Best Miami Dolphins first round NFL Draft picks in 19 years

The Miami Dolphins have had some bad first round picks since 2000 but they have nailed a few of them as well over those same years.

When the Miami Dolphins are on the clock in the first round of the NFL Draft, fans hold their breath and for good reason. Miami does not have a good track record with first-round picks since 2000, as evidenced here.

The last few years have been far kinder to the front office decision makers however and most of the best selections in the last two decades have come recently. While the proverbial jury is still out on some of them, it appears that the Dolphins have done well.

2004 – Vernon Carey

Carey wasn’t a pick that many fans would have made. A tackle early in the draft and one that then general manager Rick Spielman traded up to get sending a fourth-round pick to the Vikings to move up one spot in the draft.

Carey started off slow in his career but he found consistency as he progressed. Carey started at both tackle positions through his career as well as guard. He turned the surprise pick into an eight-year career. By the mid-point of his career, Carey was playing good football and made his selection understandable.

2005 – Ronnie Brown

Brown became a top running back for the Dolphins and the best of the early first round that season when two other running backs were drafted and busted out of the league. Browns spent six seasons with the Dolphins making one Pro-Bowl and led the “Wild Cat” offense to the playoffs in 2008.

After the Dolphins he went to Philadelphia for a season and then spent two and a half years in San Diego before wrapping half a season in Houston, his final NFL season. With Miami, he posted 4815 yards and 36 rushing touchdowns splitting time with Ricky Williams.

2011 – Mike Pouncey

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Pouncey became one of the best centers in Dolphins history but he couldn’t shake the injuries that plagued his seven seasons with the Dolphins. When he was on the field he started making 93 of a possible 93 starts but in that period, he missed 19 games. After being asked to take a pay cut ahead of the 2018 season, Pouncey asked for a raise and then his release. He joined the Chargers in 2018 and made the Pro-Bowl, his fourth, and completed the entire season’s slate of 16 games and post-season.

2014 – Ja’Wuan James

James was a reliable right tackle and while he had a tendency to be inconsistent at times, he was very good in pass blocking. His career in Miami came to an end this off-season after he played five years for the Dolphins. He was given a free agent contract by the Broncos that made him the highest paid right tackle in the NFL.

2016 – Laremy Tunsil

Tunsil has developed into one of the best left tackles in the NFL and continues to improve each season. There isn’t much to say about Tunsil because he is still here and looking to get better. Tunsil’s meteoric fall in the draft was a huge positive for the Dolphins who wasted no time drafting him. After one year starting at guard, he has locked down the left tackle spot and will likely be extended soon. The Dolphins picked up his 2020 5th year option early this off-season.

Overall

The Dolphins seem to have found the best success in round one with offensive lineman over this time period which is a bit surprising but the first overall pick of Jake Long still stings given his injury concerns and short tenure with the Dolphins.