Miami Dolphins best and worst draft picks from these 8 SEC schools
By Brian Miller
After looking through most of the SEC schools and the Miami Dolphins draft history with the Southeastern Conference, we wrap it up with a look at the remaining eight schools.
What players have stood out and which players flamed out? 30 players in total have come out of the remaining eight schools. Compare this to the 14 from Florida and 15 from Tennessee and the number of players outside of some of the top SEC schools compares in comparison.
The Dolphins have not drafted players from two of the SEC colleges. Vanderbilt and surprisingly, Ole Miss. The most players taken from these final eight schools comes from Texas A&M where 10 players were drafted including the best of this entire group.
Ten players have been drafted from Texas A&M but only three players stand out as the best from that school. Miami may have missed on Seth McKinney and Taylor Whitley but they did not miss on Richmond Webb.
Webb was one of, if not the best left tackle in Dolphins history. He should be in the Hall of Fame and had it not been for Dan Marino’s quick release, he very well may have already been inducted. He was stellar from the very first day. Drafted 9th overall in the 1990 draft, Webb spent most of his NFL career with the Dolphins having made four Pro Bowls in his 13 year NFL career.
Some fans will disagree but the Dolphins did not make a bad decision when they drafted Ryan Tannehill in 2012, 8th overall. Tannehill may not have turned into the QB that the Dolphins fans had hoped for but he was a tough and gritty player who won his first playoff games in 2019, albeit as a member of the Titans.
Finally, Mark Dennard deserves to be mentioned as a top-three player from the school. He played in Miami from 1979 to 1983 and then two seasons with the Eagles. He started 34 games with the Dolphins as a 10th round pick.
South Carolina – 5 players
The Miami Dolphins have selected five players from South Carolina with the first pick coming in 1967, Stan Juk. The linebacker did not make the roster or the NFL. In 1976 the Dolphins drafted Jeff Grantz, a quarterback. Grantz did not make the roster and never played a down in the NFL.
The highest the Dolphins ever drafted a player from S.C. came in 1996 when Miami drafted FB Stanley Pritchett in the fourth round. Pritchett played in the NFL until 2005. Miami also drafted Arturo Freeman in round five of the 2000 draft and Corey Jenkins in 2003’s sixth round. Freeman, a DB, played in the NFL until 2005 while Jenkins lasted until 2004.
Missouri – 5 players
Miami’s first pick from the school came in 1967 with defensive back Jim Whitaker in the 12 round. he did not make the roster or any other NFL team.
The highest pick Miami has spent on a Missouri player came in 2017 when they wasted their selection on Charles Harris. Miami tried in vain to get Harris to produce but his inconsistency was just too much. He spent the 2020 season with Atlanta after only three seasons with Miami.
While we can consider Harris a big bust for the Dolphins was anyone worse from these schools than TE Michael Egnew? He lasted two seasons with Miami and caught seven passes but was widely panned for his lack of effort and knowledge of the playbook and game.
It wasn’t all bad. In 1988 the Dolphins picked Jeff Cross in the 9th round. Cross remains one of the best defensive ends in Dolphins’ history. He played until 1995.
Catch up with the rest of the SEC draft picks. light. Related Story
Mississippi State – 4 players
The school hasn’t produced much for the Dolphins. Only four players have come out of the school and been drafted by Miami.
1966 – Grady Bolton OT – never made it -5th round
1977 – Brent Smith – Guard – played until 2004
1999 – J.J. Johnson – RB – 2nd round played until 2001
2003 – Donald Lee – 5th round – TE until 2011
Arkansas – 3 players
You can pretty much take your pick here with 1966’s Mike Bender not making the NFL, Kevin Wyatt in 1986 lasting one season, and Tony Bua lasting one year in 2004 as a 5th round pick.
Kentucky – 3
Kentucky didn’t produce much for Miami. Rick Norton in and Rich Kestner in 1966. Kestner didn’t play in the league and Norton was gone after 1970
Miami hasn’t gone back to Kentucky since 1967 when they drafted the great Larry Seiple. Seiple was a key member of the Dolphins Super Bowl runs and still remains one of the most popular unsung hero’s of the Dolphins dynasties. He played until 1977. Not bad for a 7th round pick.