Source: Dolphins to draft Kouandijo first round; Not Planning to draft Linebacker

Could actually be one of the best smoke screens ever. Hickey doesn't have a track record and was given little credit when he took the job. You always have more leverage when people are underestimating you. So why not throw out a ridiculous smoke screen and have people question your competence.

 

[video=youtube;4F4qzPbcFiA]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4F4qzPbcFiA[/video]

 

I could see us picking him if we trade down, I could see us or another team having him rated higher than Moses too, its not crazy. If we traded down into the mid 20s and took Kouandijo I wouldn't be that pissed off. And if he comes in and solidifies the RT position it would be a good draft pick. It all depends on his injury status. The guy was being "mocked" in the top 10-20 when the season ended but dropped after the combine, health issues, etc. maybe after individual visits and workouts he's moving back up. Its not that crazy.

 

now, If we get Martin AND Cyrus?

Okay. Leggo.

 

Hartline is our best receiver, and playing under a reasonable contract. Under other circumstances it would make sense, but Wallace is a much hotter potato.

The idea of needing to get a "true" #1 to supplement rather than replace a receiver who will be getting paid more than anyone else at his position next year is really problematic.

 

My god I hope this isn't true. I don't trust his health history.

 

I love the message board this time of year

 

Well, just remember that before the Pats moved him to ILB that Tedy Bruschi had always played on the edge too, as a 4-3 DE.

 

The strangest one to me was always Bryan Cox. He was a Nickel substitute in college, then the Dolphins moved him to a 3-4 OLB and he was a pro bowler with 14 sacks his second year, and he eventually became a MLB/ILB.

I'm not really sure we can expect Misi to be more than a 2-down run defender without a lot of range, but who knows? Ellerbe and Wheeler will probably be in better positions, but I'm not sure how valuable that is when a lot of their problems were more generalized then position.

 

No argument there. All I'm disagreeing with was the statement that he Kouandijo isn't draftable.

 

For those hating on Kouandjio take it from one of the world's most respected orthopaedic surgeons:

Dr. James Andrews says no issues with Cyrus Kouandjio's knee

Dr. James Andrews is sending a medical update to every NFL team to clear up what he calls misinformation about the health of Alabama tackle Cyrus Kouandjio.

A report during the NFL combine indicated that Kouandjio, a potential first-round pick, had failed several physicals in Indianapolis as a result of a "failed" surgery on his knee in college.

Andrews, who did not perform Kouandjio's surgery, dismissed the notion that the surgery was botched and has continued to evaluate the player regularly as he continues his training for Alabama's pro day (Andrews works closely with the Alabama program and has been abreast of the tackle's knee since he arrived on campus).

Kouandjio's performance at the combine was poor -- something he has acknowledged to those close to him and that he is aiming to overcome as he works out for teams in the future. But the tackle's showing was unrelated to his knee, according to Andrews as well as Alabama team doctor Lyle Cain, who performed the surgery. Both doctors stated that since completing his rehab for the ACL/MCL surgery in his freshman year there have been no setbacks, no issues with swelling and that Kouandjio not only played in every game but did not miss a single practice and did not have to spend time in the training room for additional treatment since being cleared to return to practice in the spring of 2012.

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/writer...ews-says-no-issues-with-cyrus-kouandjios-knee

Kouandjio showed some flaws during his senior year which made me think that he's better suited for RT as opposed to LT in the pros. Regardless, he dominated in college and was a monster at the LOS. If his knee checks out I'd have no problem with him as our 1st rd pick and plugged right into RT. My preference would be that if we took him in the 1st we did it in a trade down, but that's just seeking value based on common draft circle perceptions. Not many months ago he was rated as a solid top 20 pick, then the combine and the knee story took him down. He didn't do well at the combine, then again Menelik Watson didn't test well either last year and he's one heck of an athlete. Players' stock goes up and down every year, overreactions galore. Again, if his knee checks out I'd have no problem with him at #19 and he'd be a steal in rd 2.

 

Based on what?

I am totally fine with upgrading Hartline, however I don't think it is going to be as easy as a lot of people believe

 

Interesting blurb from PFT about Lazor and Moses. Haven't seen this listed anywhere else so kind of surprises me.

And of the offensive linemen they’re considering, Hickey reportedly thinks Martin makes a better guard than a tackle, Moses reportedly has a less-than-stellar relationship with Dolphins offensive coordinator Bill Lazor (who coached Moses at Virginia) and Lewan may not be available for the Dolphins at No. 19.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co...targeting-cyrus-kouandjio-in-the-first-round/

 

. Based on no production in the red zone. He is great between the 20's and a vital part on 3rd down but his lack of explosion limits his ability inside the red zone. Would like to have a taller red zone threat for this year and eventual replacement next season.

