Top 5 CB Prospects for Miami Dolphins

Who are the top five corner back prospects for the Miami Dolphins that do not include Jalen Ramsey?

More from Dolphins Draft

It’s no secret that the Dolphins have some glaring holes on their roster and it is imperative that they find a way to fill those holes in the upcoming 2016 NFL Draft. In years past, Miami has been known to spend big bucks to bring in top-level talent through free agency, but that approach has not carried over in winning.

This offseason, the Dolphins took a different approach to free agency and remained relatively quiet. Their biggest acquisition signing has been former Buffalo Bill/Houston Texan defensive end Mario Williams, after it was inevitable that they would lose Olivier Vernon, who later signed a massive contract with the Giants.

Instead of bringing in a bunch of players in free agency, Miami watched a lot of their own sign elsewhere. Along with Vernon, Miami saw the likes of Lamar Miller and Rishard Matthews take their talents out of South Beach. Miami had spent a lot of money in previous seasons, limiting their price range for each player. Neither player felt properly used in South Florida, eliminating any possibility of either one taking a hometown discount. Watching some of their best players leave and already with primary needs at cornerback and linebacker, Miami decided to make a trade.

A trade with the Philadelphia Eagles brought in those needs with cornerback Byron Maxwell and linebacker Kiko Alonso. In exchange, Miami agreed to swap places in the first round, moving them down five spots to 13. The Dolphins believe that the trade could turn out to be a great one for them, receiving two possible starters, and still able to draft a potential one. That may very well be true but it remains to be seen how well Maxwell and Alonso do in their new roles after underperforming in Philly.

After the trade, the Dolphins elected to cut former Pro Bowler Brent Grimes from the team. Grimes was due a $9.5 million cap hit in 2016 and after a poor performance in 2015, along with antics from his wife, the Dolphins elected to cut the veteran. This move still leaves the Dolphins very thin on the corners. Past draft picks like Jamar Taylor haven’t panned out. Tony Lippett could cover the opposite side but he is a converted wide receiver and still needs to develop. Miami will need to address cornerback early in the draft with a high possibility of taking one in the first round. With other needs still at linebacker, guard, and running back, it’s tough to predict which position Miami will take first in the draft. Their likely approach will be best player available of those positions.

The good news for the Dolphins is that cornerback is a deep position in the early rounds at least of the draft. It is in the team’s best interest to snag one who can come in and play right away. Florida State’s Jalen Ramsey is the top rated corner of the draft and will not be there when it comes time for Miami to pick. Ramsey is expected to go in the top 5 and possibly first overall. With so many other needs it would not be wise for the Dolphins to try to move up to get him. Therefore, we exclude him in this list of possible cornerbacks that the Dolphins could be looking to draft later this month.

Vernon Hargreaves III, Florida

I’ll start off by saying that if Hargreaves falls to the Dolphins at 13 then they will have won the trade with Philly. He is rated as the 2nd best corner in this draft behind Ramsey. Hargreaves had been linked to the Dolphins in mock drafts when they were selecting at 8, but after the trade with the Eagles it seems unlikely. He’s expected to go in the top 10 but could still fall in what looks to be a very unpredictable draft. Some mock draft experts still believe that it’s a possibility. Hargreaves is not very tall but has quick feet and can run routes with receivers, preventing them from getting separation in the open field. In a pass happy league, that is music to a head coach’s ears.

The only real knock on Hargreaves is his size but he’s athletic enough to play bigger and he has a true knack for finding the football. Sure, it is wishful thinking to believe that Hargreaves would fall all the way down to 13 but stranger things have happened. If he does, Miami could have an impressive nucleus in the secondary with Hargreaves and Maxwell on the corners and Jones at safety.

Eli Apple, Ohio State

Eli Apple has risen in the rankings the past few weeks and is now expected to be the third corner taken off the board, projected anywhere from the middle to late first round. The Dolphins could very well fall in love with his size and speed. At 6-1 and 200 lbs., Apple has the size to match-up with some of the bigger receivers in the NFL. A huge red flag, however, is his habit to become too aggressive down the field. You could see a lot of yellow flags called on Apple, particularly early in his career. Knowing this, opposing quarterbacks will throw his way often, hoping to bait a call. If he can learn to be discipline he’ll be fine but his size and speed will be useless if he can’t.

William Jackson III, Houston

Jackson had one of the best combines and had the fastest forty time among the top cornerbacks. His official 4.37 time has helped him jump up the rankings, projecting him to go on day 1 or 2. His level of competition playing at Houston is not as strong as some of the higher ranked corners but, like Apple, Jackson has the size and speed to run with receivers. An impressive showing against Florida State in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl should limit some of those concerns. A lot of teams could pass on Jackson with questions of his technique, but the Dolphins could benefit from his speed and awareness if he falls to them on day 2.

Mackensie Alexander, Clemson

A hamstring issue caused Alexander to miss out on the combine and it’s caused his draft stock to plummet some. Alexander had been linked to the Dolphins in many mock drafts prior to the combine. He does not have the size like Jackson or Apple and never recorded an interception during his collegiate career. However, Alexander may be the best press-man cover corner of the 2016 prospects with incredible technique. His lack of interceptions can be misleading as teams did not often throw his way. With that said, however, creating turnovers is essential at this level, especially if you’re playing against Tom Brady twice a year. Missing the combine and size dipped Alexander’s value but he’s had some comparisons to Josh Norman, who was a little known fifth round selection.

Artie Burns, Miami (FL)

The Dolphins could look in their own backyard for their new cornerback of the future. Artie Burns is still raw but a family tragedy factored into his decision to declare early and help provide for his family. He’s a former track star at Miami and he uses his speed very well around the football field. Last season he led the ACC conference with six interceptions. He’s an excellent open field tackler but is not always physical, giving more ground to the runner, instead of lowering his shoulder and stopping on point of contact. Burns is also best in press coverage, where he can use his speed and length to his advantage. His track speed also helps him avoid would-be blockers, making him a viable option to rush the edges on blitz situations.

Home/Dolphins Draft