Miami Dolphins: Updated Big Board After 1st Wave of Free Agency
It's been a week since free agency opened up for the Miami Dolphins and the rest of the NFL, and with the signings that the Dolphins have made, an adjustment must be made to their draft board.
No longer is defensive tackle a true "need" with the signing of Ndamukong Suh, while with tight ends the position got better with the signing of Jordan Cameron, and could become less of a need depending on whatever seems to happen with Charles Clay.
Then you look at the holes for the Dolphins: they could use a guard, they could use another safety, another wide receiver would help (it's a need that never went away as I view the trade for former Saint Kenny Stills to be more of a replacement for the Minnesota-bound Mike Wallace), and have you seen Miami's corners after Brent Grimes?
That's a position that could use some help as well.
With that, let's look at Miami's big board. Here I have the 25 best players available for the Dolphins. These players are all players who should be picked in the first three rounds (note: Miami traded its third-round pick with Dannell Ellerbe in the Stills trade with New Orleans).
The players are ranked based off of their ability as well as how badly they are needed by the Dolphins, with the first part being graded as being more important.
25. Nick Boyle—Tight End, Delaware
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I consider this my sleeper pick, someone projected to go on the third day that could sneak into the end of Day 2.
I've liked Nick Boyle ever since I saw him in the Senior Bowl. He stuck out to me due to his blocking ability, which he tells NJ.com's Jordan Raanan is something he takes pride in:
"I take pride in that because I think if you want to block and be a good blocker, you have to have that mentality, No. 1. It's not always a physical trait. Some guys are big but they're soft. So I think it's good to have that mentality and also can be a threat in the pass game, which I think I can be. I think I can move around pretty well for how big I am.
"
At the NFL combine, Boyle recorded the best 20-yard shuttle time among tight ends at 4.23 seconds, as well as the best 60-yard shuttle time among tight ends at 11.65, showing nice athleticism to go along with his blocking abilities.
If Charles Clay winds up in Buffalo, Boyle would be a nice replacement, and could be available as late as the fifth round with the pick acquired in exchange for Mike Wallace.
24. Mike Hull—Linebacker, Penn State
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The Dolphins don't have a true inside linebacker on their roster right now.
Koa Misi was adequate at the position, and with Suh on the defensive line will work for now as the starting middle linebacker.
I'd still like to see some depth at the position, though, which is why I have Mike Hull out of Penn State on this list.
Hull isn't seen as a starter by NFL.com's Lance Zierlein, saying of Hull:
"Hull is a productive linebacker who might be forced to stay inside due to his lack of athleticism. His size and short arms concern some scouts because they fear he'll get overwhelmed on second level and give up too many big runs. Hull has enough talent to make it in the league as a backup linebacker/special-teams contributor.
"
Despite that, Hull was a leader at Penn State, playing both inside and outside linebacker (he should remain inside).
Hull would be a good replacement for Jason Trusnik, should the Dolphins decide to move on from the free agent.
23. Devin Smith—Wide Receiver, Ohio State
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If you're this far down on my list, you're likely a third-round pick.
Technically, the Dolphins already used their third-round pick on a wide receiver in Kenny Stills thanks to that trade with New Orleans.
However, I can't keep Devin Smith completely off the board. It's easy to see Miami attempt to acquire a third-rounder during the draft; however, I don't see them using that pick on a wide receiver (that will warrant a first- or second-round pick).
In the event that they don't go wide receiver in the first two rounds, Ohio State's Devin Smith would make a pretty good option, even though he could use some work.
He's a speed threat, running a 4.42 40-yard dash at the combine. However, NFL.com's Lance Zierlein compares Smith to Washington wide receiver DeSean Jackson (who worked with Dolphins offensive coordinator Bill Lazor in Philadelphia) and says this about Smith:
"Smith isn't just combine-fast, he's game-fast and he would have had more than 12 touchdown catches during the 2014 season if he didn't have to slow down and wait on throws so often. Smith has the feet and hips to become much more than a deep-ball specialist and should be able to step right into a gunner spot on special teams. He still needs to learn his craft and improve his hands, but he has rare speed to score from anywhere on the field.
"
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22. Durell Eskridge—Free Safety, Syracuse
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I haven't seen the Dolphins go after a safety in free agency yet, and while I'd like to see Louis Delmas back, there's no guarantee he'll be ready for training camp. The Dolphins could use more competition at the position against Michael Thomas and Jordan Kovacs.
Durell Eskridge of Syracuse could be that competition.
He has good size and speed for a free safety, but at times looked like he should've stayed in school for another season.
