With The 12th Pick In The 2013 NFL Draft The Miami Dolphins Select…..
Nov 17, 2012; College Park, MD, USA; Florida State Seminoles defensive back Xavier Rhodes (27) prior to the game against the Maryland Terrapins at Byrd Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mitch Stringer-USA TODAY Sports
In just six days, hundreds of lives will be changed. What exactly am I talking about? Well, the NFL Draft. On April 25th, 2013, the top rookie talent in the collegiate rankings will finally get to fulfill their life long dreams of playing in the National Football League. With the draft being just six days away, you would have to think that teams have an idea on what player they will like to select. The Kansas City Chiefs are on the clock first. With a new regimen of both coaches and players coming in, there are tons of options for them.
This article however isn’t about what the Kansas City Chiefs will do, but what the Miami Dolphins will do. As a fan we have little knowledge of what is going on through the minds of Jeff Ireland and Joe Philbin. Do they want to draft an offensive lineman to protect Ryan Tannehill? Do they want to draft a cornerback in hopes that he will provide immediate help in the secondary? How about another receiving or tight end option for Tannehill to go to? Will they trade the pick in order to acquire a veteran to help out the team? All of these are valid questions; however, as fans we simply just don’t know. It is always a fun surprise to see what name Roger Goodell will announce on Thursday and quite frankly, I cannot wait.
In my opinion, the Miami Dolphins will draft a player and not trade away the 12th spot in the draft. But who will they pick? With tons of holes still needing to be filled, I think the Dolphins will decide to help out their defense and draft a cornerback in the first round. For the Dolphins, Xavier Rhodes is a player that would make a lot of sense. Rhodes, who played his college ball at Florida State University is rated as not only one of the best cornerbacks in the draft, but also one of the best defensive players that will be available. Standing at six foot two inches tall, Rhodes has a fantastic combination of both size and speed. His speed has clearly been shown as he runs a 4.39 forty yard dash.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GELytS0ne24
Rhodes has shown his ability to play the cornerback position at a very high level. At FSU, he showed that he knows how to use his great size. Play after play you would constantly see him either jam or be really physical with the receiver. Even when the officials blew the play dead, you would still see Rhodes continue to be physical. Not only does he have a knack of playing physical, he also has one key quality that most scouts looks for in a collegiate football player; confidence. Although it is nearly impossible for a scout to go into the minds of these college players, they see how the player carries himself both on and off the field. Sometimes players at big time programs who have too much confidence find themselves getting into trouble off the field. Not Rhodes. In his time spent at Florida State, he has failed to get into trouble with the law, the school, or the NCAA. It is safe to say that character concerns are not an issue when it comes to Rhodes.
His rare combination of size, speed, and athleticism has definitely helped Rhodes’s draft stock. Whether the Dolphins pick him or not will not be determined until next Thursday. So for now we will just have to sit here and let the speculation continue. Hopefully whoever the Phins do decide to take will turn out to have a solid career in the new Miami Dolphins uniforms!
Thanks for Reading!