Why not a QB at a reasonable price?
Dolphins should tend to needs first, but keep eyes open if top prospect slips.
Let’s cut right to the chase, and start with quarterbacks, because so often winning and losing begins and ends with quarterbacks.
If any of the four — Sam Darnold, Josh Allen, Baker Mayfield or Josh Rosen — is available, send in the card.
Don’t overthink this. Feel blessed. Feel fortunate. Feel lucky.
Think to yourself, “God shined on the Dolphins today,” and send in the 11th pick in the 2018 NFL draft.
The Dolphins would provide themselves with insurance for quarterback Ryan Tannehill, whose last two seasons have ended due to injury, and would add a top-end-of-the-draft talent at the most important position in the game.
It is, of course, extremely unlikely that the safe Darnold or rocket-armed Allen will be available at 11. And Miami should resist the temptation to move up. There is not an Andrew Luck in this draft, despite my recommendation to draft a signal-caller if possible.
And Miami has too many needs. The Dolphins must emerge with a potential starting linebacker within the first three rounds, a potential starting tight end within the first three rounds and a rotational defensive tackle within the first four rounds.
And this is a very deep overall draft. And so, no, Miami cannot realistically afford to sacrifice
picks to move up.
While moving down to accumulate more picks is actually very much worth considering, a very good player will be available at 11.
Before we move on to Plan B, which really isn’t a bad plan at all (one of two stellar linebackers that may very well be available) let’s just flat-out say that, no, we cannot imagine the fiery Mayfield slipping past 11. And no, the Dolphins should not allow concerns about Rosen’s personality or demeanor or injury history scare them away from taking the best ball thrower of the group.
Throwing the ball well is the most important attribute in a quarterback, it is not?
There are rumors many teams believe Rosen is about to fall in Aaron Rodgers-like fashion tonight in Arlington, Texas. Good luck to the general managers who pass on him. And yes, he might say something about that after he’s chosen.
So be it. Rosen has too much talent to pass on, if he’s actually available at the spot. Let him and Tannehill battle it out in 2019, assuming Tannehill makes it through this season unscathed.
If Tannehill emerges as a Pro Bowler, Rosen’s contract would be very reasonable when cross-referenced with his talent. And, at worst, he would remain a highly tradeable asset.
Adam Gase coaching up any of these four quarterbacks? Yes, please.
However, a much more realistic scenario presents an opportunity for Miami to draft a starting linebacker to play alongside Raekwon McMillan and Kiko Alonso, replacing Lawrence Timmons.
Tremaine Edmunds of Virginia Tech and Roquan Smith of Georgia are excellent choices. Smith was a star in the college football playoff, showing he’s ready now to make an impact as a mature, instinctual, sideline-to-sideline ball pursuer.
Edmunds is younger than Smith and bigger (6-foot-5, 253 pounds vs. 6-1, 236 pounds) and nearly as fast (4.54 in the 40-yard dash vs. 4.51). There is enormous potential for Edmunds, and all things equal, I’d take Edmunds.
But Miami would be blessed to leave the first round with either of these plug-and-play linebackers.
If all the quarterbacks and both linebackers are gone, do not fret. This just means that an unbelievable talent has been pushed down in the draft.
Dolphins general manager Chris Grier conceded that positional need plays a role in how the club determines the best available player. Kudos to Grier for his candor. But we also realize that if a phenomenal talent slips, Miami won’t be ignorant. The Dolphins will be ready to pounce.
If Alabama defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick, Ohio State cornerback Denzel Ward or Notre Dame guard Quenton Nelson were to be pushed down to Miami, all three would merit serious consideration.
Of the three, Fitzpatrick is the player who fascinates me most.
In the same way I recall watching Rosen play, in person, early in his career, and thinking about how special an NFL talent he
would be, I recall watching Fitzpatrick make eye-opening plays early in his college career, and thinking about his enormous star potential.
Fitzpatrick can play corner and safety and really, it does not matter where you play him. He would be on the field for Miami immediately, and his presence would give defensive coordinator Matt Burke all kind of flexibility in how he matched up with opponents. If through some miracle he falls, selecting Fitzpatrick would lessen the need for a premium third linebacker.
No team can ever have enough cornerbacks and the selection of the pattern-matching but smallish Ward, if it happens, should not be lambasted, as he would challenge Xavien Howard immediately for top dog billing in coverage. And as
we know, Miami also has been searching for a dominant, mean, physical, overpowering guard since you-know-who left town.
Many evaluators will say it doesn’t make sense to draft a guard too high. Many evaluators say it doesn’t make sense to draft a defensive tackle (especially one without dominant pass-rush skills) too high. This is why although Vita Vea of Washington would be capable of taking on many of Ndamukong Suh’s reps, it would not really be considered an inspired choice.
Choosing a quarterback? Inspiring, for sure.
But if that is not an option, sitting at 11 and selecting Edmunds, Smith or Fitzpatrick would be the best result of all.