However, Mel Kiper Jr. seemed pretty high on Eskridge, saying about the Miami native (h/t Nate Mink of Syracuse.com):
"I had him in the top 10 safety group for a while. I haven't seen him do well enough on a game-to-game basis, and I thought another year could have helped him, especially with the safeties that decided to come out.
But he has a lot of talent, and if somebody looks at him and sees him in the right game, he looks like a second- or third-round pick.
"
21. Tre' Jackson—Guard, Florida State
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Florida State's Tre' Jackson has an impressive build, seemingly perfect for the guard position.
Despite that, he's the lowest-ranked guard on my list, and not someone I'd endorse the Dolphins draft if other players are available at the position.
Jackson's weight is one thing I look at as an issue. He's listed at 330 pounds, but would benefit from cutting down to 315. As Lance Zierlein of NFL.com points out, his "fleshy midsection with excess weight" potentially affects his foot quickness.
If Jackson can work on his conditioning, you have a solid starter at right guard for years to come. The question is, will he be willing to put in that work?
20. Ali Marpet—Center/Guard, Hobart
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By trade, Ali Marpet is a center, but the Dolphins don't need one of those.
Marpet has the potential to be a guard, and a pretty dang good one at that.
"He doesn't stand out physically, but he is always under control with core strength and coordination. The hungry man from Hobart, Marpet is a tenacious technician, who eats glass for breakfast and gets his money's worth on each snap. A competitive overachiever with zero passiveness to his game, Marpet has the next level intangibles and skill-set to start in the NFL for a long time, ideally suited inside at either guard or center as a bargain brand version of Cowboys' Zach Martin.
"
In the later rounds this would be a solid pick for the Dolphins, assuming they don't address guard later on in the draft.
19. A.J. Cann—Guard, South Carolina
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Last season, general manager Dennis Hickey showed that he liked players that were leaders at their schools.
With the Dolphins in need of a guard, a good pickup that fits that mold is A.J. Cann of South Carolina.
Cann was a four-year starter with the Gamecocks who was voted as team captain in his final two seasons.
Cann will likely be available later than many anticipate due to his size, but would be a value pick in the third round (assuming the Dolphins find a way back into the third round), and wouldn't be too bad of a reach in Round 2.
18. Clive Walford—Tight End, Miami
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He's the final tight end on this list, and likely the first one to be drafted in an otherwise weak tight end class.
Mike Mayock of NFL Network calls Walford "the most explosive tight end in this year's draft" (h/t Mike Huguenin of NFL.com), and based off of what we saw during Walford's time at The U, it's easy to see that being the case.
We're still awaiting what happens with Charles Clay (which is why Walford is on this list), but if Clay leaves, Walford is another player who could replace Clay and wind up providing great numbers alongside Jordan Cameron at the tight end position for the Dolphins.
17. Dorial Green-Beckham—Wide Receiver, Missouri/Oklahoma
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Earlier this offseason, I was a lot higher on Dorial Green-Beckham despite the personal issues that dogged him at Missouri.
However, I thought a lot more about the fact that he missed the entire year after transferring from Missouri to Oklahoma.
Yes, Green-Beckham participated in practices throughout the season. And, yes, Bob Stoops was complimentary toward Green-Beckham when the player announced his intentions to leave the Sooners, but the thought of him not playing in a game for a year didn't sit too well with me, especially when I saw his combine performance.
I wasn't very impressed, not when compared to what I saw of him in Missouri.
Less than a month ago I wanted the Dolphins to reach for him in the first round. Now I'd be happy if he's chosen in Round 2, but wonder if he could've been had if the Dolphins traded back.
16. Nelson Agholor—Wide Receiver, USC
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Say the Dolphins choose to wait until the second round to draft a wide receiver.
They'll have options (including one highlighted in the last slide), but one player who will definitely be considered is USC's Nelson Agholor.
Agholor was unable to participate in any catching drills during the NFL combine, but showed off his sure-handedness at USC's pro day three weeks after undergoing surgery for the broken finger.
In said pro day, covered by CBSSports.com's Rob Rang, Agholor put up a tremendous performance, as Rang describes that the former Trojan "caught the ball cleanly and performed well in other drills, registering a 36.5" vertical and a 10'5" broad jump. Agholor is currently projected by NFLDraftScout.com as a second-round value."
He's not a speed threat, but would work well in the slot, pushing Jarvis Landry to the outside.
15. Quinten Rollins—Cornerback, Miam (Ohio)
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Right now we've entered the part of the big board where I'm highlighting players the Dolphins should consider picking late in the first round if they find themselves trading back from No. 14.
