Miami Dolphins Post Free Agency 7-Round Mock Draft
Jan 2, 2014; New Orleans, LA, USA; Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Trevor Knight (9) looks to pass the ball beside Alabama Crimson Tide linebacker C.J. Mosley (32) in the second half at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Oklahoma defeated Alabama 45-31. Mandatory Credit: Crystal LoGiudice-USA TODAY Sports
The Miami Dolphins have made a few more moves via the free agency route within the past few weeks, one of the more notable ones bringing former Denver Broncos running back Knowshon Moreno to town on a one-year, $3 million deal.
Nonetheless, the free agency frenzy has just about run it’s course and we are in full on draft mode from here on out until the conclusion of May’s 2014 NFL Draft. Therefore, let’s dive into our updated post free agency 2014 NFL mock draft for the Miami Dolphins:
#19: C.J. Mosley, ILB, Alabama:
This is one pick I am making both because I want the kid badly and because I think it makes a ton of sense for the team to select Mosley if he is on the board. He has seen his stock drop due to an average combine performance and team’s questioning the health of his knees, but Mosley is an instant starter for any team around the league and would immediately jump into the heart of this Miami defense. Miami would be smart to select an inside linebacker during this year’s draft – they are looking to upgrade the position – and Mosley is the clear-cut number one guy. He brings a tenacious play style that this defense has missed for years, and has nice athleticism for the position.
#50: Antonio Richardson, RT, Tennessee:
Antonio Richardson’s stock has been all over the board throughout the past year from one of the class’ best all-around linemen, to one of the most inconsistent linemen in this year’s class. Richardson is by no means a first round pick, but he would be an excellent selection at pick 50 for Miami. He is a great pass protector and does an excellent job in the run game. Richardson will not be Miami’s left tackle due to Branden Albert now residing in Miami, but he would step in at right tackle to give Miami two bookend tackles allowing Ryan Tannehill, their young QB who was manhandled last season, to stand upright for more than a half a second.
November 23, 2012; Iowa City, IA, USA; Iowa Hawkeye tight end C.J. Fiedorowicz (45) runs after the catch against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Kinnick Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Reese Strickland-USA TODAY Sports
Regardless of what Miami does in round one (TE, WR, CB, S, LB, OG – Yes, Johnny that mean’s Zach Martin) I still expect the team to target Richardson if he is available given his flexibility to play both tackle positions along the offensive line in case Albert, who is quite injury prone, goes down for a few games.
#81: C.J. Fiedorowicz, TE, Iowa:
Miami needs an in-line blocking tight end as well as a nice, big bodied red-zone threat. Fiedorowicz should still be on the board at pick 81 in round three and would kill two birds with one stone. Fiedorowicz has the size at 6’7, 265 pounds and is one of the better in-line blocking tight ends in this year’s class. Sure the team took a shot with Dion Sims last year, but Sims was not ready physically to jump into the role Miami needed him for when Dustin Keller went down with a season ending knee injury. Fiedorowicz is also a fierce competitor who is willing to sacrifice his body to make athletic catches in traffic, as well as using his strong hands to snag the ball in tight coverage. No, he will not blow you away with speed, but Fiedorowicz has the measureables you look for in an in-line tight end at the next level.
#116: Dakota Dozier, OG, Furman:
The little known, small school prospect from Furman could be gone by round four, but I would not be surprised if he was still on the board at 112. Dozier played left tackle for Furman, but will be better suited inside at guard playing in the pros. He possesses a solid body at 6’4, 315 pounds and plays the run game quite well. He has a nasty streak and finishes blocks on the regular. He is a strong bodied man and has experience as a four year starter at the collegiate level. His weakness however, is his technique. He needs some coaching to fix these flaws, but could step in and start from day one, which is something he will need to do in Miami. Dozier would be a solid selection due to his ability to play all five positions along the offensive line and excel at all five. Steal in round four.
#155: Daniel McCullers, DT, Tennessee:
McCullers was the monstrous body in the middle of that Tennessee defense for the past few seasons. Standing at a massive 6’7, 352 pounds with insane 11” hands, McCullers would be an excellent option for the Miami Dolphins to grab in round five to ultimately replace Paul Soliai in the “space eater” role. McCullers may be able to weasel his way into the rotation in year one, but the team would likely look to give him time to develop while DT Randy Starks plays out the remainder of his two-year deal. This pick would also give the team flexibility right away and in the long run if they wish to shift back to a 3-4 scheme. The pieces are in place for a shift, but DC Kevin Coyle seems content with his hybrid scheme. McCullers would be an excellent choice in round 5 to develop while Starks is in town.
Oct 12, 2013; Lexington, KY, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide wide receiver Kevin Norwood (83) celebrates after making a catch against the Kentucky Wildcats at Commonwealth Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Zerof-USA TODAY Sports
#190: Kevin Norwood, WR, Alabama:
Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller pegged Norwood as a potential target for the Miami Dolphins in the later rounds of the 2014 draft to add to their weapons as a potential slot man, and I have to say that I agree. While Miami has enough receivers in Mike Wallace, Brian Hartline, Rishard Matthews, Brandon Gibson, etc. Norwood would add a nice piece to this offense. He is a reliable target with excellent hands and an excellent understanding of the route tree. He runs consistent and crisp routes, and has some nice size at 6’2, 200 pounds. It’s not the sexy pick, and may not make much sense to some, but Norwood seems to have a future in this league, and in a division with the Patriots who now have a star studded secondary, Miami cannot have enough weapons offensively.
#234: Jonathan Dowling, FS, Western Kentucky:
Dowling looks the part of a big, rangy, and athletic free safety at 6’3” 190 pounds. The weaknesses are his inconsistent tackling, limited instincts as a run defender, and poor body frame (very small, and lean). But, he has some solid hands and is one of the “ball-hawks” of this year’s class. Dowling by no means is going to be a day one starter and may never be a true starter, but he can provide depth and some solid special teams play for a team looking to develop a smart player with some upside to be a capable starter.
Don’t forget to tune in tomorrow night at 8:30 pm eastern for our second round of the 2014 Direct Snap Full Seven Round NFL Mock Draft! We will be having CSU WR and NFL Hopeful Dayvon Ross on the show to talk about his combine performance and much more! Don’t miss it!
Last week’s full first round mock with trades: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/finsradio/2014/03/23/direct-snap