Dolphins want Mitch Trubisky to go No. 1
By Ryan Davis
Last year, Laremy Tunsil slid down the draft to the Miami Dolphins at pick number 13. Is there a scenario this year of another elite player sliding to the Dolphins?
Yes. The Cleveland Browns take a quarterback number one and more quarterbacks come off the board before the Dolphins pick 22nd. The Dolphins want quarterbacks to dominate the first 21 picks in the NFL draft since the Dolphins won’t draft a quarterback.
They can pick an elite defensive player or a guard that slides down as the quarterbacks slide up. Could four, maybe five, quarterbacks come off the board before the Dolphins pick?
Adam Schefter reported the Cleveland Browns were contemplating drafting QB Mitch Trubisky with the first pick.
Cleveland has not made up its mind at No. 1, per source. Split opinions. Some like Myles Garrett, some like Mitchell Trubisky. We will see.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 12, 2017
This pick could create a run on quarterbacks in the first round. The San Francisco 49ers, New York Jets, Buffalo Bills, Arizona Cardinals, and Washington Redskins could all take a quarterback in the first 21 picks.
The new head coach of the 49ers, Kyle Shanahan, might have fallen in love with a quarterback he believes could be future of the franchise. Meanwhile the Jets have no clear starting NFL quarterback with Christian Hackenberg, Josh McCown, and Bryce Petty as their current quarterbacks.
Another AFC East team, the Bills, have Tyrod Taylor as a quarterback but have a new head coach. Sean McDermott may not want to tie his own career to Taylor and will want to select his own quarterback.
Carson Palmer is getting older and the Cardinals need a young quarterback to groom for the future. While Kirk Cousins is signed for $24 million this year with the Redskins, next year they would have to pay him $34 million [if he is franchised again]. Jay Gruden may want to move on from Cousins and pick his own quarterback.
Plus, the Houston Texans, Kansas City Chiefs, or Pittsburgh Steelers may get desperate and trade up to get a quarterback. Four or five quarterbacks could be selected in the first 21 picks with this many teams interested in the position.
In the 2011 NFL Draft, the Tennessee Titans picked Jake Locker 8th overall. Then the Jacksonville Jaguars selected Blaine Gabbert with the 10th pick, and the Minnesota Vikings chose Christian Ponder number 12.
The selection of those 3 quarterbacks in the first 12 picks caused future Pro Bowlers to fall. Three time NFL Defensive Player of the Year J.J. Watt slid to the 11th pick. Robert Quinn slid to the 14th pick. The 16th pick was Ryan Kerrigan and the 24th pick was Cameron Jordan.
The Dolphins would like to see a repeat of the 2011 NFL Draft and have defensive players slide down the draft.
Elite defenders like Myles Garrett, Solomon Thomas, Jonathan Allen, Jamal Adams, Malik Hooker, and Marshon Lattimore will be selected before the 22nd pick. However, the likelihood of other top prospects falling to the Dolphins increases. Derek Barnett, Reuben Foster, Hasson Reddick, Takarist McKinley, Gareon Conley, and Forrest Lamp may be available for the Dolphins.
Hopefully, the Browns select Trubisky number one and quarterbacks move up the board in the draft. This scenario will allow the Dolphins to pick an elite defender at number 22.