The first one is Quinten Rollins of Miami (Ohio), a player who is getting more buzz and moving up draft boards after an impressive Senior Bowl showing, followed by a good combine.
Rollins only played football at Miami in 2014, but in that year he made a big impact with 72 tackles, 16 passes defended and seven interceptions, earning team MVP and MAC Defensive Player of the Year honors.
At the combine, he ran a 4.57 40-yard dash and possesses good skill for a zone cornerback.
Despite the inexperience, he might be ready to challenge for the second cornerback job if drafted by the Dolphins, and would complement Brent Grimes well.
14. Gerod Holliman—Free Safety, Louisville
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I'll admit this myself: Gerod Holliman shouldn't be this high on any draft board, yet he's high on almost every draft board and might not make it out of the first round.
He has talent and promise to go along with good speed and great numbers in 2014.
The question is, is he a one-year wonder, or can this translate into more?
I really don't want to take that chance, but some NFL team will with a very high pick. Because he does have talent and plays a position of need for Miami, he's on this list.
13. Denzel Perryman—Inside Linebacker, Miami
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Denzel Perryman was tremendous at the University of Miami. It's a shame he wasn't on better teams.
What he never really had was a good defensive line that could create holes for him and allow him to stuff the run or get to the quarterback better when needed, a different situation than one that he could see himself in with the Dolphins.
I'm in favor of keeping the local kid in Miami, as he'd allow Koa Misi to move back outside (a more natural position for Misi), and would be a favorite for Defensive Rookie of the Year on a team with as much talent up front as the Dolphins have.
12. Devin Funchess—Wide Receiver/Tight End, Michigan
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In Jordan Cameron, the Dolphins signed a big-bodied tight end who could move out and play some wide receiver as well.
A big-bodied wide receiver would also be nice, and Michigan's Devin Funchess would fit that.
The 6'4", 232-pound Funchess didn't run a great 40-yard dash at the combine, finishing in 4.70 seconds. But, per Gil Brandt of NFL.com, he improved upon that at Michigan's pro day, posting 40 times of 4.47 and 4.53 seconds. When asked the reason for the improvement, Brandt "explained that he had been up late to do interviews at the combine and was just plain tired when he ran."
Prior to the pro day, I liked Funchess a lot better than most and saw him as a good fit to the Dolphins offense, which is why I'm not opposed to either trading down and taking him late in Round 1, or just waiting for Round 2 (where he'll likely be available) and picking him up there.
11. Breshad Perriman—Wide Receiver, UCF
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Brett Perriman ended his career with the Miami Dolphins in 1997, and his son Breshad would be a good fit for the team in 2015.
Breshad Perriman has climbed up many a draft board since declaring for the draft in January, and is seen as a high draft pick.
Per Mel Kiper Jr. (h/t Shannon Owens-Green of the Orlando Sentinel):
"Perriman, you saw what he can do. He's a tough, tough guy to cover. He's got a lot of ability, he can beat you vertically, come across in traffic. He's the kind of guy that may be a second round possibility. Very, very good football player, has a chance to be...depending on workouts because that's gonna be very important for these guys to see how they test. He could even be the fourth, fifth wide receiver taken.
"
Keep in mind that the fourth or fifth wide receiver taken could be a first-round pick with the position as loaded as it is.
In 2014, his junior season, Perriman led the Knights with 1,044 yards on 50 catches, averaging better than 20 yards per catch with nine touchdowns. His best asset in terms of the Dolphins is his 6'2", 212-pound frame, making him a nice target down the field.
10. Ronald Darby—Cornerback, Florida State
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If you were to have asked me about a month ago where I'd have Ronald Darby on my draft board, it wouldn't be at No. 10.
In fact, I'm still debating why I'm putting him at No. 10 and the other cornerback at No. 9 (you'll see who it is next), even though cornerback is a big need for the Dolphins that still hasn't been addressed in free agency.
As I debate that though, the number 4.38 flashes through my head.
That was Darby's 40 time.
He does have starter ability in the NFL, although it might take him a while to get used to Kevin Coyle's defense if drafted to the Dolphins. Is he a top 10 in terms of the Dolphins draft board? That might be up for debate, but due to the need I have him here.
9. Jalen Collins—Cornerback, LSU
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LSU's Jalen Collins is the prototype at cornerback.
He has great size at 6'1", 203 pounds, and showed off good speed, running a 4.48 40-yard dash.
The bad news is Collins started only 10 games in college, but as part of a rotation at cornerback he did get plenty of snaps and had 17 pass breakups in 2014.
