http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/miam ... ?track=rss

Interesting read I thought.

I guess Hyde wasn't watching last years draft when we "safely" went with Pat White in the second round. What a crazy man!!!!!!!! I could never be happier with what Miami did in this years draft. Did we solve our weaknesses? No....but, we took steps in the right direction. I think that they drafted a solid bunch of guys who will contribute to the team as a whole and not individually. They won't be stars but will step in and help us win.

I really like what they did because they instantly improved the special teams. Odrick, Misi and Jones I think will see the most on Defense. Jerry will start eventually, and the rest will bolster the lackluster special teams for sure. I really believe all the players we drafted will actually make the team IMHO. Any thoughts?

Mod Edit : please refrain from using those type words, thanks -Coots

I thought we had a solid draft... But that is exactly what it was, just solid. I completely agree with this article. At least we did take the risk with Marshall and he is better than any rookie that was drafted.

finfan 808 you might want to read the rest of the article.

Again Miami drafts too many players at the same position. We already know several of these Lbers will not make the team, simply because they will not carry that many rookies at one position.

It really makes me wonder how good they are at evaluating talent if they feel they must throw as much up against the wall & see what sticks.

I think the philosophy is sound. You draft a lot of players...ie cornerback last year, at one position to make sure you find a quality guy to step up. I see nothing wrong with this approach.

I'm fine with two player ALA last year. However, Miami drafted 4 LBers?

Are they that unsure at their scouting ability that they have to protect themselves all the time?

There are no guarantees. No matter how well you evaluate talent nothing is sure. Only about 30% of the players taken in the 1st round become starters and then it goes down from there.
http://www.footballoutsiders.com/nfl-dr ... t-position

Taking multiple players at the same position makes sense.

Not all of the LB's taken by Miami play the same position. WOLB, SOLB, ILB. Not all LB's skill sets are best for a particular position.

WHAT??? THIS CLOWN WANTS ANOTHER PAT WHITE?? ANOTHER TED GINN????



I am requesting all mods to get us a "pound the columnist" emotion!!!!! I HATE THESE GUYS!!!!!

They make wise picks trying to build a team, not good. They make risky picks in taking a QB that can run, not good....

Are they just out for blood? Are they out to try and destroy this team????


Do newspapers recruit their reporters from Boston, New York, and Buffalo in the hopes they never write any good about the fins???



I HATE REPORTERS!!!!!!!!


/rant

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Caution: Reply may contain sarcasm

I know. All four of these guys could be solid or they all could be bust. Just because you draft 4 does not mean you will hit on any of them either.

Multiple is one thing, but 4 & trading for one is overkill.

Do you really believe Miami will keep 4 rookie Lbers regardless of whether or not they play the same position?

Ever think maybe they have little confidence in who we already have?

well they did bring in who we already have, except Crowder

I thought this article was spot on

They put them on the team outside of Crowder.

Sign a vet FA or two to help backfill.

I dunno, trading picks for Marshall was kind of a risk.

I wouldn't say that. Marshall has proven himself, the only risk here is off the field

But you realize that your chances to hit on one would increase since you have more people competing for the same spot? Would the strategy be then to not draft any since all might bust?



It is not the exact same position. We can call a position and name it DB. But safety and corner are not the same even though they are all DB's. In most D's the safety position is split between FS and SS. Multiple position same name of DB. LB is a general term that describes more than one position.



I don't expect it but I did'nt think we would be starting two rookie corners last season but that is beside the point. Many drafted players don't make it in the nfl. I don't expect any team to keep all of the rookies that they draft with multiple picks through the later rounds. Do you?

Its called, we are going the throw as much shat up against the wall & see what sticks. I do remind you they only drafted one safety. Only drafted one CB & one Dlman.


Ok you can stop the smartarse comments.

I know its not technically the same position. However, they can & will only keep X amount of the LBer position

[quote="AQNOR"]
I don't expect it but I did'nt think we would be starting two rookie corners last season but that is beside the point. Many drafted players don't make it in the nfl. I don't expect any team to keep all of the rookies that they draft with multiple picks through the later rounds. Do you?[/quote Neither to I, but I do promise they will have a better chance of making the team if they all are not at the same position.

I do not understand how people are shocked at how this draft played out.

We are three years removed from the first Trifecta Draft. They always pick multiple players for a position.

2008 -
#32 Overall Phillip Merling, DE
#66 Overall Kendall Langford, DE
#245 Overall Lionel Dotson, DE
There are two DE starting positions, we drafted three, one's playing SOLID as a starter(Langford) while the other has whithered down from expectations(Merling). While the third has yet to see the field(Dotson)

#176 Overall Jalen Parmele, RB
#204 Overall Lex Hilliard , RB
We drafted TWO RBs, one made the team and contributed in 2009(Hilliard)

2009 -
#25 Overall Vontae Davis, DB/CB
#61 Overall Sean Smith, DB/CB
#165 Overall Chris Clemons, DB/S
Both CB played as starters in 2009 and both look to be in the secondary for years to come.(Davis, Smith) While the safety has a high ceiling and should find himself in rotation in the next couple years. (Clemons)

#87 Overall Patrick Turner, WR
#108 Overall Brian Hartline, WR
Ones looking to fight for a starting job opposite of Brandon Marshall (Hartline). While the other was a developmental pick who could add more size to our WRs. ((Turner)Who should take 2-3 seasons to develop and "Get It" and should become a contributor at one point in his Career).

