Miami Dolphins 2015 NFL Offseason Draft Scouting Guide
The NFL offseason can be known as the silly season because of all of the transactions and rumors flying around, and a big part of the fun is the NFL draft. Because of the cheap labor and upside young players provide, there's no better way to build a winning franchise than to draft well.
As every other team in the league does, the Miami Dolphins have a number of areas where they must upgrade their roster to continue to be in the playoff mix moving forward. With some luck and great drafting, the team can evolve into a championship contender.
Earlier in the week we did a seven-round mock draft for the Dolphins, giving an idea of what picks would be ideal for the team. In case some of those players aren't available, it's important to see what other options are going to be on the board.
This guide will give you the opportunity to look at a number of players who fit the Dolphins' needs and criteria. Remember, Dennis Hickey and Joe Philbin tend to like high-character players who were team captains. If the 2014 NFL draft is an indicator, Hickey is likely to take instant contributors with average upsides and high floors.
That's not an indictment on Ja’Wuan James or Jarvis Landry, but neither should be considered as potential premier players at their position. From rounds three through seven, Miami showed a willingness to take developmental players with solid to great upside. Keep that in mind.
Where Will Miami Be Picking?
1 of 8
First and foremost, we have to consider where the Dolphins are picking. With help from Pro Sports Transactions, these are the Dolphins' seven selections in the 2015 NFL draft.
| 1 | 14 | Original |
| 2 | 47 | Original |
| 3 | 78 | Original |
| 4 | 111 | Original |
| 5 | 142 | Original |
| 6 | 175 | Original |
| 7 | 207 | Acquired from trade with 49ers |
Miami had originally traded its seventh-round pick to the Baltimore Ravens for tackle Bryant McKinnie, but it recuperated a seventh rounder from the San Francisco 49ers for Jonathan Martin before the 2014 season. That upgrade cost the Dolphins only one spot in the seventh round.
Well played, Mr. Hickey.
By picking in the middle of the first round, Miami will have the chance to land a real impact player.
Although some of the team's needs are greater than others, we must consider the depth of certain positions and the value. Not all positions have the same importance because of how relatively easily it is to find contributors late in the class.
Dolphins Need: Wide Receiver
2 of 8
This is the position that really should be looked at deeply for the Dolphins. Multiple Miami receivers could be cut due to salary cap issues and lack of explosiveness, including Mike Wallace, Brian Hartline and Brandon Gibson.
By taking at least one receiver, Miami could overhaul the position while getting better overall and cheaper.
Adding a true, dominant No. 1 type should be at the top of Miami’s wish list. Quarterback Ryan Tannehill needs a target who can go up and high-point the ball well—or adjust mid-air to make a game-changing play.
Wallace simply is too inconsistent with his effort to be that guy.
Below are five guys who can come in and impact this offense in Year 1 and continue to develop into big time threats. The last two options are more complementary receivers than the first three—and are latter-round picks.
| 1 | Kevin White | West Virginia | 1 |
| 2 | Jaelen Strong | Arizona State | 1 |
| 3 | Breshad Perriman | UCF | 2-3 |
| 4 | Tyler Lockett | Kansas State | 4-5 |
| 5 | Devin Smith | Ohio State | 4-5 |
Dolphins Need: Defensive Tackle
3 of 8
This is probably the second-biggest need for the Dolphins. Great defensive tackles are extremely valuable, so they go off the board quickly. That means a high-impact player at defensive tackle could be in the mix at Miami’s first-round selection.
The 2015 draft has some talented defensive tackles the Dolphins should look at. Star Leonard Williams will be long gone by Miami’s first-round pick, but Oklahoma’s Jordan Phillips could be a steal. He’s a mammoth at 6’6”, 334 pounds and moves incredibly well for his size.
If the Dolphins miss out on Phillips, there are some other quality linemen who could fall into the second round. Expect this position to be bolstered early.
| 1 | Jordan Phillips | Oklahoma | 1 |
| 2 | Danny Shelton | Washington | 1-2 |
| 3 | Eddie Goldman | Florida State | 2 |
| 4 | Carl Davis | Iowa | 3-4 |
| 5 | Tyeler Davidson | Fresno State | 4-5 |
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
Dolphins Need: Cornerback
4 of 8
Cornerback is another position of need for the Dolphins. Brent Grimes began to show his age in the second half of the 2014 season, getting beaten for five touchdowns in the last eight games.
He is still a solid top cornerback, but he’s also small and reliant on his quickness to be effective. At 32, he won’t be great for more than another season.
Across from Grimes is a major question mark.
