Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Defense first?
Draft class depth aligns with Dolphins’ needs.
Successful drafts don’t necessarily require teams selecting future Pro Bowlers or Hall of Famers.
What often times leads to a successful draft is the selection of intelligent, athletic, and durable players who fit your scheme and style, love football, and have the drive to push themselves to maximize their talents.
Most people around the league believe that a good draft delivers three starters. Not necessary right away, but three players who in a year or two will serve as building blocks for their franchise. Players who will be worth giving a second deal to in three or four years.
And those starters don’t always have to be taken in the first round. Miami Dolphins safety Reshad Jones was taken in the fifth round of the 2010 draft.
The Dolphins landed five starters in their 2015 draft, the one led by ousted general manager Dennis Hickey. And three of those starters — tailback Jay Ajayi and cornerbacks Tony Lippett and Bobby McCain — were fifth-round picks.
If the Dolphins can produce that kind of draft class from this year’s crop of talent — which most experts believe is the deepest in years — they’ll be fortunate.
A good starting point would be for Miami to land one of this draft’s top-25 talents with pick No. 22 in the first round. Here is a look at the best players this draft class has to offer:
1. Texas A&M defensive end Myles
Garrett: He’s a physically gifted pass rusher that can fit in any scheme because of his quickness, athleticism, size and power. While Garrett has all the measurables that indicate he’ll be dominant in the NFL, most of his sack production came outside the Southeastern Conference against marginal competition. 2. LSU tailback Leonard Fournette: Fournette is this generation’s Eddie George or Jamal Lewis because he runs angry. But he isn’t just powerful, he is explosive and
can make sharp cuts, which enabled him to rush for 2,830 yards and score 41 touchdowns in his three seasons with the Tigers.
3. Ohio State safety Malik Hooker:
Hooker’s ball skills, instincts and athleticism have drawn comparisons to former University of Miami and NFL great Ed Reed because he’s perfectly suited to be a roaming center fielder. There are some medical risks associated with Hooker, who hasn’t been able to work out for teams because of a torn labrum and hernia he had surgery on in late January, that could force him to slide in the first round.
4. Alabama defensive tackle Jonathan Allen:
Allen, whose 28 sacks ranks him second behind Derrick Thomas in Alabama history, took home just about every defensive honor he could because of how dominant he was last season. But character concerns, and his medical history (shoulder issues) could cause him to slide into the teens.
5. FSU tailback Dalvin Cook:
Cook has a rare blend of balance, agility and speed. His stop-start style and knack for accelerating through holes helped him gain 4,464 rushing yards and score 48 touchdowns in his three seasons with the Seminoles. However, there are a few off-the-field issues that might scare off some teams.
6. LSU safety Jamal Adams:
Adams doesn’t have outstanding size (5-11, 214 pounds), but he possesses exceptional speed and functional strength. He’s more suited to serve as a physical in-the box safety, and should become a Day 1 starter for the team that selects him in the early portion of the first round.
7. Alabama inside linebacker Reuben Foster:
Foster’s size (6-0, 229 pounds) indicates that he might eventually have some durability issues in the NFL. And his shoulder problems and failed drug test could force him to slide into the second round.
8. Ohio State cornerback Marshon Lattimore:
Lattimore is athletic enough to play in any scheme. But he has a habit of getting grabby with receivers, which could lead to penalties.
9. Stanford defensive end Solomon Thomas:
Thomas is an intelligent football player who possesses a high motor. But he didn’t have much sack production at Stanford (11 in two seasons), and is a tad behind from a developmental standpoint. His size (6-2, 273 pounds) and stiffness means he could struggle as a 3-4 end.
10. Tennessee defensive end Derek Barnett:
Any player who breaks Reggie White’s all-time sack record at Tennessee – with a season to spare – has a knack for getting to the quarterback. Barnett, who is 6-3, 265 pounds, isn’t the most physically gifted athlete, but he’s a polished pass rusher who fits any scheme.
11. Alabama tight end O.J. Howard:
Howard’s athleticism, quick feet, technique and functional strength make him the total package at tight end. He’s the best prospect at the position to enter the draft since Eric Ebron, who was selected 10th overall in the 2014 draft.
12. Wisconsin offensive tackle Ryan Ramczyk:
Like most Wisconsin offensive linemen Ramczyk is technically sound, possesses good feet and movement skills. There is some concern about a postseason surgery to repair a torn labrum in his right hip, which could make him slide a few picks, if not a full round.
13. Ohio State cornerback Gareon Conley:
Conley possesses scheme versatility. But he’s at his best when lined up in press coverage.
14. Miami tight end David Njoku:
Njoku is an athletic seam threat who has a knack for separating from linebackers and catching touchdowns in the red zone. He only had one season of high-level production, and needs to improve as an in-line blocker, but he has great upside.
15. Washington receiver John Ross:
Ross, who recorded the fasted 40-yard dash time at the combine, has outstanding body control and makes sensational in-air adjustments for the ball.
16. Western Kentucky offensive guard Forrest Lamp:
Lamp, a left tackle for the Hilltoppers, was virtually unmovable once he got his hands on a pass rusher in college, which indicates that his best position in the NFL might be to move inside to guard like Zach Martin did.
17. Stanford tailback Christian McCaffrey:
McCaffrey is a speedy scatback in the Reggie Bush mold. His small frame (5-11, 202 pounds) will probably keep him from handling more than 20 touches a game, but his versatility could make him a dangerous weapon.
18. Clemson receiver Mike Williams:
Williams isn’t the fastest receiver (4.57 in the 40), but he has size (6-3, 218 pounds), consistently catches contested balls, and scored 21 touchdowns in his collegiate career. Williams had trouble staying healthy in college, which could cause him to slide.
19. Alabama offensive lineman Cam Robinson:
Robinson, who is athletic and well-built (6-6, 322 pounds), started 43 games for the Crimson Tide at tackle. He has the versatility to play tackle and guard in the NFL, but there are some concerns about his off-field issues, on-field penalties (23 the past two seasons), and lingering shoulder problems.
20. North Carolina quarterback Mitch Trubisky:
Trubisky’s arm strength, athleticism and intelligence indicates that he all the tools necessary to be a franchise quarterback. But he only started for one season at North Carolina and was relatively inconsistent, and needs to be coached out of some bad habits like throwing off his back foot.
21. Michigan safety Jabrill Peppers:
Peppers, who played linebacker at Michigan, is a competitive athlete who brings energy and intensity to a defense. He plays with physicality at the point of attack, and has excellent closing speed. But Peppers lacks ideal range to be a deep safety in the NFL.
22. Temple outside linebacker Haason Reddick:
A former walk-on with the Owls, Reddick is an undersized (6-1, 240 pounds) edge specialist who had 18.5 sacks in his four seasons with Temple. His athleticism and instincts means he’s scheme diverse, but he’s probably more suited to play weakside linebacker.
23. Missouri pass rusher Charles Harris:
Harris is fundamentally sound, but he is a tweener (6-2, 253 pounds) who might be better suited to play in a 3-4 scheme unless he adds weight and strength while maintaining his explosiveness. He could make an immediate impact as a pass-rushing specialist.
24. Utah offensive tackle Garett Bolles:
A polished pass blocker, Bolles has ideal size (6-5, 297 pounds) and plays with physicality. He can mirror speed rushers, which indicates that left tackle might be his best position in the NFL.
25. Vanderbilt outside linebacker Zach Cunningham:
Cunningham can diagnose plays fast, but he’s a drag-down tackler and lacks physicality, which could lead him to sliding into the second round.