2010 -

#40 Overall Koa Misi, OLB
#119 Overall A.J. Edds, ILB
#212 Chris McCoy, OLB
#252 Austin Spitler. LB

With LB you have 4 different positions in the 3-4 Scheme. If the Phins are gonna run a hybrid 3-4, 4-3 scheme then you need all types of LBs who can do different things in different packages. I see an OLB who should become a starter and should be able to pressure the QB (Misi). An ILB who should add depth behind Crowder and Dansby and help in coverage (Edds). Two LBs who should contribute on Special Teams and could develop into something. I see one of the final two LB drafted to not make the team / practice squad.

#163 Reshad Jones, DB/S
#145 Nolan Carroll, DB/CB

One should push to start off the bat at Safety (Jones). While the CB should push to take Nate Jones spot (Carroll)

Honestly, I do not see how this draft is not successful. With Odrick who is a upgrade on the Defensive Line and players who should contribute right away as starters and/or in the rotation. Those who don't find themselves as a Starter or in the defensive rotation will contribute on Special Teams. A lot of collegiate Leaders and players with High Motors. Those type of players find ways to make teams.

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"You are who you are when nobody is looking"
Twitter: @ToneOzMIA

It could be called good drafting if Miami gets the players it needs to succeed in the NFL. The positions you mentioned where Miami only drafted one of a particular position could be due to the draft board and their perception of where they thought a postion was weaker or stronger.

Was not trying to be a smart@$$ just using a question, not an accusation, to try and make a point. Tone does not come accross usually in a post so I hope no offense was taken.

If you know it is not the same position why do you keep on referring to it as such?

Anyway I doubt if my thoughts are going to make any difference in this conversation so unless something new comes up I will try and make this my last post about this.

Let er rip. lol

Not upset with the draft, but just as with all of their draft they seem to pick a position to overdraft. Its like they are unsure of the player they are drafting.

I was not saying not to draft them because they could be bust. I'm just not a person who believe a team should focus on one man position every draft. Its like they go into a draft thinking we are going to select a LB in Rd. 6 & by golly no matter what or who is there they do. Or they do not even scout other positions to have a thought on players.

Its like this draft. It appears they had no idea about any offensive player. Brown is a injury looking to get hurt. RW is aging & showed he was no longer capable of carring the load. Cobbs is coming off a major injury & not much of a RB anyway. Hilliard is average at best. Miami could not have used a young RB? Blount or Dixon would not have been worthy of a pick?



I do not know how many LBers Miami carries in a season, but I do not see them entering into the season with 4 rookie LBer. Remember they also picked one up in a trade. So Tobor, Anderson, Crowder, Dansby, Dobbins & 4 rookies? Am I missing someone?

Does Miami carry 9 Lbers?

If the Dolphins do play a 4-3 at times, wouldn't some of these OLB we drafted actually line up on the Defensive Line as Ends?

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"You are who you are when nobody is looking"
Twitter: @ToneOzMIA

Yea you're missing Cam Wake, JD Folsom, Quentin Moses, and Erik Walden lol.

Yes, most probably would be Wake and Misi.

Actually it is a risk (one I like though). He got his payday so he may not play with a hunger, he has had off the field problems, and he has had issues with his previous team. We can all come up with great arguments to minimize these issues and dismiss them, but the bottom line is that they are risks to one degree or another. Marshall (whom we paid for with DRAFT picks) represents a bold leap towards making this a dynamic offense. My point in making this statement is to counter the point of the article that stated we played it safe and took 'safe' players (aka a boring draft). Marshall is not a boring player, he does represent a risk (to varying degree by opinion), and he does add a high degree of talent for this offense/team.

I really don't think his on field hunger will change because he got paid. He wants (or at least I'd think) to prove to Denver that they were dumb to get rid of him. If Miami meets up with Denver in the playoffs (which I think Denver's moves will put them in the dump) Marshall will play out of his mind.

It's the off the field stuff we have to keep in check. I called it once, I'll do it again...Marshall scores 15 times.

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now, tell us how you really feel....lol good point though

Ted Ginn wasn't a risky pick. It was a dumb pick.

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I think your missing the point. We don't have a crystal ball here. These are legitimate concerns/risks when you trade for a guy like Marshall. While I don't think they will become issues either, at this point we don't know. We can sit here an over-analyze and dismiss each point in my statement, but the bottom line is that these issues represent a risk and I'm sure where addressed or questioned by our front office when we made the trade. I'm still confident we made the right choice.

