2011 NFL Mock Draft: Miami Dolphins Final 7-Round Projections

Four months of grueling, unsubstantiated and redundant draft discussion is about to culminate into three glorious days. The 2011 NFL draft kicks off on Thursday night at 7:30 pm ET, at which point we can all finally talk about facts rather than rumors.

As Thursday night nears, consensus that the Dolphins will select Mike Pouncey at No. 15 is intensifying, but the team has still managed to hide their cards extraordinarily well. The rest of the draft remains completely up in the air, and a trade down is still probably the Dolphins' preferred option.

But all of these questions—the same ones we have all been asking since January—will soon be answered. And just for some perspective, here's what my mock draft looked like back in December.

1st Round, 15th Overall: Mike Pouncey, Center, Florida

It doesn't take a rocket scientist—or, in this case, a "draft expert"—to see that Florida center Mike Pouncey is the ideal pick for the Dolphins with the 15th overall pick.

Miami's offense suffered from the constant rotation of second-rate linemen last season. Pouncey is 6'4", 310 pounds and has uncanny athleticism for a player his size. He is probably the best pulling guard in this draft class, a trait that will be vital in restoring Miami's power rushing attack.

Plugging him in up front provides an immediate upgrade and enhances the Dolphins offense immediately. Plus, a fortified offensive line will be essential to the success of whoever is playing quarterback and running back in 2011.

3rd Round, 79th Overall: Kendall Hunter, Running Back, Oklahoma State

If you combine the statistics from Kendall Hunter's sophomore and senior seasons (missed most of junior year due to injury) at Oklahoma State, here it what you get: 488 carries, 3,103 yards and 32 touchdowns.

So, even though Hunter obliterated the nation's finest collegiate competition, he is projected to fall into the second or third round.

Why? Probably because of his 5'7" height.

But dominant NFL rushers like Maurice Jones-Drew and Ray Rice also measure in at the same height. Not to mention guys like Michael Turner, Chris Johnson and Jamaal Charles all come up shy of six feet.

Speaking of "dominant NFL rushers," only five of 2010's top 15 running backs were first-round picks. The 2011 draft class offers a virtual running back gold mine in the second to fourth rounds, further accentuating the logic that Miami should steer clear of Mark Ingram.

Even if they miss out on Hunter, prospects such as Jordan Todman, Daniel Thomas and Bilal Powell offer similar upside.

4th Round, 111th Overall: Virgil Green, Tight End, Nevada

There are a few traits that bond the NFL's elite offenses, and one of them is the presence of an athletic, sure-handed tight end.

Think about the Patriots, Colts, Packers, Chargers, Bears, Falcons, Steelers and  and so on. They all pack at least one dangerous tight end in their offensive arsenal and they have all reaped the benefits of investing either high draft picks or time into the position.

Miami has essentially neglected the position since Don Shula's departure in 1995. Naturally, this is a primary need headed into the draft. There are a few options the Dolphins may target such as Nevada's Virgil Green, Tennessee's Luke Stocker, Arkansas' D.J. Williams and Wisconsin's Lance Kendricks.

However, Stocker's similarities to Anthony Fasano are scary, D.J. Williams is undersized and Kendricks will likely be selected prior to the fourth round. Regardless, in order to insert some contrast and sheer athleticism into the passing game, Green should be the pick. He could stand to bulk up from his relatively slender 6'4", 249-pound frame, but his 4.56-speed and skill set is unique and too rare to pass up on.

5th Round, 146th Overall: K.J. Wright, Outside Linebacker, Mississippi State

Despite the laundry list of holes the Dolphins must plug during the 2011 NFL draft, they still have one glaring defensive need: outside linebacker.

Before you start screaming, "We already have Cameron Wake and Koa Misi," realize that those are the only two outside linebackers under contract. Not to mention, Miami would benefit greatly from adding another pass-rusher into the rotation.

Mississippi State linebacker K.J. Wright looks like an NFL linebacker at 6'3", 246 pounds, but failed to utilize his full size and skill set in college, racking up just eight sacks in his three years as a starter. He seems like he has plenty of room to grow (only 20 reps on the bench press), but a 4.75 40-yard dash suggests he has ample athleticism to be an NFL contributor.

