Expect Miami Dolphins to trade picks in April’s NFL Draft
By Brian Miller
The Miami Dolphins have 14 selections to make in next months NFL Draft but if history has shown us anything, they won’t likely draft 14 players.
If history has taught us anything, the Miami Dolphins rarely add more than 10 players to a draft class. Since the NFL Draft was reduced to seven rounds, the Dolphins typically draft below nine players a class. There have been some exceptions of course, but for the most part, nine is a good average.
In 1997, the Dolphins drafted 14 players. It was the second year of Jimmy Johnson’s coaching career with the Dolphins. A year earlier Johnson made 12 selections. The two drafts saw both Zach Thoams and Jason Taylor added to the roster.
Since then, the Dolphins have had four or five 10 pick drafts and some nine pick drafts but most came in around seven or eight. This year the Dolphins once again have 14 picks. Once again, the head coach and GM are entering their second draft together, but I would not expect the Dolphins to add so much youth to the roster this year.
If I were a betting man, and I am not, I would put the over/under at nine. If nine is the number then the Dolphins will be moving five draft picks.
There is growing speculation that the Dolphins will try to move up to number one overall to draft Joe Burrow. If they do, we can wipe out at least three draft picks with that trade alone. Likely another first, a second, and maybe a third. To say nothing of next year’s draft pool.
Assuming that the Dolphins don’t trade up, where might they find moves to make that would dwindle that coffer of picks?
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First, we have to think about the moving around portion of the draft. The Dolphins are in position with draft picks to move up and down if they desire but if a player that they are high on is in front of them they now have all the draft capital in the world to move up and get him without costing all that much to do so. Miami has no excuses to watch a player in the mid-rounds go elsewhere if they covet that player.
Trading out of a round entirely is also a possibility and probably likely as well. The Dolphins can move a pick or more in rounds one, two, and three, maybe even four, to gain draft picks in 2021. Typically a third in 2020 is equal to a 2021 draft selection. Expect to see the Dolphins use a pick or two in order to gain draft capital for the future.
No matter what they do with their picks, the smart money is on them moving four or five of them to get higher draft picks this year or draft picks next year. With all the work that Chris Grier did to get these selections, it would make a lot of sense for them to work towards the future as well as the present. I suspect that is exactly what they will do.