 

Guess the cats out of the bag...

 

I know the first three pages of this thread are dominated by people facepalming and yelling smokescreen, but this rumor reads as entirely possible. If Hickey thinks Martin is a guard, then there are better pure guard prospects. And if he wants a tackle, there's better tackle prospects - particularly Moses, Cryus and Lewan (who may or may not be available at #19).

The only knock on Cryus is his knee surgery from two years ago, and if the Dolphins are comfortable that issue doesn't exist, Cryus is clearly a top tackle prospect. If Moses and Lazor didn't get along and Lazor is advising against Moses Cryus makes a lot of sense.

Not drafting a linebacker is the curious part of the report, especially since Hickey already tried to upgrade the position by offer the Cleveland guy a contract and the talk of Misi moving to MLB is resurfacing again. How do you not draft Mosley if he's there?

I'm also heartened by the talk that the Dolphins are looking at WR help in the draft and seem to have targeted that as an area in need of an upgrade. Unfortunately, I don't think they're going to be able to get a playmaker at WR in the 2nd round - so they'll have to decide which is more important.

 

I like Koa Misi, but that's pretty bold if you're implying he's the second coming of Tedy Bruschi. Bruschi, IMO, probably had a MUCH higher Football IQ than Koa Misi does, or ever will. That, as we've seen through Zach Thomas, is key.

 

Some people here just don't care about scoring touchdown's, something Hartline isn't good at.

 

When at Arizona as part of the Desert Swarm, Bruschi was primarily a forward attacking DE. His football IQ necessary to fill the role of ILB/MLB was as I recall largely unknown until the Pats put him there. IMO, how Misi stacks up IQ wise to fill what is considered more of a cerebral role as Mike man is still currently an unknown.

 

I thought teddy played the 3 tech?

 

Why do we need a new starting ILB.. I thought Ellerbe did pretty good last year in a completely new scheme from what he was used to. I don't think we can judge him fully based on one year.

 

With how close it is to the draft I highly doubt anything that gets reported can be taken seriously.

 

These reports dupe people every year at this time.

 

Having a MLB who CAN'T TACKLE is WHY we need a new MLB

 

Sorry but the comment about not being able to draft a play making wr in the 2nd round is ridiculous.

 

. I guess Jordan Mathews Kelvin Benjamin and Donte Moncreve are not playmakers LOL

 

If I'm reading this correctly, we are drafting Moses and Borland, then a WR in the later rounds

 

i'll be thrilled if we get cyrus or cj mosley. those are the only two players i want in rd 1. have wanted them from around december or so. from what ive read the knee may degenerate over time but he should be good for at least five or seven years. granted its not a full career but he's so much better than the other offensive linemen prospects that will be available that its worth it

 

Camarillo maybe?

 

Soo his 100 tackles this season, we are just going to ignore them and say he can't tackle?

He was in a new scheme playing in an entirely new defense. I'd say for the money we are paying him to spend a first round pick to replace a guy who didn't do horrible last season is a knee jerk reaction and one that would be stupid of a GM.

 

. How would you explain our run defense going to s#$t with the same starters on d except wheeler and Ellerbe?

 

Scheme might put him in an easier or harder position, but what we got from Ellerbe was pretty fundamental in its ****tiness. Bad tackling, open-field play, and block shedding are pretty fundamental issues regardless of what you do and where.

 

Not being able to get off blocks, gets swallowed up, bad COD talent..put him out the outside like he played when he was next to ray, see if that's a more natural position for him.

 

Total tackles is not a good measurement of whom the better MLB is. If it were, the best MLB/ILB in Dolphins history would be Steve Towle.

You have to also look at where the tackles were made. Were a high pct of them 5-7 yds down field as opposed to near the LOS? Be that as it may, even with the downgrade at LB from Dansby and Burnett to Ellerbe and Wheeler, the overall D was good enough to make the playoffs if the offense, mainly the line, had held up their end of the bargain.

 

I am not saying he had a good year or that he is by any means a great tackler, but to say he "can't tackle" when he has 100 tackles is a stupid statement.

I am also not saying we couldn't use an upgrade. What I am saying is that for the money we spent on Ellerbe last season, to completely give up on him and use a 1st round pick to replace him after 1 mediocre season would be dumb. Especially because the MLB talent in the first round is pretty week. I don't believe Mosley is good value at 19 and I really don't see him as that much of an upgrade over Ellerbe... That is my opinion of course. TBH I would much rather grab Su'a Filo, or Ryan Shazier who both should be there..

The fall out of the draft will be really interesting though, it really depends on the quantity of QBs that get taken early. If the first tackle gets taken at #6 by the Falcons which is a possibility we could easily see Lewan or Zack Martin fall to us.

 

I think you're taking him too literal, eh?