Does Anyone Really Stand Out For Dolphins At 8
By Brian Miller
The Miami Dolphins are still being pulled across the proverbial coals when it comes to their 8th overall pick in tomorrow nights round 1 draft. This morning, ESPN’s Adam Schefter joined in on the “Stephen Ross wants Ryan Tannehill” bandwagon even after both Ross and Ireland denied there was pressure for the owner to make that so. The Dolphins have a lot of holes to fill and on the surface, Tannehill doesn’t actually seem to be a fit for one of those holes.
Lacking an edge pass rusher, a safety, a number 1 WR, a right tackle, and a right guard, the team also needs to address depth. While they have 4 picks in the first 75 selections, how those selections are divided up will be a focal point of those who will eventually grade the Dolphins draft on Sunday. When you look at the top end of this years draft there are six maybe seven blue-chip players that will all likely be gone by the time the Dolphins pick at 8 and once those players are gone, the remaining first round projections really seem to jumble together.
Questions linger about the attitude and motivation of Quinton Coples to fill that pass rushing need. Melvin Ingram comes highly touted but some believe he is rated out the same as Chandler Jones. Luke Kuechly is a highly rated LB but he is an interior linebacker and unless the Dolphins feel that Karlos Dansby and Kevin Burnett can move outside, he doesn’t fit. The same argument can be made about stellar prospect Fletcher Cox who is motoring pass rushing DT. Can he swing to the DE spot and rush from the outside?
Mark Barron is an interesting prospect at the safety position but is 8 too high for him? Will the Dolphins look at Barron as a player who will make an immediate impact worthy of that high a selection? That is the issue here. Most of these players are not “must-have” type of players. They have upside and potential but just as many question marks. There are no sure hit can’t miss players at 8 and thus, the team is going to have to take a swing if they can’t garner a trade out of the position which may be the best option for the team.
The high risk of players like Coples who may burst onto the scene making a major impact may just as easily be sitting on the sideline learning the NFL from a veteran who will need to be brought in to start. Which then begs the question, why not draft Ryan Tannehill at number eight? Whoever the Dolphins do decide to draft this week will be scrutinized to no end by those pundits who believe they should have done something opposite.
Recently here on PhinPhanatic.com we ran a poll…still open…as to who fans would NOT like to see drafted. Overwhelmingly most chose Tannehill. Next in line was Reilly Reiff followed by the option, “anyone not named Tannehill”. While it’s not split by any means, it does show what is going to happen come Thursday night when the first round closes and the speculation for round 2 begins.
The Dolphins are going to be answering questions from someone and their answers will not be all that appealing to a bunch of others. Frankly, I don’t see a win-win situation here for the team unless someone from that top 7 falls to them. Perhaps then the right move will be the most obvious one.