The attention of the Miami Dolphins men in charge has shifted from free agency to the NFL Draft. For Jon-Eric Sullivan, it's his time to shine after patiently waiting behind others in Green Bay. With the draft an integral part of Sullivan's learning, he now controls what happens next.
The Dolphins will enter the draft with needs at cornerback, wide receiver, safety, and just about every position in between, but their biggest need might just be on the defensive front. A month ago, the Dolphins' options to fill that hole were considered limited.
The NFL Combine is the starting point of draft season. It's also a catalyst for players to rise and, sadly, fall. That is Rueben Bain, Jr.'s situation heading into the draft.
Miami University standout could fall to the Miami Dolphins early in round one
Chop Robinson is the only edge defender currently on the roster who has starting ability. That could change if Bain falls out of the top ten, as many now expect.
Before the NFL Combine, Bain was a consensus top 10 pick; in fact, some believed that he would come off the board as early as pick five. Bain has not lost any of the talent that showcased his NFL potential since the Hurricane season ended, but his measurements at the combine caught many scouts by surprise.
Bain's wingspan came in at 77 1/2 inches, but his arm length measured 30 7/8ths. Not ideal for an NFL edge rusher who needs longer arms to get around tackles. The shorter arms have drawn some criticism about his ability to take on bigger offensive linemen.
The reason it is a concern is that most edge-rushers use their arms to keep tackles or tight ends off their chests. From the earliest days of playing football, linemen are coached to get into the pad level of a defender. On the edge, tackles are coached to get in close to take leverage off the defensive end so they can drive the rush outside of the pocket.
Longer-armed defenders use that to their advantage and keep the linemen from getting in close. This is what Bain is facing as an NFL prospect.
Despite his "T-rex" arm length, Bain is explosive off the edge. He has a fantastic first-step move, and despite the detractors over his arm reach, he can manipulate the block with quick footwork and a variety of attacking moves.
As mock drafts continue to predict Bains' fall out of the top seven or eight picks, there is a chance that he could become available outside of the top 10. With Sullivan picking at 11, the opportunity to land a blue-chip, possibly top-five talent, might be too hard to pass up.
What will also make this intriguing is if the Dolphins don't view him as the need they want, Bain could draw interest in a team looking to move up for him. Sullivan would be smart to play up his interest in Bain to solicit an offer.
Sullivan has done his work on this class just like everyone else. If Bain was on his radar before, the arm length issue shouldn't change that. The only thing that might change is him falling to them.