Anderson as GM Miami Dolphins draft

While Miami Dolphins GM Chris Grier was dead set on getting BPA it differed from what I would have done.

Leading into the draft it was stated that the Miami Dolphins would be sticking to their board. My idea was looking at a position and a certain player to start off and work from there. And also looking to be position centric as the rounds unfolded. While this is not a common way to go about the draft there were just to many needs with not enough picks to cover them I felt.

My plan also centered on making a trade for a player within the AFC East. Not an easy task but the Jets had an unusual offseason (that’s still unfolding) gutting a lot of players and looking to move more like the one targeted.

Also having faith that player would be good enough to effectively fill a void that is of crucial importance, help stopping the run. The Miami Dolphins made a similar move last season obtaining the Bills DE Mario Williams although he was cut.

More from Dolphins News

• 4 offensive tackles Miami Dolphins could draft at 51
• Miami Dolphins don’t need CB help but these 5 could be available at 51
• 4 players that could replace Wilkins if Miami Dolphins don’t re-sign him
• Miami Dolphins have a starting point with Wilkins after Simmons deal
• The Miami Dolphins should not take a running back in the draft

Because Williams was a flop and the money is almost the same it may have deterred the Miami Dolphins to consider this move. But Sheldon Richardson has youth on his side being 26 and Williams is 32.

Just to be clear this is not meant as a rant and I like how the draft played out for the most part.

Anyone can do this just use the draft order list for all teams along with the 2017 draft results to see how your order of needs would have played out to how it did play out. There is probably even a Jets cast off you want to trade for.

MY order of needs was OG LB DT FS DE CB and under my dream scenario all the picks would still be intact from the swapping of Jets pick/trade ten spots down and not having to use an early pick on DT ( Dolphins doubled up DT in 5th/6th trade) as well OG with first 5th round pick. There would be some reaching going on but all the needs should be covered to then use what picks are left on depth/luxury.

But this is how I would have drafted.

1 OG Forrest Lamp (pick 22) went pick 38
2 LB Raekwon McMillan pick 54 same pick at 54
3 trade Jets pick 107 comp for fins 97 comp along with DT Sheldon Richardson ($8.1m yr also) then use that pick on safety to convert to FS
3a S Tedric Thompson (pick 107 acquired from pick swap w/Jets) went pick 111
4 DE Avery Moss (pick 166) went pick 167
5 DE/OLB Dylan Donahue (pick 178) went pick 181
6 DT Tanzel Smart (pick 184) went pick 189
7 CB Adrian Colbert (pick 223) went pick 229

The Dolphins averaged 22.7 points last season yet still won ten games. Joe Philbin had averaged close to 25 points one season yet couldn’t get over 500% on the season. It is looking like next season just might split the difference. But adding Lamp would have helped to make that more of a certainty and one of the reasons I held steadfast on selecting him first to build the draft on.

Lamp went early second round but hindsight is 20/20 and while we now know the Miami Dolphins could have traded down sixteen spots for an extra pick. I will just leave that prospect open rather than add it into this revision.

And that was really the only addition on offense that seemed to be necessary. Although the last pick WR Isaiah Ford looks intriguing (real draft) it doesn’t speak well of all that went into selecting WR Leonte Carroo the last draft. It might serve to push Carroo but again while Grier was diligent staying on the board going BPA I felt the defense warranted too many holes to fill not going more needs centric.

This is not always an easy task to draft for needs (retry it yourself) what can happen is having to reach too far for a position of need and even more so keeping the order. You can also add traits and character into the mix. Is the player more a run stopper? Has he had run ins with the law?

It’s a crap shoot as to how the picks fall. It takes luck for things to line up in favor of not having to go about ten spots down and losing value. Six spots are the most this mock-up had with the last pick other than the first pick that probably could have been traded down considering there were reports of two teams that had offered to do so.

Speaking of stopping the run. This seemed to be a focal point with the real draft. And it makes the LB picked McMillan a good pairing to fill out the room with others that share the same trait. Not addressing DT leading into the draft could be problematic when it comes to that. But with any luck the pair of late round picks can become more than just little used low rung back ups.

My idea in this was to shore up spots were they seemed to be just patched up and you would still have good back ups after things settle from the camp battles. Adding to full rooms doesn’t address more open needs and creates log jams.