5 best first round options for Miami Dolphins

Eli Apple – Cornerback – Ohio State

The biggest knock on Apple is that he tends to grab at jerseys too often and at the NFL level that will draw a fine very quickly. Apple can play man to man and zone coverage. He has the skill set to move with receivers consistently. He is the prototypical NFL corner but lacks the deep range to keep up with the faster receivers. He will need over the top help from the safety playing behind him.

Apple is fluid in his turns with good hip motions that allow him to turn quickly and he can adjust to a route alongside the receiver. He has good hands and the ability to break-up passes on ball to receiver contact because he hits hard. Apple is one of the few corners in this class that is deemed NFL ready with little or no expected transition. The problems of his grabbing receivers however will need to be coached out of him.

Apple would shore up the secondary from day one providing the Dolphins with a ready-to-start corner opposite Maxwell. His size will allow him to play against tall receivers and his ability to jam at the line of scrimmage and still keep pace with the routes is undeniably a solid attribute to his resume.

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