The Dolphins made their big splash with the Suh signing as well as getting rid of the failed players from the Ireland regime. Now they focus their attention on the draft to fill the holes on the team now that all the big name guys are for the most part gone.
1st) Brandon Scherff OG/OT from Iowa
The Dolphins addressed their defensive line with the Suh signing and now they turn their attention to the offensive line. The Dolphins have a major hole at guard and if they want their franchise QB to last the five years, they need to upgrade the line. Scherff is a very solid player from Iowa who was a left tackle his whole time there. However now that he is heading to the NFL, his better fit is guard where his limitations in pass protection won’t be exposed as much. Mauler and powerful in the run game, he can help create big running lanes and allow Lamar Miller or whoever else to get at least 5 yards a carry. In pass protection he does a solid job against interior pressure but sometimes struggles against edge rushers which is why he will probably kick inside. He would be a day 1 starter at LG and would make a position of weakness finally be a position of strength for years to come.
2nd) Eric Kendricks LB from UCLA
The Dolphins whiffed on Phillip Wheeler and Dannel Ellerbee and wisely got rid of both this offseason. Now they turn their attention on getting who can actually make an impact at LB with Kendricks. Kendricks is a true three-down linebacker as he is exceptional against the run and in coverage. He has very good instincts and always has an eye for the ball. He was a tackling machine in college and this will not change in the NFL. He can be plugged right away in any spot at linebacker and the Fins will have their own version of Bobby Wagner for years to come.
4th) Quinten Rollins CB/S from Miami (Ohio)
The Dolphins could use some secondary help and Rollins is a nice guy who could pay big dividends. Only one year of football playing experience, Rollins was originally a point guard in basketball his first four years in college before deciding to play football. Still very raw as a player, he has very good instincts and has an ability to read the quarterback/receiver to cause an interception. He might be a better fit at free safety than cornerback but either way he is a ball hawk who once he figures it all out, could be a great player.
5th) Vince Mayle WR from Washington State
With Hartline, Gibson and Wallace now gone, the Dolphins need some receivers, at least for depth purposes. Mayle is a big guy at 6’2 224 and he plays up to his size. Very physical from the get go he is able to outmuscle cornerbacks and win 50/50 balls. Even with his lack of speed (4.67 40 at Combine), Mayle is very physical runner, as evident by some of the big TD plays he had last year. He has very limited playing experience and is still very raw a route runner, but he is a very moldable piece of clay. He probably will not be an immediate starter, as he still needs to work on his route running and other basic fundamentals. However the Dolphins already have two solid starters in Jarvis Landry and Kenny Stills which means he won’t have to be anything more than a possible rotational player his first year. High upside player who could pay dividends.
5th) Adam Snead OL from Oklahoma
The Dolphins are very thin at guard and Snead is at worst a solid backup. Multiple year starter in college, Snead has been serviceable in his playing career and is good, but not great in pass and run blocking. He isn’t an elite athlete and his mobility is limited which means he might not be useful in the screen game. At best he develops into a solid guard, at worse he can be a backup and spot starter. But you can never have enough depth.
6th) Blake Bell TE from Oklahoma
Big Play Clay took the money and ran up to Buffalo leaving the Fins with quite a concern at the TE position. Right now they have Jordan Cameron as their starter who is one hit away from retirement with Dion Simms and Arthur Lynch waiting in the wings. Bell is a very good athlete for a guy his size (6’6 260) and was used as a Wildcat QB his first three years in college. Last year he moved to TE and he showed there is clear upside in him. His blocking ability is decent and he shown the ability to be a decent receiver. Bell can be a traditional TE but he is more built to be a H-Back where they move him across the field and create mismatches. I don’t expect him to be a big contributor his rookie year on offense as he is still very raw, but he is a talented piece of clay who can be molded.
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