Just think, by this time two Sunday’s from now, we will potentially have 9 new players added to the team, with two more to come. I say “potentially”, because that’s how many picks we have through rounds 5, with no 6th round picks and 2 7th RD picks. We may add, or subtract picks in either trade backs or trade ups, and we may trade players already on the roster for picks as well. I’d lean towards adding picks more than subtracting picks, and even potentially adding picks for next year’s draft. With the current state of our salary cap situation, I think both Sully and Haf realize we need to be successful adding players through the draft and have these players be successful as well to get this team back on its feet. We will be engaged in heavy duty discussions at this time next week, and I think a lot of us will be pleased with the results after perennially being disappointed with a typical GM Chris Grier Draft failure.
I look at Mock Drafts often and I tend to discount so many of them that have us taking a WR at #11. I’m not saying it’s impossible, but the foundation of any good team doesn’t begin with a WR. You need your QB, and it’s clear that for that time being, Sully and Haf think that Malik Willis is that guy. You need to protect the QB, and that’s where we have some work to do with 2 vacancies on the O-line, one with an OG who looked out of his element last season in LG Jonah Savaiinaea, and then the vacancy created by the cut of James “3 snaps” Daniels. We did pick up OG Jamaree Salyer but he hasn’t been a full time starter in 2 seasons with the LA Chargers, so it would be best not to rely on him being one here now. I’m not saying OL will be our first pick, but I would lean that way for sure.
As I was saying, the foundational tenets of the NFL are find your QB, protect your QB, and then find guys that defend against your opponent’s QB. That means D-line, EDGE rushers and CB’s. You have to find guys that can cover receivers and tackle. You must find guys that disrupt the QB either collapsing the pocket on the interior, or beating blockers around the edges. We have a huge shortage in that department at the moment. Zach Sieler is probably our best pass rusher currently on the roster, and a player with potential, and I use that term loosely, is EDGE rusher Chop Robinson. The other young defensive linemen we drafted last season are unknowns at the moment. It would be wonderful if either DT Kenny Grant could be a guy who pushes the pocket from the middle. Maybe DT Jordan Phillips or DT Zeek Biggers becomes one as well. Grant took 52% of snaps on defense, Phillips 43% and Biggers 37%, but that is subject to change. The guy who drafted them is gone and Jeff Hafley will play who he thinks most deserves to play, so there will be heavy competition for playing time there.
At OLB or EDGE, right now Chop Robinson is in the spotlight. I have no doubt he will be receiving help in this draft, but we need this kid to step up and become a player. The Dolphins picked up a guy who have had success rushing the passer, in Josh Uche (Oo-shay), he had 11.5 sacks back in 2022 for the New England Patriots. He’s listed as 6’3 223, but that’s pretty strange considering his draft profile from the NFL combine, where he was measured anywhere and everywhere, has him listed at 6’1 245, with some really long arms which is always helpful to get your hands on the QB. He was drafted in RD 2 by the Patriots and could be a situational pass rusher or more for us if Jeff Hafley can find a way to get something out of him.
AT CB, we have a whole lot of quantity, but a definite shortage of quality. Storm Duck, Darrell Baker, JuJu Brents, Jason Marshall, Ethan Bonner, Jason Maitre, Alex Austin, Marco Wilson, A.J. Green, and Miles Battle. I believe that’s 10, and I’d have to think that maybe half of them are gone before the season begins. We need to find a guy that can compete right now, so I wouldn’t be surprised if we go CB with one of our first 2 picks. It seems that either CB Mansoor Delane or Jermod McCoy should be in play for us at #11, but if both are gone, there should be a good OL available instead. Yes, a good Wr like Makai Lemon might be too, but again, I don’t see how we build a team by taking a WR with pick #11, not with the current state of the roster. You do that with your roster mostly set as a luxury pick, not now in the very first draft with a roster bereft of talent.
I can’t wait to talk about all of our picks, hopefully lots of hits and very few if maybe no misses. This used to be one of my favorite stretches of the 4 days of the year, but Chris Grier, or maybe i should just call him The Grinch, found a way to ruin it for us. The Jon-Eric Sullivan era has begun, and this draft will be his first big fingerprint on this team. As I mentioned early, I won’t be surprised if Sully tries to add picks for next season, there may be some opportunities. Many times at the end of the first RD, teams prefer to trade up and take a player that feel they won’t have a shot at on Day 2, and that player could be QB Ty Simpson from Alabama, or it could be anyone, but that’s a good spot for trade opportunities. The Pittsburgh Steelers may have a verbal commitment from QB Aaron Rodgers, but if that’s not the case, the Steelers may snatch Simpson at #21. Maybe the Arizona Cardinals who have the 2nd pick in RD 2 move up and take him, and I always like the first few picks in RD 2 because teams reevaluate their boards on like to move up and take a player they feel will be off the board by their next pick. It probably wouldn’t cost the Cardinals much to swap picks from us, but I would bet a 2027 2nd RD pick could be involved in that move. Anyway, can’t wait, it’s gonna be fun, but we have 11 days to wait!
