2012 Draft Discussion
 

I figured it was time to start this up. In my latest mock I gave us DeCastro and Weeden and it seems everyone hated it so I figured I'd start this up to see what everyone else is thinking. Team Needs, players you're interested in, etc. I'll start

Needs: QB, RT, pass rusher, OG, FS, speed WR, TE, nickel CB, blocking FB

I hate where we are picking. Too far down to make a reasonable trade up (personally wouldn't sell the farm trade up for RGIII, too many flaws for my tastes and no way we could get Luck) and no other QB worth a top ten pick. No value at pass rusher, especially if we stick with the 3-4. No FS in this class worth considering in the first round, much less top ten. Don't want to take yet another OL in the first round. Its pretty much a no-win situation. Free agency should help clear some things up as I expect us to fill some of the above needs (Flynn?Manning being one of the more obvious ones although in either case I would still want a QB to groom out of the first two days). As of now I'm rooting for a trade down so we can get a better match of need/value.

Not a fan of where we are picking either. I am almost always a believer of the best player available theory.. This year, as much as I am not a fan of taking a RB that high, that player may be Trent Richardson. Perfect back for a west coast system because of his hands and ability to block.. Again, I would rather not go there, but he may be best guy left.

Agree on RG III. Only way I move up for him is if the cost does not include any picks after this year. (and I don't see that happening) Not worth a Julio Jones type package.

I would love a trade down especially with a signing of Manning and/or Flynn. Thinking OL may be the best way to go if that happens (Decastro, Glenn, Adams)

A huge factor for me is that I think they need to keep Soliai at all costs. He is a dominant NT and our run defense would be garbage without him. Whether its a 4-3 or 3-4, I think he is a necessity....

Would love Weeden in round 2 if he was there.

One thing that should be noted, Upshaw will not be on Miami's board. He lacks the height and length that Bill Parcells instilled upon Ireland when he was teaching him. Same can be said for Melvin Ingram.

It seems we're on the fast track back to the 4-3 defense. I'm guessing they'll let Langford and Soliai walk in free agency now. Quinton Coples also becomes the favorite at 8/9

Coples is definitely the #1 guy on my board now with the move to a 4-3.

I also wouldn't be too disappointed with DeCastro. Richardson would be BPA if he fell to us but it would suck to basically say that our 2nd rounder last year was a wasted pick because there's no way you draft Richardson and put him in a timeshare.

Kendall Wright may be a darkhorse. I think he climbs up draft boards in a hurry leading up to the draft and if we end up getting Flynn in free agency, Philbin might want to add some more explosion to our receiving corps and Wright would definitely fit the bill.

Coby Fleener is somebody who I am praying for in the 2nd round. I love his potential and think that we are badly needing an upgrade at the TE position, especially when we can find a TE that can also double as a weapon in the passing game.

I'm a big proponent of Fleener in the second as well. Fasano is a potential cap casualty and while I think he's a good TE, I don't think Clay is the dynamic receiving threat that many Dolphins fans seem to think he is. Clay is a nice H-back type but I really don't think he's the sole full-time answer at receiving TE. I see him as a poor-man's Aaron Hernandez. Getting someone like Fleener in place would really help open things up for us on the inside.

Bills fan trying to convince me that we should be taking Brockers at 8/9 because he "offers something none of your current DTs do." Also says DT is a massive need for us with a potential 4-3 move...I think he's off his rocker even if we lose Soliai and Langford because we still have legit starters in Odrick and Starks with McDaniel as a top backup. Thoughts?

With us in a not so great position to land a QB in the first I would like to see Miami take some of the picks below.

Of course these guys will be moving up or down draft boards as this goes on but I think this may be close to where they go right now.

With the 8/9th pick in the 2012 draft the Miami Dolphins select:

Justin Blackmon WR -- not likely that he slips here but WR's sometimes do.
Courtney Upshaw OLB -- With us going to the hybrid 4/3 - 3/4 he would be ideal because his flexibility to play either End or OLB.
Quentin Coples DE
Melvin Ingram DE
Whitney Mercilus DE
Riley Rieff OT
Jonathan Martin OT
David DeCastro OT


With the 42nd pick in the 2012 NFL draft the Miami Dolphins select:

Kendall Wright WR
Coby Fleener TE
Zebrie Sanders OT
Andre Branch DE
Weeden QB
Nick Foles QB
Ryan Tannehill QB - Some team may reach for him in the 1st.
Brock Osweiler QB - Intresting because he's 6'8" and athletic.
Kirk Cousins QB
Dont'a Hightower ILB Alabama -- He's a dark horse for this pick as he could post a slow time at Indy and slip.

