Now, I am not a fan of taking a safety at number 12, nor am I a fan of trading up ... (hardly ever am) ... especially not in a draft this strong. However, if Eric Berry falls past 5, and starts getting in that 6, 7, maybe number 8 range, he would be the exception, for me, to that rule.

Coming into the season, I had heard the hype, (as we all had), and had seen some highlights of him in the past, but I didn't buy how some people were saying he was the next Troy Polamalu. After watching him play a multiple times this season, (with the intention of watching him play), to those he said he isn't Ed Reed, that he isn't TP43...you're right. He's both of them combined. This guy is the truth man, he's got everything you look for in a safety.

He can play the run near the box, he can play straight away center field; he can play man to man well enough to be a man/pres coverage corner; he's got the mentality to be an absolutely ferocious safety, and the best playmaking ability for a DB since Charles Woodson won the Heisman, (IMO). 3 year starter, 3 year all SEC....

He's the truth guys. I think if he starts to fall, for whatever reason, Miami has to get on the phones. I like Clemons' future, but man, if you can get Eric Berry in your secondary....I'm speachless as to the possibilities.
Can you imagine a secondary with Eric Berry, Yeremiah Bell, Vontae Davis, and Sean Smith?


Maybe I'm nuts, but I voted yes. Thoughts?


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Best player in the draft . . . . . OK maybe no ones ever said that about a safety because they can be dependent on the rest of the defense. I voted yes if he falls closer but like my own contradiction here, its not that big of a need if we put pressure on the opposing QBs with a DT or blitzing LB

As deep as this draft is, I see Miami trying to trade down to acquire more picks if they can, not trade up and have to give up a bounty.

Eric Berry certainly has the making of a special FS, but you have depth at the S position with Nate Allen from USF, Morgan Burnett from GT, Major Wright from Florida, Earl Thomas of Texas and Reshad Jones, out of Georgia. The Dolphins have talked with Jones and will meet with Thomas also.

i see im not the only crazy one thinking the same thing...im a huge vols fan myself and this dude can play, would definitely like to see him play for years to come on my team...and we need a safety.

I really don't care that this is a draft with a lot of depth...all that means to me is that our later-round picks have the possibility to be better than most years' later round picks. To me, Eric Berry will be the best pro coming out of this draft and he is hands down, by far and away the best safety in the draft, so he's worth trading up for. No other player will be like him, so deep draft or not, it's a no brainer if he falls past 6 or so.

But, what would we have to give up to get him?

No. As much as i want to say yes because eric berry is a beast and going to develop into the next big thing at safety i have to agree with Phinsfansc. The phins need to try and trade down and get more picks. This is a very deep draft especially on the defensive side of the ball. We need lots of quality players that have potential, not one superstar. I would like to see us trade down and still be able to steal earl thomas. I think he is just as good as berry, he just needs a little more work inside the box, with run stopping, but thats nothing moke nolan cant handle. We are a short month away fellas. Cant wait till the dradft.

what do u guys think it would take to trade up and nab him?

If the last safety we picked up in the first round from UT wasn't a glorified ST ace, I might be with you. But Allen was dominant there too, and we all see how he's ended up. I'm not saying that he can't be good, but Allen has shown that being a great safety at UT doesn't necessarily translate to being a good one at the NFL level.

im sorry to say but take this from a die-hard vol i was born and raised in tennessee, jason allen was ok at ut but make no mistake about it eric berry is a player that comes around once a decade if that. Dont i repeat DONT compare jason allen and eric berry thats a bad comparison, ive watched everygame he played and theres nothing he cant do, tackiling hes superb, coverage he scares opposing qbs, great hands led ncaa in int, vision to take the ball back to the house from those int, return kicks with the best of them , 2 years ago fulmer even had a offensive package for him lined at qb to run some wildcat type plays that is now setup for wr gerald jones called the g-gun. i vote yes yes yes!!!

I would love to get Eric Berry, but it all depends on what we would have to give up. If we could swap our firsts and maybe package a player or 2, I'd be all over it. But giving up multiple picks in this deep draft, I would have a hard time doing.

exactly haha

To those who would not trade up because you can get some solid players with those picks, let me ask you this.

Would you rather get 2 or 3 solid players out of a few of your draft picks, or one great one?

I'd take the great one. You can get solid players elsewhere, and this regime seems to have no problem doing so. It's not often you have a chance to get, as nonamedefense said, a once in a decade type of a player.

Mike Ditka thought with your logic and look where that ended up.

I said a few....not a dozen. Lol.

Plus, the Saints were a bottom feader at the time when they acquired Ricky. We actually have good talent to build around, and are a couple difference makers away, IMO.

another cool tidbit of info...he was only flagged once during his career at tennessee lol

Jake Long had that same stat at Michigan....yet another reason why he'll be a stud in the NFL.

If the Dolphins were a few pieces away, then your logic makes sense. But this team needs multiple pieces coming off a 7-9 season.

OLB, ILB, TE, WR along with a FS and perhaps a RB are needed. Nate Allen and Morgan Burnett are excellent FS prospects that you can get in the 2nd round. Robert Johnson is a FS out of Utah with 13 career interceptions that you can get in the later rounds.

This is a deep draft, take advantage of it and continue to build this team and it talent base.

I agree with almost everything you said SC. However, can you really pass up the opportunity to get a great Safety like Berry?

The Cardinals certainly did not need a WR when they used a top 3 pick on Larry Fitzgerald...I don't think anybody in Arizona is complaining about that decision.

Obviously we all want to see Miami fill need X, Y and Z for 2010, and have a complete roster with no holes. However, in my opinion, it would be silly to keep 2 extra picks in order to fill roster spots rather than spending them on a possible face of the franchise for the next decade, at a position that is becoming increasingly important and impactful in the NFL.

And what exactly do you think you will have to give up to get up to get Eric Berry. You are not giving up late round picks to move up, you are giving up premium picks were you can get starters, or at the least guys that can contribute to the team.

Eric Berry certainly has the making of a special player, but I would imagine you would need to possibly move ahead of KC to get him.

Well like I said, this is a scenario where Berry falls out of the top 5. Obviously trading up with Washington or Detroit or something would be way too expensive, even for him.

But if he falls to 6 or 7, (and I would assume Cleveland is looking to trade down and acquire picks), I think that a 3rd, 4th, and maybe a 6th could do it. To me, that's a bargain for Berry.

If you have to give up your second...it's not something I would decline right away, but, that would be hard to do. If you don't have to give up a 2nd, it becomes very easy to do, IMO.

If you look at the two final teams in the NFL last season they both had dominant safeties. NE hasn't returned to elite status since the loss of Harrison. Baltimore Pittsburgh both have great safety play. Both suffered when their safeties were injured. Berry would solidify the middle of the field. It would give Miami the strongest secondary in the league in about a couple of seasons. Not sure what it would take, but make it so.

Maybe it is another reason that they are trying to offload Smiley for a 3rd round pick. Something to bundle up to move up.

So you would give up a 3rd, 4th and 6th round to move up to take Berry? To rich for my blood, but we will see.