A very early look at Dolphins’ 2019 draft
Is it too early to start thinking about NFL mock drafts? Yeah, probably. But it’s also still a month until Christmas and we see lights everywhere, so what the heck.
With the Dolphins dropping to 5-6 after Sunday’s loss in Indianapolis, Miami would pick No. 13 if the season ended today. ESPN projects that they will ultimately rise (or fall?) to No. 10 in the draft order.
Here are five players who have been linked to the Dolphins in these very early 2019 mock drafts:
Daniel Jones, quarterback, Duke: Zack Rosenblatt of NJ.com will make a lot of Dolphins fans happy today by projecting them to pick a quarterback. Jones is the third QB off the board in this mock draft, behind Ohio State’s Dwayne Haskins (No. 5 to Giants) and Oregon’s Justin Herbert (No. 6 to Jaguars).
“It seems clear that Ryan Tannehill is not the quarterback of the future in Miami anymore, and Jones has the potential to be that guy,” Rosenblatt writes. “He’s coached by Peyton Manning's old mentor and has prototypical size (6-5, 220) for the position. He still might need a little seasoning, though.” Rashan Gary, defensive lineman, Michigan: Ryan McCrystal of Bleacher Report didn’t post any analysis with his picks, but his projection of Gary makes sense for the Dolphins, who will probably be looking for defensive line help in the draft (again). Plus, their owner doubles as a Michigan booster.
Just pretend that Michigan-Ohio State game didn’t happen.
Josh Allen, edge rusher, Kentucky: Chris Trapasso of CBS Sports posted his mock Sunday based on projected final records, and he had the Dolphins taking Josh Allen (no, not the Bills quarterback) at No. 16.
“Another team that must infuse its defense with more productive players on the edge, especially considering Cameron Wake's age. Allen is a high-motor speed rush who can also make plays in coverage,” Trapasso wrote.
Jeffery Simmons, defensive tackle, Mississippi State: Eddie Brown from the San Diego Union-Tribune filed his latest mock before this week’s games, so he had the Dolphins picking 17th and taking a 6-foot-4, 300-pound defensive lineman.
“Simmons features a freaky combination of power and quickness. There are off-field concerns, but he’s a top 10 talent if everything checks out properly,” writes Brown, who listed the Dolphins’ top needs as quarterback, wide receiver and defensive tackle.
Montez Sweat, edge rusher, Mississippi State: Like the mock above, Luke Easterling of USA Today has Miami picking a defensive lineman from Mississippi State. (He also posted this mock last week, so the Dolphins are hypothetically picking at No. 17.)
“Cameron Wake isn’t getting any younger, Olivier Vernon is long gone, and Charles Harris has failed to live up to his first-round expectations, leaving the Dolphins in need of help on the edge,” Easterling wrote. “Sweat has the athleticism, versatility and upside to be a fantastic value outside the top 15.”
Other picks: Easterling went as far as to project the second round, where he had the Dolphins plucking Hurricanes defensive lineman Gerald Willis III at No. 49. And while there’s no consensus on the Dolphins’ picks thus far, all five of these mock drafts project St. Thomas Aquinas alumnus Nick Bosa as the No. 1 pick.