Truly excellent write-up and analysis Boomer. It's been a real pleasure following along.... I, and many others, appreciate all the effort and hard work you put in.
Interesting read Boomer. One question: I noticed the 'Phins didn't select any nose tackles in teh draft and haven't signed an undrafted free agent of that position. Was it because they couldn't find one that justify their picks, or does that say something about what they believe they have in Paul Soliai?
Well Boomer, fascinating 15 weeks, the last one was the best one as the wait was finally over and it good to read your take on our picks. And interviewing Conner Barwin (#46) and Cody Brown (#63) was quite a treat for just the average fan like myself, thanks for providing those interviews for us.
That was the best Dolphins post draft analysis that I've read, outstanding. I have a question, and it comes in peace: in hindsite would you have drafted Percy Harvin at #25? Hindsite not only in how Vontae Davis has played (ok, but with some questionable moments- the preseason mental gaffs left an impression on me) but also in that we were able to get Sean Smith in rd 2 lessening the need. I noticed the "Subject: Re: Harvin" in the email to David Hyde, I'm curious as to whether or not the Dolphins were seriously considering taking him or if it was a smokescreen, if anyone was able to find that out after the fact. In short, if Harvin was there at #25 would he have been a Dolphin? Like I said, in hindsite- who knew that Smith would be there at 61. With Davis, you mentioned the same mistakes being made over and over again in college- early on in preseason it seemed that the pattern was still intact. I'd say that Davis is playing pretty well so far in the regular season, but not great. I'm wondering how Harvin would have fit into our wildcat, if he could play RW's role or if he would have been kept outside as a deep threat a la Ginn. Or maybe a little of both. I would guess the Ginn role, one of the beauties of the wildcat is getting RW in there with his top flight power and speed. But Ricky is getting older, and I wouldn't have minded seeing Harvin run that beautiful counter play with the Dolphins as he did with the Gators. His ability to play both WR and RB and the possibilities of him in there with RB, RW, Pat White- I wonder what the team could have cooked up, what variations would have developed. Maybe more of a spread offense with Pat White and Harvin in RB's role, with RB and his great hands swinging out wide at times, who knows. I'm reading this 6 months after the fact, but I think that the Pat White analysis is the best that I've seen. I think that the criticism levied toward him is WAY premature and the possibilities that you presented remain intact. He does look small out there, and his lack of accuracy in preseason was disturbing, but for some to be calling him a waste of a pick is beyond me. He was drafted to be the leader of the second generation of the wildcat, and I see no reason why he still can't make that happen. The same principle exists: if it took 8 or 9 in the box to stop the run, with a guy back there who can throw, what are defenses going to do now? You do lose the power of RB (with White assuming that role, unless Brown steps in for RW), but I'm still a BIG fan of RW and he can move the rock with force in his role. Then White swings out to WR, etc. It's probably worth running it just for the headaches and game planning time that it would incur upon opposing defenses- I guess that the threat of it actually is already. My focus this year, for better or worse, remains on WR's Bryant, Benn and Lafell. I watched Illinois today get beat by Purdue- tough to get a read on Benn with Juice Williams and Zook running the show and not much going Benn's way. The guy has all the tools, but his stats just aren't there, as compared to the overall monster that Bryant has been. As much as I like Benn I'm wondering if his size at 6-2, 220 and his 4.4 speed are clouding my mind. I think not, but I don't want to start making allowances for a lack of production, Juice and Zook aside. Cheers.
