How the first 12 picks shaped up for the Miami Dolphins and Wilkins

The Miami Dolphins drafted a player that had been speculated to be drafted a few picks higher but when the team was on the clock, Christian Wilkins became a Dolphin.

The new defensive tackle has a lot to prove given his draft placement but more importantly he becomes the block that the Miami Dolphins will build their defense around. To say he will be expected to be better than just good is an understatement.

In order for the Dolphins to have been in position to draft Wilkins the rest of the first 12 picks needed to fall a certain way and with only two QB’s going in the top of the draft, it wasn’t clear if Wilkins would slide. Here is how the draft unfolded up until 13 and how it affected the Dolphins draft.

1: Kyler Murray – after all the back and forth and speculation, the Cardinals did what everyone thought they would and took Murray number one.

2: Nick Bosa – San Francisco at number two had been the logical landing spot for Bosa so there was no surprise here with this pick.

3: Quinnen Williams – While not a surprise to see the Jets take Williams, there had been a lot of talk about how badly they wanted out of the three spot. Apparently the offers were not what they had hoped for.

4: Clelin Ferrell– The first surprise fell at number four when the Raiders reached for a player that many believed would be available with their 2nd of three first round picks. At pick 4, the selection basically put most mock drafts right out the window and as we speculated, the Raiders would change the direction of the draft.

5: Devin White – The Buccaneers needed to fix their poor defense and many believed that the White could come off the board 5th overall. It wasn’t a surprise but it was pushing other defenders down the board.

6: Daniel Jones – If the Raiders pick was a surprise, the Giants pick was a massive shock. QB wasn’t the shock in this pick, the player was. Many believed that the Giants would go defense and then draft a QB with the 17th pick or take Dwayne Haskins. Instead they took a QB that many had listed as the 4th best QB maybe even the 5th in this draft. The Jones pick not only pushed down defenders but pushed down Dwayne Haskins as well.

7: Josh Allen – No surprise with Allen but some thought he would go higher.

8: T.J. Hockenson – Hockenson’s popularity with the Lions in mock drafts gained momentum late and it proved to be another move that pushed defenders down. The Lions could have easily addressed their needs along the defensive front which many expected.

9: Ed Oliver – While it sucks to see the Bills land one of the best DT’s in the draft, some believed that the Bills would try to trade up to get him. The selection was not unexpected.

10: Devin Bush – Some believed that Bush could fall a tad bit further but as the draft approached, rumors began to circulate that the Steelers would move up to take him if they could get there. The trade with Denver made that happen.

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11: Jonah Williams – Many thought Williams was the best OT in this years draft and the Bengals made that apparent as Williams was the first lineman taken on offense. Most believed that the Bengals would go QB, which they did not, or defensive edge/tackle. Some thought Wilkins was the target but when the Bengals passed, it opened the opportunity to fall.

12: Rashan Gary – With word that Gary had a labrum issue, the thought was that Gary would fall. He didn’t and the Packers didn’t spend much time waiting for the clock to run down. GB was never really expected to go DT so Miami would have a choice to make with the next pick.

13: Christian Wilkins – It is unknown if the Dolphins were offered anything of substance for the pick at 13 but chances are Wilkins was one of the “five” players that Chris Grier would not trade out of the pick for. Miami’s only real decision was to take Wilkins or Dwayne Haskins. Miami kept their plan in place and started the franchises rebuild from the trench.

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