The Dolphins Make Me Cry.com - Forums

http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/draft2013/story/_/id/8734487/2013-nfl-mock-draft-where-top-qb-land

For you draft junkies it has begun. McShay put out his first Mock draft today. Uses order based on today's standings. Miami picking 12th and taking DE Dion Jordan from Oregon. The first round is heavy with D-linemen and Offensive Tackles. Obviously if Miami lets Long walk I could see them going the OT route very easily to replace him. If Miami addresses WR in free agency I don't see them drafting one very high even with 5 early round picks. Only QB going in Rd 1 currently in his mock is Geno Smith going 8th to Arizona.


And for those of you wondering Matt Barkley and should Miami have passed on Tanny to hope to get Barkley....he has fallen off the face of the earth draft wise. Maybe out of Rd 1 totally according to some.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000098453/article/matt-barkley-doesnt-resemble-elite-quarterback-prospect-in-2012
Bucky Brooks brought up Tanny when talking Barkley recently

Now, it is important to note that Barkley was not a lock to be a top-10 pick a season ago. In fact, scouts told me last spring that Barkley wasn't a cinch to be the third quarterback in the 2012 draft class, despite having a more impressive collegiate résumé than Texas A&M's Ryan Tannehill (who went to the Miami Dolphins with the eighth overall pick) and Oklahoma State's Brandon Weeden (drafted by the Cleveland Browns at 22nd overall). Evaluators cited Barkley's lack of elite physical tools (height, arm talent and athleticism) as major concerns. Although Barkley was listed at 6-foot-2, 230 pounds, scouts questioned whether he was tall enough to play the position at the next level, and worried that his lack of athleticism would make him a sitting duck in the pocket.

I hate all this mock draft nonsense, firstly the season isn't even done yet to set the order then we've got all the mockers pre-draft hype and workout to completely change the "big boards". I don't see the point of the mock draft other than to generate hype about the draft, but seeing as the mock rarely survives contact with the 3rd or 4th pick I especially don't understand the point of mocking all 7 rounds!

And as for the last paragraph he's effectively saying "Hey you know last year when I was touting Barkley, well, secretly I knew he wasn't as good as I was saying but decided not to let you know that until now when his stock has fallen"

Right rant over and back to the Dolphin related aspect of this story...erm, DE, why? Our front 7 is the strongest aspect of this team right now why would we spend a 1st on that position?

Because Cam Wake is 31 years old and in this league Front 7 defensive players are far more important than secondary players (look at the Giants and their 2 SB rings) Few, if any, teams have "good secondarys" in the NFL. That is why you see guys putting up huge passing numbers. The one way to stop the passing game...put the QB on his ass!! You can't have enough pass rushers; period!

I agree here.  And if Cam Wake is getting the sacks he is while drawing so many double teams, imagine what he would do if he had someone just as good as him on the opposite side.  The question is, can Vernon develop into that edge rusher?  If not, who can you realistically take?  Too bad that they think Werner of FSU and Mingo of LSU will be gone before the Dolphins pick, but this is a super early mock.  Things could change big time.  Werner's defensive line mate at FSU, Tank Carradine, could probably be had in the second or third round due to his injury status.  And he's just as imposing.

On a lighter note, it's good to see a mock draft without a quarterback in the top pick for once.

Don't forget Fins with 5 picks in first 3 rounds can move up anywhere in Rd 1 to take anyone they want. And with new rookie wage scale moving up is a lot easier!! Nobody is off their radar this upcoming draft!

Very BAD QB class unless some juniors come out early. Which is why taking Tannehill last year was a MUST!

Matt Barkley and Landry Jones were top ten picks last season.  Now they might not even go on day one.

If the first round is that heavy with Offensive and Defensive linemen that means some of them are going to slide into the second round. 

I'd be still taking a WR with the first round pick. 

From the receiver class I see coming out, I think receiver would be better addressed in free agency.

What WR in this draft class tickles you enough to spend a 10-15 pick on them?

There's a couple of them that should go that high if we can nab them. I can't think of their names right now, I'll have to look them up again.

Yup, let's surround Tannehill with defensive linemen, that'll put some points on the board. I'm glad this is just a mock... and a SUPER early one at that.

Someone else said that Miami should look to sign Mike Wallace and Wes Welker in the offseason.  I think that would help.

I'm usually a "take the best guy available" for the two or three positions that you need to fill, but if Miami doesn't take a top notch WR in the 1st round I may just become a Giants or Bills fan.

I prefer to wait until we know the exact draft order before starting to think about the draft.  Not that knowing the draft order is vital per se, but because until the superbowl is played I would rather think about this year than next year. 

^^^ Easy for you to say!!   ;)

Assuming that:

* Miami's primary needs (OL-DB-WR-TE-Front 7 depth) remain the same after the free agency period
* Miami picks between #8-#15

...my initial wish list for Miami's pick would be, in order...