Cortland Finnegan was a bust signing and could retire. Jamar Taylor looked good when he got the chance to play, but injuries and inconsistent playing time limited him to just 299 snaps, per Pro Football Focus. And Will Davis struggled before he suffered a torn ACL, so he’s not the obvious heir-apparent.
The Dolphins need to add at least one cornerback in the first three rounds of the draft. Marcus Peters is the top cornerback, but he has some character concerns that could remove him from Miami’s board.
Here are five solid options.
| 1 | Trae Waynes | Michigan State | 1 |
| 2 | Alex Carter | Stanford | 2 |
| 3 | Jalen Collins | LSU | 2 |
| 4 | Ifo Ekpre-Olomu | Oregon | 2-3 |
| 5 | Quinten Rollins | Miami (OH) | 3-4 |
Dolphins Need: Offensive Guard
5 of 8
Hopefully the team will decide to address offensive guard in free agency—where there are numerous solid options—but if not, the draft must provide another guard.
Although this is a major need, it's hard to justify taking a guard in the first round.
Yes, Zack Martin worked out well for the Dallas Cowboys in 2014, but they already had great playmakers in place, and Martin was more of a complementary piece. Miami doesn't have a Dez Bryant or Jason Witten-type playmaker on its offense.
Nonetheless, this is a position to look at deeply. With their zone-blocking scheme, the Dolphins will look for agile and smaller players who can move well.
Here are the top-five best options for the team.
| 1 | Brandon Scherff | Iowa | 1 |
| 2 | Jamil Douglas | Arizona State | 2-3 |
| 3 | Ali Marpet | Hobart | 3-4 |
| 4 | Ben Beckwith | Mississippi State | 4-5 |
| 5 | Miles Dieffenbach | Penn State | 5 |
Dolphins Need: Inside Linebacker
6 of 8
Depending on how the Dolphins handle Dion Jordan, inside linebacker could become a minor or glaring need. If Jordan is moved to strong-side linebacker, then Koa Misi could stay inside. That means Miami could afford to add a developmental player later in the draft.
If Jordan stays at defensive end like he expects, then Miami could consider moving Misi back to his more-natural outside position and select a rangier, more athletic inside linebacker.
As the Seattle Seahawks have shown, speed and versatility is a major advantage to have at the position, and Miami should copy that formula.
Here are five inside linebackers with great range in coverage and as run-stoppers.
| 1 | Benardrick McKinney | Mississippi State | 1 |
| 2 | Eric Kendricks | UCLA | 2 |
| 3 | Stephone Anthony | Clemson | 2-3 |
| 4 | Kris Frost | Auburn | 3 |
| 5 | Bryce Hager | Baylor | 5 |
Dolphins Need: Outside Linebacker
7 of 8
Miami could still use depth at the strong-side position based on the team's actions in free agency and with the current roster. Jordan Tripp wasn't able to get on the field as a rookie, so he might not be more than a backup or special-team player moving into the future.
We know Phillip Wheeler and Dannell Ellerbe aren't good enough for the Dolphins' roster, so the strong-side spot should be open for a new addition. Jelani Jenkins certainly has the weak side claimed with his breakout year in 2014.
Let’s see the top candidates for strong-side linebacker in this upcoming class.
| 1 | Paul Dawson | TCU | 2-3 |
| 2 | Jordan Hicks | Texas | 3 |
| 3 | Geneo Grissom | Oklahoma | 3-4 |
| 4 | Lynden Trail | Norfolk State | 4 |
| 5 | Davis Tull | Chattanooga | 5 |
Dolphins Need: Running Back
8 of 8
The Dolphins shouldn't be too overzealous when taking a running back as they have Lamar Miller, who ran for 1,099 yards on just 216 carries in 2014. That gives Miami some flexibility to address the position in the middle to late rounds if the team cannot sign hometown hero Frank Gore in free agency.
In order to rid themselves of Daniel Thomas, Miami could use a true power running back who can take a beating between the tackles. The Dolphins don't need a workhorse since Miller has proven capable of being the lead back, so the top guys at the position aren't listed.
Instead, see which guys can expect to see their names called sometime on Day 3 of the draft.
| 1 | David Cobb | Minnesota | 3-4 |
| 2 | Buck Allen | USC | 4 |
| 3 | John Crockett | North Dakota State | 4-5 |
| 4 | Malcolm Brown | Texas | 6 |
| 5 | Thomas Rawls | Central Michigan | 6-7 |
All stats used are via sports-reference.com.
Ian Wharton is a Miami Dolphins Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report, contributor for Optimum Scouting and analyst for eDraft. Follow @NFLFilmStudy.
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
.png?w=480)
