How much influence will Miami Dolphins Stephen Ross have on the draft?
By Brian Miller
The Miami Dolphins may or may not want Stephen Ross’ help on Thursday night but they may get his input anyways. Like it or not.
When the Miami Dolphins are on the clock with the 13th pick during Thursday’s first round of the NFL Draft, Stephen Ross will be sitting in the teams draft war room and will have opinions on what the Dolphins should do. Will Chris Grier take his advice? He didn’t last year.
The story of last years first round is well documented. Stephen Ross wanted Grier and Tannenbaum to trade down and gain more draft picks. Grier and Tannenbaum did not and wanted to draft Minkah Fitzpatrick. Ross allowed Grier to make the call but he objected.
This year there has been a lot of speculation regarding the Dolphins draft plans. While there are no rumors circulating to point to this guy or that guy, let alone a position, there is a common thread that the Dolphins want to acquire more draft picks in 2020 where they are expected to make a run at their franchise quarterback.
For Grier, last year was easy to disobey Ross’ wish. He wasn’t in full control but did have final say. His job really wasn’t on the line because his head wasn’t the one on the block. That was Tannenbaum. This year, it is entirely the Chris Grier show.
Grier told members of the media earlier this week that there are maybe five players that should they fall you absolutely do not trade out of 13 and instead select them. Who those five players this year are is anyone’s guess but if Grier has five names and Ross still thinks that the team should move down, will Grier do it?
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This could be especially true should a quarterback fall to the 13th spot. Whether that is Kyler Murray, Dwyane Haskins, or Drew Lock, the Dolphins are reportedly looking at the 2020 draft where Tua Tagovaiola or Justin Herbert are reportedly on the top of the list for Ross. If Ross was sitting in the room and Haskins was on the board and Grier wanted him, would Ross try to talk him out of it? Would Grier listen?
Of course Ross may not be 100% all in on a quarterback in 2020 if one presented itself this year. Some believe that Dwayne Haskins could fall to 13 which would set up the potential for a trade partner. If the phone rang, Ross may want Grier to consider taking the offer.
All of it is speculation and what happens in the draft room will not immediately be known and may not be known at all. This regime of Grier and Flores seems to be keeping everything close and internal. Still, Stephen Ross wants his team to start winning and finding a QB is big part of that so is finding offensive lineman, defensive lineman, and gathering more draft picks.