 10.50 guy in the 100 meter dash and also ACC long jump champion at just over 26 feet Prerequisite speed/quicks and is rangy, pretty aggressive guy who will play the run as well. He looks a bit small in the upper body, I'm guessing that after getting thrown in an NFL weight room his playing weight will be in the 205-210 lb. range. I would have like to have seen more interceptions out of him, that's a concern, but his range in covering passes is outstanding. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIGc2LooeFs Jaylon Smith OLB- what's not to like? Great size for 4/3 OLB at 6-3 235 lbs, fast, great range sideline to sideline, aggressive. You'd like to see more sacks, but from what I've seen he has plenty of burst off the corner, need to see more tape as per hand use. Extremely athletic and energetic, plug and play at SLB with quicks to cover RBs in the flat and is a tackling machine with well over 100 this year. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkmrGaeo15E In order, I would go Hargreaves, Smith and then Ramsey, with apologies to Ramsey- because he's quite a prospect and we have a death level need at FS. Hargreaves is the shut down corner that we need and Smith would give a much needed boost to the front seven and Suh as per talent, speed, spark and aggressiveness. If Chris McCain had a better year and was kept at OLB then I'd strongly consider having him there, Misi in the middle and drafting Ramsey- but then there's Misi's contract... Can't go wrong with any of the three imo- talent meets defensive need across the board. Second round- what if Jason Spriggs falls? Can we keep passing on OT talent? Bengals took a very talented LT coming off an ACL tear in the 1st rd last draft (Cedric Ogbuehi) and followed up with Jake Fisher in the 2nd rd, great second rd pick. We could have had him, even after the trade down, but Tannenbaum had his heart set on Jordan Phillips. What if OT Jason Spriggs falls to the 2nd rd? Is there a point that you consider moving Ja'Wuan James to OG if we manage to draft a solid RT candidate and James could replace Dallas Thomas? I really don't know. But to this day I think that we should have saved the draft pick that we traded away for Billy Turner and drafted Trai Turner instead, not only a great pure OG but a great fit for a ZBS. That being said, the jury is still out on Billy Turner, who I still see as a better Tackle than Guard. Hickey and Tannenbaum better step up in the draft and FA this year to plug all the holes on defense and the OL, they definitely have their hands full.
I'm glad you listed Ramsey as a FS. I think that's his best position at the next level. He's an overrated CB prospect IMO. FS he is elite. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
With that range and athleticism he'd be great in tandem with Reshad Jones, the thumper. Plenty of holes to fill on the roster, but getting a FS like Ramsey off the bat would be a great start to the draft.
The defensive holes are obvious and any of the three brings an elite talent to the defense. The OL- can Billy Turner be an effective Guard for the long haul? Was he the back up answer at both LT and RT the whole time, a Tackle force fit into a Guard? What if there is a very highly rated OT sitting there for us in the 2nd rd, do we take him? If so, could or should James be moved to OG? How long do we wait to draft an OG (or two), considering that the FO can't seem to draft OL after the 1st rd to save their lives and they can't seem to solve the problem in FA, except for a talented, on the mend and very expensive Branden Albert? With all the money that Ross is throwing around, can't he hire a top notch OL talent evaluator? Questions... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMiardqC9TY
dude you're in my mind. i think ramsey is gone before us but i have hargreaves and smith as my first and second choice. i would probably love the violence smith brings to the lb position a bit more than a corner but we need a shut down corner more than an lb and there are some second round prospects i like at lb like sua cravens from USC
Perhaps it's the novice filmwatcher in me, but does Jaylon Smith seem a little timid to attack the LOS sometimes? I understand there's gap discipline, but I feel like I've seen it outside of that.
I just wrote a long post in respose and erased it like an idiot- in short, good point. I see Smith as more of an attack OLB in the NFL, the concern is him at the LOS, shedding blockers and setting the edge. He strikes me as a better, more complete version of Dion Jordan- Smith gets from point A to B in a hurry, not quite like the phenomenon that is Alec Ogletree but like Jordan, yeah I'll take that. Really good quicks, moves laterally like a big cat. Untapped potential as a pass rusher, great covering RB's in the flat in pass pro or tracking down sweeps. To much dancing bear in him, doesn't shred and rip away from OTs enough, just isn't compelling in that regard, he's no Melvin Ingram. I like Smith, tackling machine and great potential as an attack LB, just not a slam dunk can't miss prospect imo. I'd definitely consider taking him when we pick in rd 1, would be happy with the pick. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QLLO-_7Mld8 Hargreaves, Ramsey and Smith each would be fine picks, but what if OT Ronnnie Stanley is available when we pick? Do you pass up that kind of talent? Do you move Ja'Wuan James to Guard? At this point I'm not sure that I care, as long as it gets Dallas Thomas off of the filed/team. Draft Joshua Garnett and Christian Westerman, maybe move Billy Turner back to OT. Whatever, solve it. No matter how you cut it, we need the OL to get right, Lamar Miller needs it and Ryan Tannehill and his health care provider are dying for it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYq2bgtgmsI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YX4hjonnRIc Get me some of that.