With the 73rd pick in the 2012 NFL draft Miami Dolphins select:

George Iloka S
Michael Egnew TE
Nate Potter OT
Marvin McNutt WR Iowa -- With Okeefe as new WR coach he may get a lot of consideration here.

With the 103rd pick in the 2012 NFL draft Miami Dolphins select:

Jerry Franklin MLB
Audie Cole ILB
Shaun Prater CB
Trumaine Johnson CB Montana
Joe Adams WR - not sure if he'll last to here
Jarius Wright WR
B.J. Cunningham WR

It would be a waste to draft a WR in the top 3 rounds IMO. Why do we need another one when we already have Marshall,Bess and Hartline? And plus we just drafted a raw guy last year in Gates. Gates has the speed, he just needs to learn the game a bit. Thats the only position that doesnt need to be touched in the offseason. Mostly, I think our 1st pick will come down to either a pass rusher or a OT.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, I'd be SHOCKED if Miami drafted Courtney Upshaw or Melvin Ingram. Their lack of height and length simply goes against everything Ireland has ever shown us for the DE/OLB pass rusher and I really don't see either player as a realistic option. I do think that OT is a realistic option, particularly Reiff. If we don't get Flynn/Manning, I think Tannehill is a real possibility (although to be honest I actually don't think he'll be on the board as I expect Washington to take him barring them trading up for RGIII). I honestly wouldn't be opposed to Kendall Wright but he's probably a luxury as you said. Honestly not sure who I want at 8/9 at this point. Reiff would be my ideal choice but I dont see him being on the board. Don't like Adams/Martin enough to take that high. I wouldn't hate Coples but I wouldn't love him either. Part of me hopes Branch or Mercilus blows up the combine and makes their perceived value soar cause I'd love one of them.

Dolphins won the coin toss this morning so now we have the 8th pick Yah for us! Getting the feeling that it will be either a RT or a pass rusher. If we do grab Manning, then no matter how boring it will be, I hope we take Reiff. Manning will need all the protection he can get.

First 3 Dolphins Picks
Qb Ryan Tannehill
Wr Mohamed Sanu
Rb Ronnie Hillman

Tannehill is good. Next two don't make sense. We have Bush and used a 2nd round pick on Daniel Thomas last year plus brought back Slaton and imported two Canadian backs. I'd be shocked if we took any RB, much less one that high. I don't think Sanu will be on the radar honestly. Look at the GB WRs as templates for the offense. Only one that's Sanu's size is Jordy but he has the speedzzz that made him a fit. Expect Miami to be looking for receivers in the 5'10"-6'1" range weighing 185-205 pounds. I think the only way the receiver they take is outside those ranges is if they go with Marvin McNutt due to Philbin's history with Iowa and the fact that McNutt's OC is now the WRs coach in Miami.

I'd prefer something like this for the first three rounds:

1. Ryan Tannehill
2. Coby Fleener
3. Marvin McNutt
3. Sean Spence

I'd be good with those first three picks. I like Spence a lot but I just don't see us taking him, mostly because of his size. I'd expect the 4-3 alignment to be Misi-Burnett-Dansby and I actually think that'd be alright. Also wouldn't be surprised to see Spitler get some snaps, gotta figure out if he can play in a base defense someday. I would be perfectly okay if it happened, just don't think it will. I think its more likely that pick would be an offensive lineman like a James Brown, Senio Kelemete, or Mitchell Schwartz or a pass rusher like Cam Johnson, Jake Bequette, or Chandler Jones. My ideal first three rounds would be as follows at this point:

1. Ryan Tannehill
2. Shea McClellin
3a. Marvin Jones
3b. Mitchell Schwartz

Tannehill and Schwartz are solid picks, but I feel McClellin and Jones are both going a round or two too early there. Jones shouldn't be touched before the 4th at the earliest, and McClellin is a solid 3rd rounder.

Are Dolphins fans ready for Tannehill? I feel if no one trades up he will land in Miami. But what if the Phins surprise? Are there any rumors of other players there at 8?

Some Dolphins fans want us to pass on Tannehill and take Weeden later on. Possibly to get a WR or even Coby Fleener at #8, but I just don't see that happening. Tannehill is probably our guy at #8. And I am actually hoping that is the case.

Yea, I don't see it. If Tannehill is on the board, I'd be shocked if he wasn't the pick. That being said, I thought the same thing about Brady Quinn and we still took the Ted Ginn Family instead...