He's a second-round pick, but teams in need of a corner might be tempted to reach for him. The Dolphins shouldn't do this at No. 14, but it might be tempting to do if they trade down.
8. Benardrick McKinney—Linebacker, Mississippi State
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If you want a versatile linebacker available in the mid-to-late portion of the first round, Benardrick McKinney fits that.
He could play either outside or inside, sheds blockers quite easily and while he's built for Miami's 4-3 scheme, he could play in a 3-4 if needed.
His vertical jump is quite impressive at 40.5, the fourth-best among linebackers at the combine.
I like his fit on Miami's defense. As a first-round pick, he'd work.
7. Trae Waynes—Cornerback, Michigan State
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I present to you the best cornerback in the 2015 draft, Michigan State's Trae Waynes.
Waynes was a stud at Michigan State with 34 tackles and three interceptions his senior year. Big Ten offenses tended to shy away from the Spartan, whether it was in the pass game or run game.
His combine was even more impressive than his career in East Lansing, running a 4.31 40-yard dash along with benching 19 reps.
One concern for him if he's in Miami is adjusting to Kevin Coyle's zone coverage defense, as Lance Zierlein puts it:
"'Grab, grab, grab!' Transition to a less hands-on cover style will take time. Would grab opposing wide receivers at top of route at times rather than trusting length and ball skills.
"
Waynes is certainly worth a look in the first round at a position where the Dolphins could use as much help as possible.
6. Jaelen Strong—Wide Receiver, Arizona State
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As many as six wide receivers could find themselves drafted in the first round.
Six! Only five of those are highlighted on Miami's draft board (sorry, Kevin White fans, he's the one most likely to be off the board at No. 14 when Miami is on the clock), but one of the receivers I will talk about is Arizona State's Jaelen Strong.
Strong's catch radius is off the charts, as his leaping ability (42-inch vertical, the second-best among receivers at the combine) mixed in with his 6'2" frame and 32.5" arm length make just about any pass to him a catchable one.
At 215 pounds, he also has great strength to play the position and isn't afraid to fight for the ball in the air.
In that situation, he'll usually come out on top.
If he's selected at No. 14, he's not a reach by any stretch of the imagination, unless any of the receivers profiled after him on this draft board are available.
5. La'el Collins—Tackle/Guard, LSU
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Yes, I included a tackle on the draft board, and he's very high on the board, too.
Yes, I'm aware that with Branden Albert at left tackle and Ja'Wuan James at right tackle, the Dolphins are set there barring injury.
The Dolphins do need guards though, and LSU tackle La'el Collins is likely to be a guard in the NFL.
Lance Zierlein of NFL.com has Collins as a guard on opening day of the 2015 NFL season. He compared him to Maurkice Pouncey (a center like his brother), saying about Collins:
"Brawling right tackle or guard prospect in the NFL who has had a level of success in hyper-competitive SEC West. Lacks athleticism to be a consistent left tackle, despite his snaps there in college. Collins plays with a mean streak that is evident in every game, and could come in and start right away in a power-running game as a guard.
"
Isn't that something that could help the Dolphins? Lamar Miller had a fine 2014 season; however, there were plenty of times where he was let down by the guard play, not the tackles, of the team.
He'll need someone to create holes in the middle, and Collins, playing between Pouncey and James on the right side, would be a great option for doing that.
Collins could also provide insurance at tackle (the position he played in college) if the worst happens to Albert (which would move Collins to right tackle and James to left tackle) or James (which would move Collins to right tackle).
A lot of Dolphins fans will complain if this pick is made. I won't be one of them.
4. Marcus Peters—Cornerback, Washington
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Did I say Trae Waynes was the best cornerback in the draft?
I did...well, allow me to correct myself.
Trae Waynes is the best option at cornerback in the draft. Marcus Peters has more talent, thus making him the best cornerback in the draft.
Only thing is, Peters has somewhat of a troubled background.
It's not the type of troubled background that Dorial Green-Beckham has, but one that has him slipping lower in the draft than he should go.
Peters threw a temper tantrum during Washington's home opener in 2014. Then in November, Huskies coach Chris Petersen to kick him off the team.
Even Peters himself admits that Petersen did the right thing, telling Tom Pelissero of USA Today:
"It was an avalanche ready to happen, man. It was going to collapse sooner or later. I don't blame (Petersen) for anything. All I can blame is myself, because I made those decisions and I have to live with them. Now I'll have to man up and I've got to answer these questions in interviews, and all I can do is sit there and answer truthfully and honestly.