GO DOLPHINS!!!
Finsmob Unleashed 
Thanks Mike, and I agree about the WRs. All these receivers in this draft are available every draft, so let’s build a foundation with the OL and defense. A TE and receiver can be drafted in the 3rd-5th rounds.
Hopefully, Willis is the one and we won’t have to worry about QB in the first round next year. We can then go after Jeremiah Smith. 😉
That’s kind of how I feel. There are no elite receivers in this draft, and I think a 2nd RD or 3rd or even 4th RD guy might end up being just as good or better as some of the 1st RD guys.
Thank you, Mike E.
We need to build this team from the trenches up and as you stated about the D, those that can disrupt the QB and take away his weapons.
Hoping we get all that done in this one.
Just draft the BPA instead of the WPA or MPA
BPA at position of need, IMO… and we have PLENTY of needs.
Mike E,
100% with your write.
If we’re able to address O-Line, EDGE, and DB (in no particular order) by the time the 2nd round ends, I think it’s already a successful draft… but there’s no need to FORCE these picks, either: DO NOT OVER-REACH!
If we don’t? Oh well! That would mean we felt we took the BPAs and I’m very good with that as well.
11 days away!!! CAN’T WAIT!!!
No doubt! It would be great to hit those 3 positions first if possible. I have faith that these guys will do it right, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they do it that way, I’m sure even these guys will hit me with a “What????”. lol
When looking at our roster the positions we lack in pure numbers are G, S and WR. I’m not saying we have premium talent at some other positions but we have a lot of competition at a lot of positions. I like that the new regime has competition at K, P and LS with two each. It sets the tone that no position has been handed to anyone.
Thanks MikeE! I agree and can’t wait.
Besides, Tim is waiting for this draft to be over so he can see my first 2027 mock draft. 🙂
We’re all waiting for it! lol
SB – W-orst and M-ediocre?
Hopefully, Willis is the one and we won’t have to worry about QB in the first round next year. We can then go after Jeremiah Smith.
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Rich, or Charlie Becker from Indiana. He came up big in the Big 10 Championship and college playoffs making some big time game sealing catches. He’s 6’4, 204, runs in the 4.3’s and was the Tennessee state champion in the 110 high hurdles and 300 low hurdles.
Charlie B from Tennessee! lol
I’m not sure the Edge talent in this draft is going to be anything special after the best prospects go top 10. I’m not saying don’t draft one, I just don’t think it’s going to be better than what we’ll have heading into camp already. It seems to me OL and DB will be our first 3 picks with the wildcard being WR or maybe DT based on BPA.
What do we have in camp? Chop, Uche, Beal & Ojabo? You don’t think any of the other guys other than Bailey and Reese can be better than that?
Were you counting Bain and Mesidor too?
We have 7 Edge guys on the roster. Remember nobody thinks we’re going anywhere this year. We’re not void of that position. That’s what I was saying. Next year we’ll know if we have talent on the Edge. Even the top Edge guys in this draft are not finished products. There are no Myles Garrett or Will Anderson level guys.
NFL.com compares Malachi Lawrence to Josh Sweat. Sweat has 55 sacks 8 years. 11 FF’s and 67 TFL’s. I’ll take that, it’s better than anything we’ve had here in quite some time
Like I said we can draft one. I don’t think he will be our best pass rusher this year. What goes early in the draft every year? QB, Edge, LT, DT, CB or a rare talent at another position. I think OL will be there for us early and often because of these other positions. We don’t need a LT – Patrick Paul is our guy along with Brewer at C. A guard and a RT to replace Jackson next year will be available with our first 3 picks. That’s what I hope happens. Let’s become bullies on the OL and run the ball. It helps the entire team.
Tim – All the other guys I listed are on 1 year contracts. I think we should get a guy that we can start working into our system now, so next year he’ll be better. That doesn’t mean we can’t take another 1 or 2 next season, but there’s zero reasons not to draft an edge rusher this season
I agree but I’m not sure how deep it is. We’re definitely going to draft one just not sure how much value there will be when we’re up. I’m excited to see how it all goes down. 🙂
I’m excited too. WTF do I know, we might not touch an edge rusher, but I think we should grab one