I've done a Miami only 7 rounder on another site. The link is below. The 1st 2 rounds I have Tannehill and McClellin. I have a WR in the 3rd too but one that I am hoping slips just a bit. I will be doing several mock drafts (crazy hobby) with different scenarios.

nfldraftfan.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=81&t=16&sid=9bda9108f2725fb4f1d4e2 b26413b3f8

IMO McClellin is not a reach in the 2nd. He'll be a very good DE / OLB hibrid and fits the Ireland mold.

I was thinking about a new approach to the draft for us. Let's consider if we took the Patriots approach to this upcoming draft, which obviously includes trading down to acquire more picks. And the Pats have obviously been a little more successful than the Dolphins in the draft throughout the years. So I'm gonna give it a shot and a seven rounder for the Phins using this strategy:

Trades: Trade down with Philadelphia and acquire their 1st rounder (#15), their 2nd rounder (#46) and 3rd rounder (#88). Philly could be targeting one of the top DT's like Brockers, Poe or Cox. Or maybe even Riley Reiff. Reid loves his big uglies!

Trade #15 to Cleveland for 1st rounder (#22) and 2nd rounder (#37). Cleveland could possibly target a top defensive end like Perry, Ingram or even Coples if he falls.

This would give us 11 picks overall in the draft. And 7 picks in the first three rounds (Top 88).

Then our draft would look something like this:

1. (#22): Coby Fleener, Tight End, Stanford
2. (#37): Brandon Weeden, Quarterback, Oklahoma State
2. (#42): Bobby Massie, Offensive Tackle, Mississippi
2. (#47): Mohamed Sanu, Wide Receiver, Rutgers
3. (#72): Sean Spence, Linebacker, Miami (Fla.)
3. (#73): Jayron Hosley, Cornerback, Virginia Tech
3. (#88): Cam Johnson, Defensive End, Virginia
4. (#102): Ryan Lindley, Quarterback, San Diego State
5. (#136): Jeff Fuller, Wide Receiver, Texas A&M
6. (#184): Donte Paige-Moss, Defensive End, North Carolina
7. (#197): Marcus Forston, Defensive Tackle, Miami (Fla.)


Our 2012 Depth Chart would then look like this:

QB: Matt Moore/Brandon Weeden/Ryan Lindley
RB: Reggie Bush/Daniel Thomas/Steve Slaton
FB: Charles Clay
WR: Mohamed Sanu/Jeff Fuller
WR: Brian Hartline/Clyde Gates
WR: Davone Bess
TE: Coby Fleener/Anthony Fasano
LT: Jake Long/Nate Garner
LG: Richie Incognito/Artis Hicks
C: Mike Pouncey/Ryan Cook
RG: John Jerry/Artis Hicks
RT: Lydon Murtha/Bobby Massie

LE: Jared Odrick/Cam Johnson
NT: Paul Soliai/Marcus Forston
DT: Randy Starks/Tony McDaniel
RE: Cameron Wake/Donte Paige-Moss
LOLB: Kevin Burnett/Austin Spitler
MLB: Karlos Dansby/Koa Misi
ROLB: Sean Spence/Austin Spitler
CB: Vontae Davis/Jayron Hosley
CB: Sean Smith/Nolan Carroll
FS: Richard Marshall/Chris Clemons
SS: Reshad Jones/Tyrone Culver

KR: Clyde Gates
PR: Reggie Bush
K: Dan Carpenter
P: Brandon Fields

Wow, would that be great! And I still feel like it's somewhat realistic. Thoughts!?

I like the idea of the double trade down move and I like the 1st 4 picks plus Fuller. BUT the trade partners really wouldn't have to trade down to grab the guys you mention.

For Philly, if they are targeting and like any of the 3 DT's mentioned 1 of them will be there at 15. Now if they are targeting Rieff it makes sense but I would think they could go with Adams or Glenn at OT or maybe even Martin slips to them. The other part about the Philly trade is if going by trade chart they would only have to give up the 2nd rounder to move up to 8. I know the chart is more a guideline but the extra 3rd is more than they would give up for those guys IMHO.

For the Browns Perry will be there at 22 for them IMHO.

So I like the double trade down and I am hoping for at least 1 trade down in the drafts 1st round.

Personally, while I almost always am an advocate of trading down, I'd rather not gamble on missing out on Tannehill and Weeden which I think is possible in this scenario. If the staff feels strongly about either player, I think it would be wiser to take one at 8 regardless of how much it might be a "reach." I would be a fan of that draft though.

I love tradedowns, but I think you are stretching the type of value they can get for the picks.. Also, I really think they are going to nab at least 2 wrs in their first 5 picks.. Sanu is a little too slow for my taste. Really think Givens is going to be a guy they look at hard...