Potential aside, he could immediately aid an anemic special teams unit and hopefully morph into a rotational linebacker sooner rather than later.

6th Round, 179th Overall: Greg McElroy, Quarterback, Alabama

Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

TUSCALOOSA, AL - OCTOBER 16: Quarterback Greg McElroy #12 of the Alabama Crimson Tide against the Ole Miss Rebels at Bryant-Denny Stadium on October 16, 2010 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

Since the Dolphins will likely head into training camp with Chad Henne and Tyler Thigpen under contract, they might only be willing to add one more quarterback to the roster. That leaves the team with two options: Draft a quarterback or pursue a veteran in free agency.

However, by drafting a quarterback at the tail end of 2011 NFL draft, they can take a low-risk approach and still pursue a veteran. If that rookie quarterback were to impress during training camp, the 'Fins could part with Tyler Thigpen or carry a fourth quarterback (Patriots did it with Brady in 2000).

The Dolphins could pursue any number of quarterbacks in fifth, sixth or seventh rounds, but a few prospects that stand out are Greg McElroy, Pat Devlin and Nathan Enderle.

McElroy seems to offer the most upside of the group, boasting a 24-3 record as a starter in college football's toughest conference. He won a national championship and by all accounts, is extremely intelligent. That being said, McElroy was surrounded by some of the finest talent in the country and he might remind some of Ken Dorsey.

But the upside is there, and if McElroy manages to translate his accuracy and football I.Q. to the NFL, he could be the steal of the draft.

7th Round, 217th Overall: Aldrick Robinson, Wide Receiver, SMU

Behind running back and quarterback, a vertical wide receiver might be the Dolphins' biggest need; however, outside of highly regarded prospects like Titus Young, Torrey Smith and even Edmond Gates, options are scarce.

The Dolphins might be better suited trying to further develop Marlon Moore and take a late-round flier on a speedster like SMU's Aldrick Robinson. Not only can Robinson flat-out fly (ran a 4.43 40), but he posted great numbers at SMU, reeling in 14 touchdown receptions in 2010. More importantly, he possesses the sheer athleticism to become a deadly return man, something the Dolphins so desperately need.

7th Round, 218th Overall: Byron Bell, Offensive Guard, New Mexico

Anybody who weighs in at 6'5", 348 pounds deserves a shot on an NFL roster.

New Mexico's Byron Bell is a behemoth of a man, and if the Dolphins value size on the offensive line as much as they claim to, then he will definitely be on their radar.

Bell will likely be a developmental project, but he could still add depth to a thin offensive front and his upside is tremendous. Jeff Ireland and Tony Sparano seem to have an uncanny knack for finding quality offensive linemen in the darkest depths of the football world (Joe Berger, Nate Garner, Donald Thomas, Pat McQuistan and others) and Bell seems to fit the criteria.

7th Round, 235th Overall: Damien Berry, Running Back, University of Miami

Jamie Sabau/Getty Images

COLUMBUS, OH - SEPTEMBER 11: Damien Berry #20 of the Miami Hurricanes runs with the ball against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Ohio Stadium on September 11, 2010 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images)

The only two Dolphins running backs currently under contract are Lex Hilliard and Kory Sheets. Both present plenty of potential, but the Dolphins could most definitely stand to add some extra skill and competition to the running backs corps.

It is relatively safe to assume Miami will draft a running back within the first few rounds of the 2011 NFL draft, but they might also pursue a second in hopes of finding a diamond in the rough and an upgrade over Hilliard or Sheets. Plus, the amount of uncertainty regarding the CBA makes stockpiling backs a likely route for the 'Fins.

There are plenty of late-round running backs for Miami to pursue, but Miami's Damien Berry might be the most enticing. He does not boast any extraordinary times, but still possesses a favorable blend of size and speed (5'10", 211 pounds, 4.6 40).

Also, Berry was only a one-year starter and posted marginal numbers; however, given time to develop, he could become a bruising back capable of carrying a significant workload for the Dolphins.