"
The honesty is refreshing, however that's a huge red flag.
Peters' combine was good (not quite as good as Waynes), and while he was refreshingly honest, NFL.com's Lance Zierlein still has Peters tagged with "doesn't take coaching," with one NFC personnel director saying:
"I wouldn't take him inside the first two rounds. He's good, but he's not that good that I would be willing to deal with his emotional issues.
"
Yikes, that's a harsh—but probably well-deserved—critique.
Talent-wise, I do see him as better than Waynes, who will be drafted higher due to being more consistent and the safer choice.
Because of the talent disparity though, as well as the fact that Peters seems better made for Miami's defense, I have him as the best corner on the board for Miami.
3. Shaq Thompson—Linebacker/Safety, Washington
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Is Shaq Thompson a linebacker or a safety?
The Dolphins could need both, so it would make sense to link him to the Dolphins much like how Mel Kiper Jr. and Todd McShay did back in January.
The reasoning from both made a lot of sense, too. Here's Kiper's report on Thompson from his mock:
"The great thing about Thompson is he's not just a freak in the athletic sense. He's also a freak in his football instincts. This is a kid who has played safety, linebacker and in 2014 was every bit a future NFL running back when the Huskies asked him to help out there for a few games. Ideally, he ends up at weak side linebacker, perhaps in the Lavonte David mold, using sideline-to-sideline speed to disrupt attack angles and chase down ball carriers and underneath pass-catchers. He can also use his big-time explosiveness as a gap blitzer and coming off the edge. There's developmental work to be done here, but maybe not much because the football instincts are so good.
"
McShay had this to say not just about Thompson, but his fit with the Dolphins:
"The Dolphins could afford to add a wide receiver with size, like West Virginia's Kevin White (6-foot-3) or Arizona State's Jaelen Strong (6-4), but they can address that need in Round 2. Thompson is a unique talent with an outstanding combination of size, speed and athleticism, and he could help upgrade Miami at linebacker. He is very good in coverage and can defend the run sideline-to-sideline.
"
There's only one thing I'd find wrong with drafting Thompson.
He wouldn't be a middle linebacker, the one linebacker position the Dolphins absolutely would have to upgrade.
So why is he at No. 3? He is one of the best overall athletes in the draft, and while not a middle linebacker, all the Dolphins would have to do is dedicate Dion Jordan to defensive end to make room for Thompson in the linebacker rotation.
2. DeVante Parker—Wide Receiver, Louisville
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I watched plenty of Louisville games in 2014, and each time came away with the thought that I'd love it if the Dolphins drafted DeVante Parker.
Already it's looking like the Dolphins might at least be considering it.
"WR DeVante Parker is going to be a busy man over the next month. He has 12 team visits scheduled. First up: #Dolphins
— Gil Brandt (@Gil_Brandt) March 16, 2015"
What's not to like with Parker? He's 6'3", 209 pounds, recorded a 36.5 vertical jump to go along with a 4.45 40-yard dash, and balled while at Louisville with 156 catches for 2,775 yards and 33 touchdowns in four seasons.
He's a red-zone target, a down-field target and a target up the middle. He's someone you can put on one side with Kenny Stills on the other, then put Jarvis Landry in the slot.
That's a tremendous three-man receiving unit you'd have, with each player being younger than 25 on a rookie contract for at least the next two years.
Only one receiver on this draft board is better, but "settling" for Parker won't upset anyone.
1. Amari Cooper—Wide Receiver, Alabama
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This piece on NFL.com by Mike Huguenin details the debate among scouts between Amari Cooper and Kevin White in regards to who the better wide receiver is.
My take: Cooper is the better receiver, White will be taken earlier (he's the only one I say with confidence will not be available to the Dolphins, which is why he's not on this board).
I'm not too confident that Cooper will be there at No. 14 either, but for some reason my gut tells me there's a shot that either he'll be there, or the Dolphins could trade into the top 10 to acquire him (something I don't see them doing for White nor Parker).
Cooper had the best college career of any receiver in the draft, winning a national title in his freshman year, then finishing with 228 receptions for 3,463 yards and 31 touchdowns.
His junior season was his best season, as he grabbed 124 receptions (tops in the nation) for 1,727 yards and 16 touchdowns. He'd wind up winning the Fred Biletnikoff and SEC Offensive Player of the Year awards that year.
Is he fast? Not really, but he's the most complete receiver in the draft, and someone you could easily run your offense around.
Statistics provided by Sports-Reference.com/CFB unless otherwise noted. Combine numbers provided by NFL.com.
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