Ireland’s Biggest 2012 Draft Mistake

There is much to like about the Dolphins’ 2012 NFL Draft.  For better or worse, the Dolphins got their man at the 8th pick — Ryan Tannehill (QB — Texas A&M).  Only time will tell if Tannehill will be the next Dan Marino or the next Chad Henne. I believe the Dolphins got two steals in the draft. First, they selected Jonathan Martin (OT – Standford) in the second round.  Nearly all experts thought Martin would be a first round selection — maybe the third best offensive lineman in the draft.  Offensive line was a position of need for the Dolphins and Martin will likely be a starter at RT.  Second, the Dolphins traded up in the fourth round to select Lamar Miller (RB – Miami).  Although the Dolphins did not necessarily need a RB, Miller was thought to be another first rounder by many experts.  He runs somewhat like Reggie Bush and provides an insurance policy if Bush gets injured.

I believe the Dolphins went into the draft with four needs for the 2012 Season — offensive lineman (OL), pass rusher (DE/OLB), wide receiver (WR), and safety.  They got an OL in Martin and a DE/OLB in Oliver Vernon (DE – Miami).  They added WRs in the 6th and 7th round — B.J. Cunningham (WR – Michigan State) and Rishard Matthews (WR – Nevada), respectively.  But, they did not add a safety — instead, they decided to add a 4-3 OLB and a TE.

I believe Jeff Ireland’s biggest 2012 NFL Draft mistake came in the 5th round.