Despite the reactions, Cam Smith makes a lot of sense for the Miami Dolphins

The Miami Dolphins didn't make a lot of fans when they made their fans wait through 50 draft picks just to select a cornerback but once they settle down, they will see it was a smart draft pick.

I'm not going to lie, I wasn't jumping up and down when they called out Cam Smith as Miami's 51st pick but I wasn't throwing stuff at my television either. I wanted Sam LaPorta, he was gone very early in the 2nd round to Detroit.

Many fans wanted a splash. They wanted a big offensive lineman that would challenge Austin Jackson or Liam Eichenberg. They wanted a big bruising tight end or a top linebacker prospect. They didn't expect a CB.

When Miami came on the clock, yes, there were players at those other positions available. Players that continue to fall, players with health questions, tight ends who can't block. The best OTs were long gone and Chris Grier hasn't had much success drafting linemen.

You could argue he doesn't have a great history of drafting corners either. Sure he got Xavien Howard but he also saddled Miami fans with Noah Igbinoghene. Smith needs to be closer to the former, not the latter.

Smith fills a need that fans didn't see. Miami lost not one corner in 2022, they lost Trill Williams. Nik Needham. They lost Howard for a couple of games and when was playing, he was playing injured. Byron Jones never took the field. Miami relied on undrafted rookie Kader Kohou. They relied on Igbinoghene.

This year, the Dolphins will have Jalen Ramsey and a healthy Howard. They will have Elijah Cambell and a recovering Needham but they will also have a player that had it not been for off-field concerns and work ethic questions would have been drafted in round one.

Did Miami get a steal with Cam Smith? That depends on the narrative that Smith writes over the next several years but they didn't completely blow it either. They simply drafted a guy that they had rated high on their draft boards and they took him over other prospects that may not have made an impact in their first NFL season.

Cam Smith isn't the flashy pick but he may very well be the smarter pick and when you don't have a lot of draft picks to work with, drafting safe and best player available may be the better option than simply trying to plug holes.