The biggest question going into next week's draft is what direction Miami Dolphins general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan will build his draft around. The first pick will set the tone for the start of his career.
The Dolphins have been linked to players like Utah's Spencer Fano, USC receiver Makai Lemon, and the hot name, LSU's Mansoor Delane. Most fans would accept any one of those three if they were on the board, but in Dane Brugler's latest mock draft, fans might start wondering if Sullivan is any better than Chris Grier.
Brugler has Miami selecting edge rusher Keldric Faulk with the 11th overall pick in this year's draft. That's a considerable reach for a guy who may be available when Miami selects at 30.
NFL insider believes the Miami Dolphins will draft DE Keldric Faulk
Faulk isn't a bad player and is almost certainly a first-round pick, but for my money, I want an immediate-impact player that is plug-and-play. Frankly, there are too many concerns with Faulk. Despite his constant motor, Faulk lacks the moves off the edge to consistently get to the pocket. The Dolphins already have that player in Chop Robinson.
Where Faulk excels, however, is against the run. That's keeping his draft stock high. The Dolphins would be smart to trade down if Faulk is who they are targeting. No player should carry the "No matter what" post-it note.
With pick 30, Brugler has the Dolphins taking San Diego State CB Chris Johnson. Johnson has the tools to be an excellent NFL boundary player at the next level. Some believe he may fall into the second round, and that would be fantastic if Miami got him at 43; at 30, it's still not a bad selection.
Wide receiver Chris Bell of Louisville feels more like a "They need to take a WR at some point" type of pick. There are very good players on the board at 43, and if the Dolphins wanted to hit a homerun and stick with the BPA mentality they want us to believe they are taking, drafting Cincinnati LB Jake Golday would be the smart move. Golday has elite potential and could be a more well-rounded Andrew Van Ginkel.
The Dolphins have to hit in their first three picks. In this mock draft, I think they hit on one of them with certainty. The other two are not bad, but could have been better. Here is the rest of his 7-round selections for the Dolphins.
- Pick 75 - Caleb Tiernan - OT
- Pick 87 - Sam Roush - TE
- Pick 90 - Bud Clark - Safety
- Pick 94 - Darrell Jackson, Jr - DT
- Pick 130 - Taylen Green - QB
- PIck 151 - Ja'Kobi Lane - WR
- Pick 227 - Matt Gulbin - G/C
- Pick 238 - Kendal Daniels - LB
Personally, I love the Lane pick in round five. I think Lane has the talent to be a mid-round steal. Roush in the mid-third doesn't move the needle for me, but he is coachable. Not sure the Dolphins need to spend a draft pick on a defensive tackle this year, given they are watching how the three players drafted last year are developing. Overall, it would be a mixed bag of a class.
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