6 2015 NFL Draft Picks Who Could Be Opening-Game Starters for the Miami Dolphins

Let's face it, the approach to the draft is a little different when the people running the team are on the hot seat.

Thus, while head coach Joe Philbin may not be the one with final say over all draft picks, the Miami Dolphins may take a more aggressive approach to this year's draft. 

Their approach to free agency has certainly been indicative of a sense of urgency, as the Dolphins have made some high-profile additions to their roster in what seems like a win-now endeavor. And with plenty of draft prospects ready to contribute in Year 1, the Dolphins could still find a few more players that can help the team in their quest to make the postseason for the first time since 2008.

Here's a look at some of those players.

Benardrick McKinney, ILB, Mississippi State

The only constant in the NFL is change; that would explain why it seems like the Dolphins' linebacker depth chart is constantly changing.

The Dolphins have been through two different groups of starting linebackers since 2012; back then, it was Kevin Burnett and Karlos Dansby, before both were cut to usher in the new era of Dannell Ellerbe and Philip Wheeler. Those two have been sent packing, and now it's time for a new wave of linebackers to take over. The question is who will be the ones to take the mantle?

It could be any combination of Koa Misi, Dion Jordan, Jelani Jenkins and Kelvin Sheppard, or it could be someone who's not even on the roster yet—someone like Mississippi State's Benardrick McKinney.

At 6'4" and 246 pounds, McKinney has the natural build of an NFL linebacker. He has the size to play inside, but also the athleticism to play outside. That kind of versatility will be valuable to the Dolphins as they flesh out their new-look linebacker group.

He doesn't have otherworldly playmaking talent, but he plays with a good head on his shoulders and won't be the weak link even if he starts as a rookie. 

Brandon Scherff, OG, Iowa

Charlie Neibergall/Associated Press

The Dolphins need help on the offensive line, but not just any lineman will do. The Dolphins need a guard who has the appropriate skill set to execute their zone-blocking scheme and the ability to block out in front of a play as a pulling guard. 

Iowa offensive lineman Brandon Scherff is the consensus No. 1 lineman available in the draft. I say "lineman" because he played tackle in college, but there are varying opinions on what would be his best fit in the NFL.

CBSSports.com's Dane Brugler and Rob Rang list him at tackle, but add that "his build and physicality could be even more effective inside at guard." NFL.com's Lance Zierlein lists him as a guard, saying he "has the measureables and traits to play left tackle in the league but might be better suited to play guard."

Scherff is a big guy at 6'5" and 319 pounds, but he moves well, as Zierlein lauds Scherff for his ability to "hit moving targets in space" and a "respectable change of direction in pass protection and on the second level." 

On the off chance that Scherff is still available at No. 14—a majority of draft experts predict him to be gone within the top 10 picks—the Dolphins could plug him in at guard and have an immediate upgrade over either Dallas Thomas or Billy Turner.

DeVante Parker, WR, Louisville

Someone should call me Lars Ulrich because I've probably been beating this drum to the point where Dolphins fans are being pushed to the frayed ends of sanity.

Having said that, it bears repeating: Louisville's DeVante Parker is one of the better fits for the Dolphins in this year's draft.

Parker's skill set is everything the Dolphins don't have, and everything they need at the wide receiver position. At 6'3" and 209 pounds, Parker has the frame to win contested catches and to create mismatches in the red zone. He notched 156 receptions for 2,775 yards (17.8 yards per catch) and 33 touchdowns at Lousiville, a little better than one touchdown per five receptions.

Ryan Tannehill would love to have that kind of playmaking threat on the boundary of the offense, as would offensive coordinator Bill Lazor; both men have something to prove this year, and Parker could be just the man to help them prove it. 

Landon Collins, SS, Alabama

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Alabama's Landon Collins would be considered a reach by the NFL draft experts if the Dolphins were to take him at No. 14, but there's always the chance they could trade down to acquire more picks and still get the player they covet. And if they covet him enough, they shouldn't care what the rest of the world thinks; if they have a conviction that he's a starting-caliber strong safety, he should be their pick at No. 14.

Collins is your typical pro-ready prospect coming out of Alabama; he has the frame of a starting strong safety at 6'0" and 228 pounds, and while he's not credited as a rangy coverage safety, he ran a 4.53-second 40-yard dash at the scouting combine, one of the five fastest times for any safety.

Collins has experience at both the free and strong safety spots, which would mesh well with Reshad Jones' versatility in the same respect. When he's plugged in at strong safety, though, he has the kind of playing style that makes NFL.com's Lance Zierlein describe him as a "tempo-setter who can energize a defense."

He will need to polish his coverage ability, but if he's in the box, his holes in pass defense can be minimized and his strengths can be the focus of how the Dolphins utilize their new defensive back. 

Danny Shelton, DT, Washington

The Dolphins made the splash of the free-agency frenzy when they signed defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh to a six-year deal worth $114,375,000 with nearly $60 million guaranteed. But that doesn't mean they're done at the defensive tackle spot. They already have Earl Mitchell, but he's been a depth player for his entire career, never playing more than 553 snaps in a single season, according to Pro Football Focus.

Washington's Danny Shelton could be an instant starter in the Dolphins defense, providing a havoc-wreaking one-two punch with Suh on the inside. At 6'2" and 339 pounds, CBSSports.com's Rob Rang describes him as "built like a Coke machine and just as tough to move." He's not going to generate fierce pressure on the quarterback, despite logging nine sacks as a senior, but he commands double-teams and can hold his ground against the run.

NFL.com's Lance Zierlein says he's accustomed to playing a large portion of the defensive snaps, so if the Dolphins think Mitchell still isn't quite starting material, Shelton could come in and be a load-bearer from the get-go.

Michael Bennett, DT, Ohio State

Carlos Osorio/Associated Press

The Dolphins have multiple options if they want to find a starting defensive tackle in the draft. One option is a gap-stuffing force like Danny Shelton; another is a gap-splitting disruptor like Ohio State's Michael Bennett. 

NFL.com's Lance Zierlein lauds Bennett for "great burst off the snap, coming in low and looking to disrupt." With Ndamukong Suh drawing double-teams next to him, Bennett should see plenty of one-on-one assignments that will allow him to simply beat the man in front of him to get into the backfield.

Both Zierlein and CBSSports.com's Dane Brugler compare Bennett to Green Bay Packers defensive lineman Mike Daniels for their shared ability to line up in multiple defensive schemes and cause disruption in the passing game regardless of the scheme. If Bennett can only add some strength to help him handle the stronger, mauling guards he'll see in the NFL, he could become the total package at defensive tackle.

Bennett is regarded as a second-round prospect, but if the Dolphins feel like waiting on an interior lineman, they could still add a starter to their front line on Day 2. 

Unless otherwise noted, all scouting combine information and draft notes provided by CBSSports.com and NFL.com.