1) DE Bjoern Werner, Florida State
2) CB DeMarcus Milliner, Alabama
3) DE Dion Jordan, Oregon

On the receivers: I just don't see a ton of difference between the few WRs tickling the first round (Terrence Williams, Justin Hunter, Keenan Allen) and the next group to warrant a first rounder. Miami has 4 picks in rd 2/3, they can easily grab one or two WR upgrades in those rounds.

True.  But even if the Pats go one and done in the playoffs, I won't start thinking draft until after the SB.

Is this feasible, cap space wise?

It is.  Although I wouldn't bring in Welker when you already have a receiver of his caliber (Bess) on the roster.  I'd bring in Wallace (deep threat) and either Greg Jennings or Dwayne Bowe.  Preferably all three of those guys.  And yes, that is still feasible with cap space.

I doubt you will see Welker back in Miami. 

He didn't leave Miami just for money.  If all he wanted was more money he wouldn't have signed a contract with the poison pills. 

He wants a ring, a QB and money.  I see him either re-signed with NE or signing with a Denver, Indy, Texans, 49rs, Falcons, Packers, Saints, Steelers etc. Some team that give him a shot a ring. 

Only reason for him to sign with the Dolphins (or Jets/Bills) is if he is really pissed off at BB over being tagged instead of reaching a long term deal. 

Also while Bess is not the same calibur as Welker, Bess is a decent and plays the same position, money can be better spent on a deep threat such as Wallace, who is obviously more intersted in money than anything else if he wants out of Pitt.

Here's another mock with the Dolphins picking up a Michigan takle to replace the departed Jake Long.

http://walterfootball.com/draft2013.php

I would rather have them sign a proven commodity.  I don't want to pull a Matt Millen and draft a WR that's supposed be good, then spend the next year wondering if the problem is the WR or the QB.

Wrong question.  What is the most glaring need that we need to spend a 10-15 (assuming that's where we end up) pick on?

You're gonna waste a top 15 pick on a position we've got a decent supply of and guy who isn't going to start for probably two years by picking a defensive end?  You can probably get a decent pass rusher to line up opposite Wake if you really want to in the later rounds or in free agency.  I'm not against adding a guy on the Defensive Line as insurance, but you're still only talking one player here. 

Second, the Dolphins need more than one wide reciever.  If you keep Bess and Hartline and one of the young guys, you still need three more.  You're going to fill all those slots in free agency?  How much is that going to cost us to fill three spots with free agent guys who may only turn out to be prima donnas or worse other teams' rejects?  Then we go through next year with a stagnant offense (again) because we failed to address the reciever position (again) and can't complete passes for more than 20 yards (again). 

MIA doesn't need to have a first-round WR riding the bench, and no first-round WR (this year) is good enough to come in and be a solid NFL starter.  WR needs to be addressed through free agency.  If you want a project WR to develop (after you sign some quality veterans), that's what the 3rd-7th rounds are for.

You don't take Brady Quinn or Jimmy Clausen at the top of the first round just because he's available.

^^ Agree. PLUS if they decide to not resign Bush, as it looks like they will, they need another RB. A true #1RB for the WCO, not Thomas or Miller. Having said all of that, I would look for one of these three:

1. Taylor Lewan to replace Jake Long.
2. DeMarcus Milliner (if he's not gone) because the secondary sucks and they need a good CB...or 2.
3. Johnthan Banks (see above)

There aren't any WRs that strike me as "OOOOOH." I think that need should be filled via free agency. -EK

Wake is 31 years old.  He's not going to be around for too much longer.  You need an edge rusher on the opposite side to not only take the double team pressure off Wake, but to be there when he is gone.  Like MikeO said earlier, it's a passing league now with all the rules favoring receivers.  There's no such thing as a shutdown corner anymore.  To play defense in this league, you have to get to the quarterback and plant his face in the turf.

Eh....take it with a grain of salt, because it's still early, but I've seen a few mocks that has Barkley going to KC or Arizona, both projected top 10 picks. -EK

And those teams being quarterback desparate will reach for one.  Not a bit surprised.

Some positions have high value some don't. RB isn't a position you draft high in Rd 1 anymore unless its the rare case of a Trent Richardson or Adrian Peterson. You don't need elite RB's to win anymore in this league, you can find undrafted guys who do just fine. Secondary help is almost becoming the same, hell NE has played WR's in their secondary at times and gone to Super Bowls.  The league is about the QB, Pass Rushers, and being able to THROW the ball down the field so playmakers. Everything else can be found easily. The Giants have won 2 rings now with an elite QB, big time WR's, and a very good pass rush. The Packers the same way. Pitt won their rings the same way. It's the formula for success.

RB's are a dime a dozen in this league now. CB's who can cover are impossible to find, very rare. Give me guys with speed in the secondary who can cover some but can also chase guys down and tackle. Good enough these days. But the rules make it impossible for CB's these days. 

