Miami Dolphins lack of success in round three of NFL Draft

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KANSAS CITY, MO – DECEMBER 24: Running back Kenyan Drake /

It is hard to believe that 2008 third round pick Kendall Langford is still in the NFL, at least through 2017. He played four solid but unspectacular seasons with the Dolphins and concluded the 2017 season with his fourth NFL team, the Houston Texans. His best statistical seasons came while playing for the Dolphins where he had 10 passes defensed and forced four fumbles.

Miami’s desire to draft wide-receivers continued in 2009 when Miami drafted Patrick Turner. Turner was so unable to get on the field that he appeared in only two games and registered no catches and no targets. He was out of Miami a year later and after three horrible seasons with the Jets was out of the league.

One of Miami’s better players in the 3rd round was offensive lineman John Jerry. Jerry however never got to reach his potential in Miami. As part of the “bully-gate” scandal, Jerry was not re-signed after the 2013 season and found better success with the Giants where he started all 16 games three out of the last four seasons with New York.

Who can forget tight-end Michael Egnew? Egnew couldn’t get on the field in his rookie season and in his second year started five games. Five games that were not very productive. In his two-year career with the Dolphins, Egnew caught seven passes for 69 yards. He signed with the Lions in free agency in 2014 but didn’t make the roster. He was out of the NFL after two seasons with the Dolphins.

Olivier Vernon is perhaps the best third round draft pick of the last decade but Vernon’s early career was inconsistent and he really didn’t excel until the final year of his rookie contract. Vernon had a stellar season in 2015 and he parlayed that into a big free agent contract with the Giants during the off-season. While he has started every game he has been healthy for with the Giants, he has not lived up to the expectations that his contract had indicated. After being drafted in 2012, Vernon spent four years with the Dolphins.

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Miami went defensive back in 2013 drafting Will Davis. Davis lasted only two seasons with Miami and never cracked the starting lineup. In fact he appeared in only 15 games over those two seasons mostly on special teams. He finished his Dolphins career with 24 tackles and one assist.

In 2014 and then again in 2015 the Dolphins went offensive line with Dallas Thomas and Billy Turner. Fittingly they both were released on the same day by Adam Gase in 2016. Neither Thomas nor Turner were able to take the next step at the NFL level. Thomas last played in 2016 and Turner continues to take up a roster spot for Denver.

While the Dolphins have had some pretty bad third round draft picks, none are looking as bad as 2016’s Leonte Carroo. Carroo has two starts on his resume and has a total of 18 targets and 10 receptions in his two seasons with Miami. Many believe he will not make this years final roster cuts. Making matters worse was the price Miami gave up for Carroo.

The Dolphins traded a 2016 6th round pick, a 2017 3rd round pick, and a 2017 4th round pick to move up into the 3rd round to take him.

Miami at least got something in the 3rd round in 2016 drafting running back Kenyan Drake. Drake played exceptionally well in 2017 and led the league in rushes in the last seven weeks of the season after the Dolphins traded Jay Ajayi.

2017 may or may not be in the cards for the Dolphins but so far the drafting of Cordrea Tankersley has the makings of a future star. Tankersley played well in his first NFL season before getting injured and the Dolphins expect him to become a standout in their secondary.

This year the Dolphins need to find better success with their draft selections especially in round three where history over the last 18 years has not provided enough long-term talent and solutions for sustained success.

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