Amen

we drafted 4 but lost 3 this offseason, so the room is there to be filled

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I think you almost had to. Porter and Taylor gone, Crowder decent but not spectacular. You have Dansby with a world of proven ability and Wake a world of burgeoning talent. That's not a lot to go to battle with in a scheme that uses 4 as base. Anderson played a bunch, but was merely solid guy, basically a good backup/special-teamer. Awful thin at a spot that's critical.

I liked our draft. I am also excited to see what Nolan does, especially with the upgrade in Dansby at ILB. You're going to see Dansby outside occasionally, I bet, and some disguise stuff that will be pretty cool. Nolan's Ds were always pretty solid.

I understand the risk with Marshall, but I thought the article was talking about a different type of risk. Like drafting guys like Spiller or T Mays, who have the ability to be great and consistenly make game changing plays.

And, Ginn was a dumb pick at 9, wouldn't have been dumb in the later rounds.

This is my first post....so be gentle.

Here's what I think about the draft and offeseason in general:

1) I'm of the opinion posted earlier that "risks" were taken in other offseason moves, maybe so much so, that the "Triumverate" felt it wouldn't be prudent to take as much risk during the draft. The Dolphins have potential "Off-field" risk with the Marshall signing, and potential financial risk with the Marshall and Dansby signing. I think that all the "Team Captains" and good students that were drafted this weekend prove how much of a risk they think Marshall may be. I also think management that "reaches" for talent in drafts never have jobs very long.

2) All of the LB picks make me wonder. I'm not talking about the immature and naive philosphy type of wonder, that make some people think they can properly evaluate professional athletic talent (when at least 50% of the people that do it for a living prove they can't on a yearly basis) or build a team because they had a good "Madden" season lately. I'm talking about the type of wonder you have when you realize that a staff that you trust to build and maintain a good professional franchise, hires a "creative" defensive mind, then goes out and gives the new guy a bunch of new toys to add to his other new toys to play with. I'm excited. I think we're going to see schemes in Miami this year (not completely different than the offensive scheme unleashed on NE in 2008), that make other teams scratch their heads and take a couple weeks to plan against.

3) My take on the FS issue....the Dolphins didn't see anyone in the 3rd round or later that they thought was exceedingly better or had more potential than what they have now with Clemons, Allen, Allen, etc. It's funny to me how the management of a franchise usually has a different opinion of their strengths and weaknesses than their fans and local writers do.

4) The fact that Sparano was talking to Randy Starks about moving to DT before the draft should speak volumes to even the most jaded local draft expert about the percieved DT talent in the draft, or their abilities or willingness to deal away what was necessary to get what they needed or wanted.

I know explosive rhetoric makes forums more enjoyable to read, but its usually good to maintain an even keel emotionally when dealing with fan-based sports.

A big thank you for those of you who posted draft pick info during the draft and for those that dug up undrafted free agent information after the draft was over. You all did some really great work.

I really look forward to spending more time reading everyone's "Raves and Rants" in this forum and hope to post again soon.

that was the most god awful..........no..........I can't believe you think..........ummm........I got nothing, great first post and welcome

I would be interested in seeing the evidence that supports the notion that drafting "riskier" leads to a higher likelihood of winning in the playoffs. Something tells me that evidence would be hard to come by. First of all, what do we define as "risky"? The article also missed the boat on the fact that we just acquired a very big "star" player in Marshall, and that's probably why we didn't go after the big-name "star" talent. I put quotations around that word because Jared Odrick and Koa Misi were certainly big stars at their schools.

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Awesome first post!!

I don't know about everyone else, but I hope you bless us with your posting presence more often.

I sort of agree with the article on one hand, but then on the other hand I dont. After watching the press conference with Ireland after day 1 I felt like the Phins were really hoping that Spiller was going to fall to #12.. and when he didn't, they went to Plan B... pick up some picks and add some solid players.

I'm feeling more and more comfortable with our draft as the days go on, but at first I was definitely iffy. I realize though that we were really thin at LB and definitely need this talent. I'm so excited to see Misi and Edds on the field... I really like this Edds kid and think he can solve our getting destroyed by Tight Ends issue.

Here's to a season of excitement and surprise!

I don't see how drafting multiple players at a position of need is an issue.


If we had been satisfied with just drafting Merling, we would be disappointed right now, but because we got Langford as well we covered our asses.


Parmele, selected before Hilliard, is gone. Again, we covered our asses.


Hartline is poised to be our #2 next year, while Turner hasn't even been activated. We covered our asses.

Point is .. the more players you bring in, the more chance you have of finding a stud. Sure, you can cover many positions of need with the draft and just depend on the one guy you selected, but what if he doesn't turn out to be what you thought? Or what if he breaks his leg in training camp?

I love this team's philosophy, but Miami fans will always find something to gripe about.

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