Pass Rushers and WR's/TE's around the quarterback. That's where games are won and lost now.

Terrific theory, but who's there to take? Who would you draft? 2013 looks week at a LOT of positions. -EK

I'm fine with them picking a DE in the draft or in free agency, but not in the first round when we have glaring immediate needs elsewhere. 


I don't agree with that statement.  Our WR corps is that desperate that any rookie you draft is going to play right away.  And I'll say it again we need more than one receiver. 

I can even see the logic with drafting a CB in the first round and then getting a DE in the second or third, but drafting a DE in the first round is the wrong way to go.  Just my opinion.

MIA's WR corps is desperate enough that you can't trust fixing it to some project rookie.  You either need a surefire rookie superstar (Fitzgerald/Megatron/AJ) or you need to go get a veteran Pro Bowler.  And any WR you draft this year is a project.

That's not to say that there isn't room for project rookie WRs.  But the place to pick them is not the first round.

Keep in mind that right after MIA traded for Marshall, the WR corps was considered a strength of the team; good enough that MIA felt the need to get rid of Ginn and Camarillo for peanuts.  Hartline and Bess are perfectly acceptable (maybe even good) as accessory players/#2s.  But just like 2009, when you don't have a legit #1, it makes the entire corps look worse.

With a legit #1 and a good TE, MIA's receivers would instantly become the strongest unit on the team.

And pass rushing isn't a glaring immediate need?  At times they give the opposing quarterback all the time in the world.  That's because Wake is constantly drawing double teams, Odrick is a tackle playing end, and they don't have a pass rushing linebacker.  If you can get a guy like Werner or Mingo, you take him.  That makes your pass rush ten times better.

Yes, their WR corps is very poor, so just one addition isn't going to solve the problem.  I think they need to draft the best available WR and pick someone up in free agency.

I agree wholeheartedly with adding multiple receivers, and adding a high-end WR like Wallace would be awesome. I just don't see a WR worthy of a mid-1st round pick (the first person to say "trade down" gets their eyes gouged out with a plastic spork), and I DO see an extremely good chance that Miami can get an elite caliber player at a different area of need (pass coverage, pass rush, O-line) at that spot.

Miami needs to add young talent across the roster. They'll have cap room and extra draft picks this offseason, so I just hope they make the right personnel decisions.

It's not the immediate need WR is, and you can fill the pass rushing need with one player.  You need at least 3 wide receivers in a combination draft or free agency, and you desperately need help in the secondary which is going to require another two or three picks. 

The defense collapses usually because it's on the field for a whole half at a time.  Why is it on the field the whole half? Because the offense can't make a first down (because we don't have a deep threat) from people ganging up in the box and Bess Fasano and Hartline being easily covered.  That secondary gave up way too many yards to marginal quarterbacks and rookies (remember the Indy game?) over the course of this year.

If you're saying to me that quarterbacks are lighting it up against us because of lack of pass rush and not because our secondary couldn't cover a high school team, we're going to have to agree to disagree here.

Don't waste a first round pick where we have glaring needs at WR and Secondary and need mulitple players in both areas when we can get a quality pass rusher in the second or third round (or free agency) and pretty much solve the problem.

Agree to disagree, Shark I still think it's a mistake.

BigDaddy, I see where you're coming from, but I have to agree with the majority here that the receiver position is so desparate for help that you can't trust it to a rookie who may or may not get the job done.  You have to go after the marquee ones in free agency.  Of the three big names out there (Wallace, Bowe and Jennings), I think Wallace fits this group best as he is the speedy deep threat that the Dolphins hoped Clyde Gates would be.

Miami can fix their WR problems by just signing one player. Miami can't afford to draft a rookie WR and wait a year or two for him to develop. WR needs to be addresed in FA. Whoever they decide to go after whether Wallace, Jennings, or Bowe as well as re-signing Hartline (as one would assume they would) would be a major step in solidifying this WR corp. I wouldn't see the need to use a 1st round pick on a WR then unless someone really good just falls in their lap.

If they re-sign Starks I think when push comes to shove the Fins won't go DE in Rd 1. If Starks walks then Odrick gets moved back to DT (his natural position) and that opens up a need at DE. As you would only have Vernon then and another body is needed.

There are no TE's worth drafting in the upper half of Rd 1. If Miami packaged their 2 second rounders to move back into the end of late Rd 1 then they could go for a TE there.

As much as this will make peoples heads explode the secondary (assuming they keep Smith) is going to return 3 starters next year. Jones, Clemons, and Smith are safe in their spots. Miami just needs CB depth (ie....as does EVERY team in the NFL).  Miami just is very poor at the #2 and #3 CB. And like I said not many teams are strong there. Anyone expecting whole sale changes to the secondary is mistaken. Marshall will be back next year and healthy. I don't see Miami going nuts adding players here. They will draft a CB probably but I think that's all they do. Whether its round 1,2, or 3...who knows.