Miami Dolphins mock draft: Predicting 7 picks in Rounds 1-3 | Habib
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Slipping on my general manager’s hat on behalf of the Miami Dolphins, I was immediately reminded that there was little pressure involved, because this is a team that pretty much needs everything.
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But with my GM hat in place, I realized the enormous responsibility because this is a team that — duh — needs everything.
So the eternal question of drafting for need vs. best-available athlete hardly applies, because virtually any pick can satisfy both.
With that in mind, I set out to restock Miami’s roster armed with seven picks over the first two days of the April 23-25 draft, covering Rounds 1-3 and the first 100 selections overall.
First, a bit of sobering news from the draft simulator I used: Miami’s first pick is 11th overall, but the greedy teams in the top 10 didn’t cooperate the way Dolphins fans might want. So if you had your hopes up for a Hurricane staying put in South Florida, sorry, but offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa and edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr. were snatched minutes before the Dolphins were stepping up to the plate. After wrestling with this one, I went with Utah offensive tackle Spencer Fano as Miami’s first selection.
And we were off and running.
Round 1, Pick No. 11
OT Spencer Fano, Utah
Fano was simply the highest-rated player on the board, grading out higher than receivers Jordyn Tyson and Makai Lemon with athleticism to hang with speed rushers. The Dolphins are set with Patrick Paul at left tackle but Austin Jackson has had injury issues on the right side. Plus, having too many good offensive linemen has never been a problem for the Dolphins.
Round 1, Pick No. 30
Edge Zion Young, Missouri
The Dolphins would hope that Young and Chop Robinson will have them set for years to come on the edge. At 6-foot-6 and 262 pounds, Young brings size and aggression to the position and should get better with a couple of years of seasoning. And he won’t be a liability as a run-stopper.
Young was preferred over Ohio State defensive tackle Kayden McDonald, Alabama receiver Germie Bernard and Tennessee cornerback Colton Hood.
Round 2, Pick 43
CB Chris Johnson, San Diego State
Just as the Dolphins’ hopes rose that they might steal Bernard or Hood, both came off the board just ahead of this pick.
That left several intriguing possibilities, including three (count ‘em) South Floridians in edge rushers Mason Thomas and Gabe Jacas and cornerback D’Angelo Ponds.
But Johnson’s versatility and coverage skills proved too tempting to pass up, especially with a secondary building virtually from scratch.
Round 3, Pick 75
S Bud Clark, TCU
Nearly flipped a coin on this one.
On one hand, there’s Clark, a versatile and rangy safety who thinks passes are intended for him.
On the other hand, there’s receiver De’Zhaun Stribling, who knows they’re intended for him and doesn’t let his quarterback down.
NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein describes Clark as a “safety in a cornerback’s body with the talent to range over the top or man up on the slot.”
Sounds like just what the Dolphins need.
Round 3, Pick 87
WR Elijah Sarratt, Indiana
By now, several players who caught my attention had found new homes. They include QB Carson Beck, CB Chandler Rivers and, yes, Stribling.
So I turned to a player with championship pedigree to help offset the loss of Jaylen Waddle. Sarratt had an outstanding season linking up with Francisco Mendoza for the Hoosiers. They call him “Waffle House” because he’s always open, or so they say. In reality, he made a living frustrating DBs with his contested catches. Question is, can he continue to do that in the NFL or will his inability to gain separation become a bigger issue on Sunday afternoons?
Round 3, Pick 90
CB Daylen Everette, Georgia
Not the fastest CB in this draft, but he held his own over 41 starts for the Bulldogs. So he’s battle-tested.
Round 3, Pick 94
TE Joe Royer, Cincinnati
One of the runner-up choices for Pick No. 90, Royer proves to be too good a value at No. 94. He’s a good-size target at 6-5 and 247, has quickness and doesn’t drop passes. The Dolphins can groom him behind returning TE Greg Dulcich.
Wrapping up
So what do you think? Take it or leave it?
For what it’s worth, the draft simulator rated it an ‘A,’ with a score of 93.
Obviously, a very smart computer.
The simulator gave me an ‘A’ or above for fulfilling needs (A+), reaches and positional value.
It also gave me a C for capital management.
Like I said, not a smart computer.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Miami Dolphins mock draft: How they'll fare in Rounds 1-3