My only concern with Stanley is I don't think he's mean and after Jonathan martin that concerns me a bit
Speaking of mean, here's Joshua Garnett: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DyhsCki3neg The dude is mean, powerful and mobile. As to Stanley, he sure seems to get the job done, darned good athlete and he can move people around.
Sean You would think so, huh? I am rooting hard for Jalen Ramsey in Round #1 and Mt guaLB , Tim Makevich I believe he is from Temple. Maybe we coulrdsd 're sign Sean Smith as FA, or pick up a couple of great guards as well.
Notre Dame’s Jaylon Smith, a likely high pick, suffers leg injury Smith was knocked to the ground hard and his foot appeared to catch in the playing surface at University of Phoenix Stadium. He went down in pain, grabbing his knee, was attended to on the field for a couple minutes, and then had to be helped to the sideline. http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co...-smith-a-likely-high-pick-suffers-leg-injury/
Yep the leg made an awkward bend on the side.. Hope its nothing serious but he couldnt put any weight on it.
He lost his last collegiate game of his career. Sorry, I didn't specify. Hargreaves got burnt a couple times, Smith got injured, and all three lost their bowl games.
I watched VH3 for the last 3 years at UF. Honestly, I thought he was the best thing since sliced bread his freshman season. That being said, he never really progressed in his three years. He was the CB that other teams targeted this year after Jalen Tabor (UF's other CB) improved and became elite this past year; seriously remember the name Jalen Tabor barring injury he will be a top 10 pick. I think VH3 is still somewhat coasting from his reputation in high school and his play his freshman year. I think as the scouts and analysts watch his game tape he will fall a bit. I could see him going in the teens. He is on the smaller side and can get beaten on double moves due to his aggressiveness. The Michigan game was awful for him. He got burnt a couple times and there were multiple times that he was in the correct position right, right in the WRs hip pocket, but the WR shielded him away from the ball and made the catch and there was nothing VH3 could do with his smaller size.
Ramsey's arguably the best player in the draft, along with Tunsil (and maybe Bosa if you're okay with his character). We aren't going to get a crack at him. I'm not big on Hargreaves in the top 10. Too many times I watch him and think "oh, he's small," and he doesn't play bigger than his size. I don't see him using his physical tools like you used to see with Grimes (before this season).
Saying Alexander CB right now... as draft high-riser. Also saying Jags might go OT Stanley... so that would leave J.Smith left and maybe even Ramsey. If the OL isn't fixed right now we will be having this same conversation next year. For goodness sake.
Alexander was there after the Oklahoma game. Hey, Jaylon Smith! Maybe he drops to the 2nd round. Why not take him there?
CB KeiVarae Russell looks interesting: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Lm3CuVl9WQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bX3Icm3l4uE How's this for explosion? http://www.foxsports.com/college-fo...e-cb-keivarae-russell-s-crazy-box-jump-060515
This is a very well done piece on his off field issues and redemption too. A video is included in the piece (top tab) http://www.ndinsider.com/football/n...11e5-836c-d70a3391a2b2.html#user-comment-area Editor’s Note: The following is a feature story on Notre Dame cornerback KeiVarae Russell’s comeback from academic exile, which appears in the 2015 ND Insider Football Preview.
This CB looks pretty good as well, has size and length: CB Deiondre Hall Northern Iowa https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujkf5mNRdNc
Very quick feet, good speed and change of direction, 6"2 with long arms, aggressive, I like him. He gets from point A to B very quickly, different position but he reminds me of Alec Ogletree in that way.
I'm just wary of injured players. Yeah there are success stories like Gurley, but we usually get the ones that have issues. At best we get a Parker who finally starts to play in the last quarter of the season. Would prefer a player who is healthy and ready to go.
I haven't looked at many, but every one I've looked at has him in the top 10, usually with us being his lowest landing spot.
Jack has gotten started on his rehabilitation a lot earlier than Parker, and Parker's injury was an unexpected fix-up of a previous foot surgery IIRC. Couple that with the fact that Philbin didn't play him and he, more likely, needed to adjust to the pros. You like where he was at the end of the season, but he has a lot of things to work on if he's going to be that consistently dominant receiver (we'll see). http://www.usatoday.com/story/sport...-octagon-begins-preparing-nfl-draft/74081868/
Jack had a meniscus tear not an ACL, he should be ok. Better long term to give the meniscus tear plenty of time to heal.
Yes, not nearly as bad because when they finally confirmed the full extent of J.Smith's injury they also said there was nerve damage. If that is the case, it will probably slow down his rehab....maybe KB will see this thread and he can tell us exactly what the process will consist of.