Miami Dolphins: Analyzing Latest NFL Draft Rumors and Reports

It's draft week, which can only mean one thing: The rumors and reports are flying in at full speed, like a prospect racing 40 yards down the Indianapolis Colts' sideline at the scouting combine.

The Miami Dolphins have multiple areas of need, and they have been diligently combing through all the prospects over the past few months while getting ready for the draft to kick off. There's not much left to be done over the next few days, but we will finally see the culmination of all that hard work. 

That being said, if you thought the Dolphins would stop at the NFL draft with regard to adding talent to their roster, you haven't been paying much attention this offseason. They recently signed a high-profile free agent whose presence could alter the Dolphins' draft plans.

Let's take a look at all the latest rumors and reports regarding the Dolphins' draft.

Dolphins Will Host Pittsburgh OT T.J. Clemmings

Robert Mayer-USA TODAY Sports

The Report (via Tom Pelissero of USA Today):

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I've had five visits recently. I went to Chicago. I went to Denver. I went to Atlanta, New Orleans, and then I just came back from St. Louis last night. April 1 was my last private workout, with the Carolina Panthers. And I have one more private workout tomorrow with the Miami Dolphins as well, back in New Jersey.

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The Analysis

We hear a lot of noise in the run-up to the NFL draft, but rarely does the news come straight from the horse's mouth. Pittsburgh tackle T.J. Clemmings seems to have a lot of teams interested in his services; and with a late first-round draft grade, those teams will probably all have an opportunity to draft the 6'5", 309-pound prospect.

He has a freakishly long frame with 35.1" arms that make him practically a prototype at left tackle, and he has the athleticism to succeed in the Dolphins' zone-blocking scheme. He is still raw, and struggled in one-on-one drills at the Senior Bowl, but he has the traits to start on an NFL offensive line.

All that being said, the Dolphins don't need a tackle as badly as they need a guard. Unless they see a position switch in the future of either Clemmings, 2014 first-round pick Ja'Wuan James or veteran Branden Albert, the Dolphins would probably be better off looking elsewhere.

Dolphins Will Host LSU OL La'el Collins

Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

The Report (via Omar Kelly of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel):

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According to a league source, Collins, who started all 38 games he played the last three seasons for the Tigers, is viewed as a front-runner to become Miami's first-round pick if he's on the board when the Dolphins make their selection with the 14th pick in the 2015 draft.

Even though Collins, who is 6-foot-4, 305 pounds, spent the past two seasons at left tackle most scouts feel he can play offensive guard in the NFL because he's strong, athletic, and a bull at the point of attack on running plays.

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The Analysis

As Kelly mentions, some scouts feel the LSU product can make the switch to playing inside. According to NFL.com's Lance Zierlein, Collins started 13 games at left guard as a sophomore before switching to left tackle for his final two seasons at LSU.

The Dolphins need a guard much more desperately than they need a tackle, so Collins' experience at guard will be much more important, at least early on. 

The Dolphins still have left tackle Branden Albert under contract for the next four years, but the veteran tackle tore his ACL in early November 2014. The Dolphins expect him to be ready for Week 1, according to Adam Beasley of The Miami Herald, but if Albert doesn't return to form, the Dolphins may need to move in another direction at left tackle.

In short, the Dolphins could address their needs for now and later by drafting Collins. 

Dolphins Sign WR Greg Jennings

The Report (via Surya Fernandez of Fox Sports Florida):

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The nine-year veteran, who has played with the Green Bay Packers and the Minnesota Vikings, agreed to terms on a reported two-year contract worth an estimated $8 million. Jennings adds depth to his position after the departures of Mike Wallace, Brian Hartline and Brandon Gibson. He will join newcomer Kenny Stills, Rishard Matthews, and second-year player Jarvis Landry.

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The Analysis

This isn't exactly draft news, but it is news, and it does affect the Dolphins' draft plans.

With veteran wide receiver Greg Jennings in the fold, the Dolphins are much less desperate for help at wide receiver. Their starting trio of pass-catchers now includes Jennings, third-year wide-out Kenny Stills and second-year pass-catcher Jarvis Landry.

That's not a bad trio in the slightest, but the Dolphins could still use some more depth, and it wouldn't be surprising for them to still go after one of the top-ranked wide receivers in this year's class. Jennings will be 32 years old in September and is coming off some of the worst numbers he's ever posted in a fully healthy season (59 catches, 742 yards and 12.6 yards per reception are all the lowest for any 16-game season in his career). 

The Dolphins have more presssing needs, but they are still in play for a first-round receiver like Louisville's DeVante Parker.

Dolphins Will Host USC WR Nelson Agholor for Visit

The Report (via Bryan Fischer of NFL.com):

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USC wide receiver Nelson Agholor was one of the big movers on NFL Media analyst Daniel Jeremiah's ranking of the top 50 prospects in the 2015 NFL Draft. The former Trojans star checked in at No. 28 on the list, but he might wind up being drafted higher than that as one of the fastest-rising players in the run-up to Chicago.

How high? Maybe all the way up to No. 14 overall and the Miami Dolphins if you want to read something into pre-draft visits. According to NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport, the club is set to bring Agholor to Miami on Wednesday. While it once looked like a possibility that the team could wind up selecting somebody like Agholor in the second or even third round, it now appears he could be in play for the Dolphins in the first round.

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The Analysis

Parts of this report are music to my ears. Others are not. 

Nelson Agholor is practically a perfect fit for the Dolphins. His skill set meshes perfectly with what the Dolphins ask of receivers in their West Coast offense. He'll slide in like a puzzle piece thanks to his sharp route-running skills and ability to pick up extra yards after the catch. 

That being said, he would not be an ideal first-round pick. The Dolphins have plenty of possession-type receivers that stand roughly 6'0", but what they really need is that physical outside-the-numbers presence who can threaten a defense vertically, draw double-teams and open up the short and intermediate areas of the field for the other receivers.

Dolphins Hosted 37 Prospects for Predraft Visits; 8 Wide Receivers

Wilfredo Lee/Associated Press

The Report (via Frank Cooney of NFLDraftScout.com):

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According to an unofficial list of pre-draft activity in Miami, NFLDraftScout.com learned the Dolphins have been busy, with at least 37 player visits, including eight wide receivers. Teams are allowed a total of 30 visits, not including local prospects, and there's the rub. Thanks to all the talent-laden colleges in Florida, the Dolphins had at least a dozen players visit who went to college in-state, as it were.

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The Analysis

That's a lot of prospects, and while Cooney may be right that the league will look to put a stop on such a competitive advantage, you have to commend the Dolphins for their diligence. It's not their fault that Florida, Florida State and Miami are all a stone's throw away. 

As for the visits themselves, the Dolphins are apparently very interested in wide receivers (eight visits), linebackers (seven visits), cornerbacks (six visits) and offensive linemen (five visits). None of those are very surprising, as all four of those positions are considered needs. 

What is surprising, though, is that only two of the five offensive linemen were guards—Hobart's Ali Marpet and Florida State's Tre' Jackson—but at least one (La'el Collins) could switch positions.