After a promising Day 1 and an iffy Day 2, Miami entered Day 3 with nine draft choices and ammunition to maneuver. The Dolphins turned those picks into six players, including a veteran speed back.
The 'Fins packaged both of its fourth rounders (Nos. 136 and 141) to move up to No. 111 to take Georgia guard Solomon Kindley. In the fifth round, they snared defensive ends Jason Strowbridge (UNC, No. 154) and Curtis Weaver (Boise State, No. 164), in addition to dealing No. 153 to San Francisco for tailback Matt Breida.
With its final two picks, Miami landed LSU longsnapper Blake Ferguson (No. 185, don't ask) and Navy gadget player Malcolm Perry (No. 246).
The pluses: Kindley is a behemoth (6-3, 337 pounds) with surprising agility and a mean streak, making him a candidate to shore up the interior of Miami's offensive line. Strowbridge (6-4, 275) is a good fit for the 'Fins multiple-front defense, a versatile athlete with undeveloped potential, and analyst Dane Brugler had him with a grade in the 3rd/4th round as the No. 12 defensive lineman in the draft.
Perry (5-9, 186) is shifty and dangerous in space with "elite intangibles" according to analyst Dane Brugler, the kind of weapon that offensive coordinators love to play with. Ferguson (6-3, 229) was the top longsnapper on Brugler's board, which has to be good, right? Right?
But Miami's third-day draft effort will ride on Weaver and Breida. Weaver was tabbed as Brugler's No. 7 pass-rusher in the draft, with a grade in the 2nd/3rd round. Not only does the 6-2, 265-pounder represent great value where the 'Fins got him, but he fills a position of monumental need -- pure pass-rusher with a relentless motor.
I predicted Miami would grab an early-career speed back from another team late in the draft, and the Dolphins accomplished that with the speedy Breida (5-11, 195), the 25-year-old out of Georgia Southern with 2,463 total yards and 10 touchdowns over the past three seasons. He'll be a great complement to Jordan Howard in the 'Fins backfield.
The negatives: Packaging a pair of fourth-rounders to move up 25 spots in the round for Kindley was a lot to give up for Brugler's No. 17 guard with a seventh-round grade. Kindley has had injury and weight issues, displays a lack of balance and short arms, and left school early despite inconsistent technique.
Weaver was a no-brainer pick where he went, though maturity concerns and questions about how he'll transition against better competition as a mediocre athlete dropped him in the draft.
It's hard to argue too much with any sixth-round pick, but taking a long snapper in the sixth round had literally never done before and appeared to be evidence that the Dolphins simply had too many picks. You can't convince me that a team with as many holes as Miami didn't have actual position players left on their board who could challenge the depth chart at spots of need.
The bottom line: The trade for Breida and the selection of Weaver may have salvaged not only Day 3 for the 'Fins, but Miami's entire draft. Breida immediately changes the complexion of the running game, while Weaver could impact right away as a situational pass-rusher.
Overall, the haul was littered with developmental prospects, meaning that -- as mentioned -- the Dolphins are betting hard on their own coaching staff and training program. There were more than a few head-scratching picks, but Miami double- and tripled-up at positions of need along both lines of scrimmage.
I feel like the 'Fins consistently passed up more refined and proven players throughout the draft, but as usual, time will tell. Unfortunately for general manager Chris Grier, time has usually told the story of poor evaluation and worse vision for a player's fit within the team's scheme. Let's hope that changes with dedication to a new braintrust in Miami.
No comments:
Post a Comment