One of these five offensive tackles should be targets for the Miami Dolphins
The Dolphins have two picks inside the top 55 for the upcoming draft, and many fans would like to see the team address the offensive line. I'm going to give you my list of the top 5 tackle prospects the Dolphins could draft.
By Daulton Drew
I am going to preface the choices in this article by saying that just because Joe Alt is probably the best tackle in the class, he obviously will not be available for the Fins at 21. Additionally, Taliese Fuaga, Troy Fautanu, and Olu Fashanu will not be included, as I believe they will be gone before Miami selects. Fuaga or Fashanu would top this list if they were included.
These rankings are based on whether or not I believe the player would be a good fit in Miami. JC Latham, for example, is a great player, but I don't love his fit in the offense even though he is a great player, so he will not be included. I am also passing up on Tyler Guyton and possibly Amarius Mims on this list. I believe Mims will go before Miami, but even still, I have concerns about both of those guys in this system. Both guys are inexperienced, and too big to kick inside to guard, so they will not play this season when Armstead is healthy. Even if they did, they would be switching from RT to LT and I would prefer a natural LT. I also don't think either of them has the athletic profile in terms of the quickness that the offense is looking for. So, with all that said, let's jump into the list.
1. Graham Barton - LT - Duke - Projected Mid 1st - Early 2nd
If you have been on the site in the past month, you know my infatuation with this guy. Barton is an explosive athlete with tons of experience and positional versatility. He is the premier player in this class on the offensive line for Miami. He is intelligent, sees the field well, can eat up space like no other tackle in this class, and he is terrific in pass protection. What's the catch? He has short arms. So, he may be better suited to play guard in the NFL. However, a year at guard and the chance to compete for the left tackle job when Armstead retires is a perfect selection for this year's class. It isn't a wasted pick or someone who will need to sit behind Austin Jackson or Armstead. This is the best fit in the class for Miami full stop.