Miami Dolphins NFL Draft Recap – NFL Preview & Prediction
The Dolphins had quite a few needs on the team and for the most part they have all been addressed. The major hole that the Miami Dolphins had to fill came at the quarterback position. The Dolphins also needed some help on both sides of the line with the offensive tackle position and both positions on the defensive line spot. The other position that the Dolphins needed to have some additional help at was the running back position and that was one position that was not addressed for the Dolphins in the draft. At the same time, though, the picks that the Dolphins made and the free agent market definitely will help the Miami team in getting the win.
Round 1 (5) Tua Tagovailoa, QB, 6’0” 217 pounds
Tua kind of fell into the Dolphins laps at the fifth pick in the draft. The problem is the Dolphins are walking on a limb as Tua also is coming off of a major injury that was to his hip, which is one part of the body that takes time to recover. If Tagovailoa is completely healed then the Dolphins may have landed a great quarterback that has great poise in the pocket and for his age can easily guide a big time offense. For Dolphins fans, though, the name Josh Rosen is lurking in their minds and that can definitely be an issue that the Dolphins are trying to forget.
Round 1 (18) Austin Jackson, OT, 6’5” 322 pounds
Jackson was not the best option at the tackle position for the Dolphins at this time. However, Jackson fits the bill for what the Dolphins need and that is an offensive tackle who can move the defender on the running game. That is one thing that Jackson is able to do, but the downside is Tua, if he starts, may have to constantly run for his life as Jackson with the passing game is not that good at all and is very inconsistent in how he is able to handle the edge rushers.
Round 1 (30) Noah Igbinoghe, CB, 5’10” 198 pounds
The Dolphins must have really liked Igbinoghe to trade to grab him at this spot. The downside is it has a lot of people, myself included, scratching our heads as the Dolphins have a couple of great corners already in the roster and even the number 3 corner on the roster has managed to play really well. One thing that is very impressive for the smaller corner is the fact that he can play great press coverage, but also has the speed to run down the receivers who get by him.
Round 2 (7) Robert Hunt, OG, 6’5” 323 pounds
Hunt is a draft pick that makes sense for the Dolphins. Yes, he is listed as a guard, but the thing is that he was not really a true guard in college. Granted, he did start 22 games as a guard for Louisiana, but one overlooked aspect is the fact that Hunt started 23 games between the tackle positions. So while the Dolphins did not address their defensive need with this pick, the Miami club picked up a very versatile lineman on the offensive side of the ball.
Round 2 (24) Raekwon Davis, DT, 6’6” 311 pounds
Coming out of Alabama it is very easy to think that the Dolphins picked up a huge talent here. What the Dolphins get is a big man that is able to tie up blockers in the interior running game. However, the Dolphins did not pick up a pass rushing defensive tackle, but that is not going to really matter that much. The Dolphins run defense was not that great, but with a big body to help keep the blockers off the linebackers it could be an unsung job that is being carried out here.
Round 3 (6) Brandon Jones, S, 5’11” 198 pounds
Jones is a decent pickup for the Dolphins if they are looking for a safety that is able to stuff the run. The downside is Jones is not that strong of a safety in the passing game and depending on what is going on is a safety who has been prone to making some simple mistakes. Jones is able to provide a good pop when he does hit and that can lead to him getting a lot pass breakups.
Round 4 (5) Solomon Kindley, OG, 6’3” 337 pounds
Kindley is a massive offensive guard, but one that has a lot of talent shortfalls. Kindley is able to blow the defender off of the line, but quickly loses his blocks and oddly ends up on the ground quite a bit. That allows the defenders, definitely those in the NFL, to stay on their feet and make the play on the ball rather easily.
Round 5 (9) Jason Strowbridge, DE, 6’4” 275 pounds
Strowbridge may end up on the practice squad, but making it onto the starting rotation for the Dolphins may be a stretch. Yes, Strowbridge has some athletic ability, but he does not have long arms. That can make it a challenge for him to get off of his blocks in the NFL or even in getting the run stop when the running back goes blowing by off his shoulder. Throw in the lack of speed off of the edge and it may be hard to see Strowbridge on the edge either.
Round 5 (19) Curtis Weaver, DE, 6’2” 265 pounds
Taking 2 defensive ends in the same round typically is seen as a risky move. Nonetheless, that is what Miami did here and oddly the player picked later in the round looks like the better option. Weaver has been able to get off the blocks at times with a strong inside rush, but also has ended up getting into the backfield to disrupt the run. One problem that Weaver may have is the lack of a quick step to get off the ball.
Round 6 (6) Blake Ferguson, LS, 6’3” 229 pounds
The long snapper position is one that is under appreciated by a lot of teams. But if you think about it how many games have been botched by the snap on the field goal? Quite a few of the games I have seen have actually ended this way. So picking up a 4 year long snapper out of LSU actually makes sense for the Dolphins who are trying to rebuild their team.
Round 7 (32) Malcolm Perry, WR, 5’9” 186 pounds
Perry may have been drafted, but when he was playing at Navy he bounced around to multiple positions and finally ended up fitting in as a wing running back or wide out, depending on how the Navy offense is looked at. Not to mention Perry may have to serve out his term before he is able to come to the Dolphins and that could make it very difficult for the Dolphins to rely on the shorter receiver for any type of production.
