Ranking Miami Dolphins' Biggest Needs to Address in the 2015 Draft
Like most NFL teams, the Miami Dolphins have plenty of needs to address in the 2015 NFL draft.
Their needs aren't limited to one side of the ball or one type of player. They represent offense, defense and special teams and call for different players of different makeups and attitudes.
What are the Dolphins' needs? How could they best fill said needs, and when should said needs be filled?
We'll answer those questions here. I'll rank Miami's biggest draft needs in inverse order from needs that can afford to be addressed late (or filled via free agency after the draft) to the needs that must be filled in the first two evenings of the draft.
The rankings are based on the performances of each position unit in the last three seasons as well as positions that have been ravaged by injuries or have lost players in free agency.
7. Kicker
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How much do you honestly trust Miami Dolphins kicker Caleb Sturgis?
If you're going based on his statistics, there shouldn't be much trust, as Sturgis has only hit 77.5 percent of his kicks in his first two seasons, and that percentage decreases the farther out he kicks (he's only hit 70 percent of his kicks from 40-49 yards and 46 percent of his kicks beyond 50 yards).
With Sturgis, it's like the Dolphins are already starting off with a 20-yard penalty on potential game-tying or game-winning drives when down by three or less, which puts more pressure on the offense. It's actually shocking that he hasn't lost more games for Miami than he has.
The solution for Miami would be to get some competition for Sturgis. The Dolphins already have Zach Hocker on the roster to provide competition, but why not make it a three-player race by signing an undrafted free-agent kicker?
The Dolphins could also possibly use their sixth-round pick (or trade to get into the seventh round) to draft one of this year's better kickers in the draft, such as Louisiana-Monroe's Justin Manton (pictured above), who hit 20 of 24 field goals last season.
6. Linebacker
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The Miami Dolphins shed a lot of money—and to many, dead weight—in their linebacker corps this offseason.
Gone are Philip Wheeler and Dannell Ellerbe, but they aren't the most concerning losses on the team. Jelani Jenkins proved that he can replace Ellerbe after a fantastic 2014 season, while Wheeler will likely be replaced by either Dion Jordan (the obvious decision) or Chris McCain.
Despite this, the team is short on depth at the position, and it needs help inside. Koa Misi did a fine job up the middle in 2014, and the signing of star defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh should help, but if Misi (or anyone else) goes down, the Dolphins linebackers will be in trouble.
Making this worse is the help Miami needs on special teams, a unit that didn't play well in 2014 and lost one of its best players in backup linebacker Jason Trusnik (signed by Carolina).
The Dolphins should use a mid- to late-round pick to address this need. Previously, I would've suggested an earlier pick, but with the Suh addition on the line and the relative lack of immediate starters in the draft, Miami can afford to wait this one out until Day 3.
The possible pick on Day 3 for linebacker should be someone who specialized as a middle linebacker in college and can play on special teams—players such as Penn State's Mike Hull or Michigan State's Taiwan Jones (pictured above). Both players were team leaders who excelled in great defenses, and despite being projected to be drafted so low, they have the ability to start if need be.
5. Safety
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It makes sense that safety is No. 5 on this list.
You can argue that not counting Reshad Jones (one of the best safeties in the NFL), the Miami Dolphins go five deep at safety with Louis Delmas at the top, followed by Will Davis (converting from cornerback), Michael Thomas, Walt Aikens and Jordan Kovacs.
That's a solid lineup, but aside from Delmas, you shouldn't be too excited. Thomas has been great in the past but still needs work, while Aikens demonstrated good development in his rookie season. Kovacs has the makings of a good, try-hard, serviceable backup best suited for special teams.
A little more depth at the position would certainly help, especially with Delmas' injury history. For that reason, I say Miami should use one of its two fifth-round picks on a safety who could eventually start next to Reshad Jones long term. My pick: Cassius Sendish out of Kansas. He's a productive player and an excellent tackler who could develop similarly to Jones.
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4. Running Back
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Running back is not a need so big that it must be filled in the first round over other positions.
I repeat: Running back is not a need so big that it must be filled in the first round over other positions.
