Roquan Smith falls to Miami in Saturday’s mock draft
Ever since the end of the regular season Miami has been linked to Georgia LB Roquan Smith. By Thursday night, he very well may end up in South Florida if today’s mock draft is any indicator.
It’s the final weekend before the start of the 2018 NFL Draft. Ever since Miami’s season ended they’ve been linked to linebackers as their most glaring need. One linebacker in particular, Roquan Smith, has been heavily targeted to Miami.
It remains to be seen whether or not Smith will be available for the Dolphins by the time they are on the board. Smith has been heavily mocked as a top 10 pick, and rightfully so. There is a ton of talent, however, at the top of this draft, including four quarterbacks. That could potentially push Smith down the order and right in the hands of the Dolphins.
In today’s simulation, that’s exactly what happened. Using the Fanspeak simulator, I chose the Composite big board with NFL Mock needs on difficult level. If you haven’t used this simulator yet, I encourage you do so, as it is simple to use, and a lot of fun. Here’s a look at today’s selections.
Round 1 – Roquan Smith – LB
I think Harold Landry, the edge rusher from Boston College, is an interesting prospect come draft day. Widely considered a first round talent, there is the chance that Landry sneaks into the top 10 somewhere. That would be great news for Dolphins fans since that means at least one of their top targets is guaranteed to fall. That’s exactly what happened in this simulator that allowed Miami to take Smith.
Round 2 – Mike Gesicki – TE
Just like that, Miami takes care of their two biggest needs with their first two selections. Gesicki is not a great blocker, but he is a terrific pass catcher who can get open or simply go up and get it. There are other combo tight ends that Miami could target, but Gesicki is arguably the better receiver among them all.
Round 3 – Mason Rudolph – QB
What a pick this would be for Miami if they could land a first round talent here in the third. Considered the 6th-best quarterback of this class, Rudolph would be a tremendous get for the Dolphins, who need to find a quality backup for Ryan Tannehill.
Round 4 – Kalen Ballage – RB
Admittedly, I didn’t see much of Ballage in college, but the more I see of him the more I think he’d fit in great with Miami. I wouldn’t want the Dolphins to fully depend on him, but with Kenyan Drake and Frank Gore, they don’t have to. He has tremendous speed and size that can contribute in any way they ask of him, including returning kicks.
Round 4 – Kendrick Norton – DT
If you’re keeping score at home, you’ve probably guessed that Norton is my #1 mocked player to the Dolphins. It’s partly biased, but it’s also because I think this is right around the time the Dolphins will be looking to add a defensive tackle should they not take Vita Vea or Da’Ron Payne early on. Norton is the best available tackle, in my opinion, at this point of the draft.
Round 6 – Tray Matthews – S
Matthews is another player I’ve heavily mocked to the Dolphins. If Miami doesn’t take a safety early, I’d personally prefer they wait until Day 3 to take a guy like Matthews. Matthews is a sleeper who has Day 2 talent, but some trouble from his days at Georgia could cause his draft stock to slide, despite showing signs he’s matured since.
Round 7 – Bradley Bozeman – C
Bozeman went to Alabama so he already has an idea of what it’s like to square up against NFL talent. The Dolphins must continue addressing the offensive line, despite their off-season moves. Bozeman is the best available center this late in the draft, and a viable option behind Daniel Kilgore.
Round 7 – Tony Adams – G
The Dolphins go offensive line with both picks here in the seventh round. Again, not the most dire need like seasons past, but not great enough to ignore altogether. Adams has the potential to be a starter in this league, and has drawn comparisons to newly-signed Josh Sitton.