How Important Is Nose Tackle at NFL? Miami Dolphins' Draft Preview

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• QB has a fine starter in Chad Pennington and a future leader and current backup in Chad Henne, who is more than anxious to start. After the Chads, John Beck is a non-favorite of Sparano but he may do the job.
• K & P are well addressed.
• C was upgraded, but there are backup concerns and a draft gem can be included to complete.
• OL is younger and retooled. A late round or undrafted free agent may enter as part of the rotation. 
• RB is more than decent, especially with three guys rotation, but young blood won't hurt.
• TE is acceptable but with most starters finishing their contracts in 2009, adding young options can avoid future holes.
• Special teams were better in 2008 but surely can be upgraded.
• WR corps are filled with excellent slot receivers but lack a go-to receiver. As told before, we can address this with a tested veteran, in case we can't get a taller, faster rookie.
• FB is a little discrete but can wait a year.
• NT is pretty fragile, as Jason Ferguson is 34 and got several injuries on 2008 and Paul Soliai has shown poor development, struggling at training and acting like an overweight baby. NT has become too expensive in free agency and won't be easy to find on draft day.
• DL needs fresh talent, as both starters are more run stoppers than pass rushers. One more guy may fit.
• S have decent starters but could have finer backups, also as TE, some contracts will expire next year. Dealing everybody is unlikely, as they command more money and look overpaid.
• LB is fine but could be upgraded as mentioned by Ireland, adding a OLB pass rusher. Another upgradable spot is ILB, where we may add a quality guy able to compete with Crowder.
• CB is the weakest part of the roster. We must add a starter and a backup as there's another place that will have contract issues after 2009.

So that means the draft list includes: Two CB, one DT, one or two LB, one NT, one C/G, one OT, one RB, one S, one TE and one WR.

That's as much as 2+1+2+1+1+1+1+1+1+1= 12 players. As of today, the Miami Dolphins only have nine draft picks, which leads to focus on the most imperative needs.

Center and Running Back only need bodies, so unrestricted free agents may fit.

Interior Linebacker is a matter of quality so unless some cool option is available after the first day, this can be fitted the same way.

Wide Receiver is first day or nothing, so having the bunch of holes to fill, this can wait a year and may be repaired by signing a veteran after the draft.

Unlike those positions, Cornerback is a huge need so we're looking for instant starters, both spots must be addressed on first day. That doesn't necessarily means first round as this class is deep on CB.

Outside linebacker is on the same page, while Defensive Tackle and Tight End can wait until later rounds.

But things seem blurry on NT. Why? Because Nose Tackle is an ambiguous term.

Even most of us understand a NT is a big mammoth placed in the center of a defensive line, there are different ways to see a Nose Tackle.

The main role for such guy is to stop the running game, but also must try to break the center of the offensive line and hunt for the passer.

So he must be big, heavy, and have some speed, but not the kind of North-South speed he may expect on WR, but lateral speed and agility to lose two or even three men covering him. What? That sounds like looking for a dancing hippopotamus!

It's a matter of physics, where a normal difference of DT and NT, is a lower center of gravity that allows the NT to be almost immovable. But that's not a rule, as handwork may vary the effect, allowing teams to use taller guys on center.

Weight can work favorably or unfavorably on each case, because a bulky 6'4", 355 guy like Soliai can't break his blocker as fast as desired, while a 6'5", 305 player like Kevin Vickerson can't compete with two bodyguards like those in our starting o-line because his center is mass is too high.

As dancing hippos are rare specimens, teams have been creative finding new ways to create an immovable center of the defense, using two men in 4-3 schemes, where one guy is the NT and the other is a little lighter as he needs to move faster.

Other variations of NT is the unbalanced d-line used by Jacksonville

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