I'd like to see a cornerback, a wide receiver and an offensive lineman considered before the Miami Dolphins go running back in Round 1. That's the way I'd do it. If LSU's La'el Collins and Iowa's Brandon Scherff aren't available in Round 1 (Scherff likely won't be, while Collins is a possibility), I'd like to see the Dolphins go receiver if Louisville's DeVante Parker is there.
If Parker isn't there, they should trade down and pick a cornerback while netting a third- or fourth-round pick.
If that's not an option, maybe pick a running back. However, even though it's a great need since Lamar Miller isn't seen as a back worthy of more than 15 carries per game, it's not one worthy of a first-round pick without at least a trade down.
The middle rounds would be a better place to find a running back due to the other holes on the team. One prospect considered "intriguing" not only by me but also by NFL.com's Mike Mayock is Northern Iowa's David Johnson, who is reminiscent of Matt Forte.
Johnson's 4.50 40-yard dash was the fourth-best time among running backs, and his 25 reps in the bench press were also the fourth-best mark among backs.
Johnson has great hands, good vision and is great at catching passes out of the backfield. He's worthy of a mid-round pick from Miami.
3. Cornerback
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We have now entered the top three needs for the Miami Dolphins, which are also the top three positions that can be drafted in the first round.
Cornerback is at No. 3 because if the Dolphins have to draft one in the first round, they'd get better value trading down and choosing either Michigan State's Trae Waynes or Washington's Marcus Peters late in Round 1. Both players have the potential to start (and Peters is the best corner in terms of talent in the draft), but both also have a lot to work on.
In Round 2, the Dolphins have more options at the position between Miami of Ohio's Quinten Rollins (pictured above) and Connecticut's Byron Jones.
If the Dolphins decide to trade down in Round 1 and go after a lower-tier receiver, picking up a third-round pick and using it on a cornerback would be beneficial as well.
2. Guard
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You will see LSU's La'el Collins drafted first in any mock draft I do, assuming he's available.
In fact, I've banged the drum for him the last month and will continue to do so until he's off the board on April 30.
So why is the guard position at No. 2?
If the Miami Dolphins miss out on Collins or decide to draft a receiver in the first round, it won't be the end of the world in terms of finding a good guard.
In Round 2, there are plenty of good ones to be had in Hobart's Ali Marpet, while Rounds 3 and 4 (if Miami can get a third-rounder) show promise in Georgia Tech's Shaq Mason, Texas A&M's Cedric Ogbuehi, Alabama's Arie Kouandjio and West Virginia's Quinton Spain.
There are options if the Dolphins' Round 1 pick isn't Collins or Iowa's Brandon Scherff, but there is a colossal difference between those two players (who are both tackles and prime candidates to move to left tackle in the future, something that can't be said about the other guards) and the rest of the potential guards.
That doesn't mean guard isn't important; in fact, it's extremely important that Miami comes out of the draft with a starting guard, as the position has been the weak link of the team's offensive line the last three seasons.
It's not a requirement that a pick in the first or second round is used at the position, but it would be nice if it were possible.
1. Wide Receiver
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I'm adamant about picking either Iowa's Brandon Scherff or LSU's La'el Collins in the first round, but despite that, I'm going with wide receiver as the top priority.
It's just an easier priority to fill for a variety of reasons.
A miracle could happen that allows the Miami Dolphins to take Alabama's Amari Cooper or West Virginia's Kevin White at No. 14. If either is available there, the Dolphins should pick one and go on their way.
If Louisville's DeVante Parker (pictured above) is available at No. 14 after the other two receivers have been picked, don't ask any questions; pick him.
If he's gone, and offensive linemen Scherff and Collins are gone too, the Dolphins should trade down, for there will be good receivers available late in Round 1 (UCF's Breshad Perriman, Arizona State's Jaelen Strong or Missouri's Dorial Green-Beckham) or in Round 2 (USC's Nelson Agholor, Ohio State's Devin Smith, Michigan's Devin Funchess or again, possibly Green-Beckham).
Either way, this position must be filled in either Round 1 or Round 2. Miami has a few good receivers but needs that alpha dog. The first two rounds are filled with possible alpha dogs, which is why wide receiver is Miami's biggest priority, even if it doesn't necessarily need to be addressed at No. 14 overall.
Statistics provided by Pro-Football-Reference.com and Sports-Reference.com/cfb.
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