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Written by Tony Simmons
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Sunday, 31 March 2013 |
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We are now only 25 days away from the 2013 NFL Draft, and the excitment is starting to build and teams still work there way thru free agency and continue to add talent. Miami just added former Atlanta Falcons CB Brent Grimes on Saturday and will continue to look to possibly add a ORT or possibly trade for KC OLT Branden Albert, although that talk has died down greatly. With the moves that the Dolphins have made, I wanted to put together my next to last mock draft for Miami. I will do one last mock for Miami the week of the draft. Now let take a look at my latest mock for Miami. 1) Tavon Austin, WR, West Virginia - The thought by many is that the Dolphins have addressed their needs at wide receiver with the additions of Mike Wallace and Brandon Gibson and the re-signing of Brian Hartline. That said, the Palm Beach Post has indentified Davone Bess as the top veteran in line to possibly be cut. He is going into the last year of his contract and there has been talk that the Dolphins are looking to trade Davone. Tavon Austin is probably the most explosive offensive player in this draft, and he would give the Dolphins something that Bess could never hope to give Miami, a player that can take it to the house any time he touches the ball from the slot WR position. This little nugget was in the Miami Herald this morning. "The Dolphins are among the teams holding a private meeting with speedy, explosive West Virginia receiver Tavon Austin. He would be a bold choice at 12, considering receiver is not a need, and Miami might be able to get a right tackle or pass rusher at that spot, or possibly a corner, though none might be the ideal fit at 12." 2) Jamar Taylor, CB, Boise State - The Dolphins made a nice move in bringing in CB Brent Grimes, but the Dolphins will still look to bring multiple cornerbacks into the fold. Taylor has the size, quickness and a nice tight backpedal to fit nicely into the zone coverages the Dolphins play. Solid run defender. 2) Terron Armstead, OT, Arkansas-Pine Bluff - Miami is working to possibly sign ORT Eric Winston, but as of this moment, that seems to be a long shot. If it does not happen, the Dolphins will need to address the OT position, and Armstead has the athletic ability to play OLT or ORT. Tremendous athlete, as he had the best time in the 40 for OL personnel with a 4.71. Also did 31 reps at 225 lbs and had a 34.5 vertical. 3) Travis Kelce, TE, Cincinnati - Miami signed Dustin Keller to a one year deal, so the need for a TE is still there, especially with the major questions still on 2012 3rd round draft pick Michael Engew. Kelce has the size the Dolphins like at 6'5, 255 lbs. More importantly, he is a very good blocker and has the speed to get vertically in the seam of a defense. His final year with the Bearcats, he had 45 catches for 722 yards with a 16.0 yards per catch average and 8 TD's. 3) Corey Lemonier, DE/OLB, Auburn - The Dolphins still would like to bring in a pass ruhser opposite Cameron Wake. They also seem to be very high on 2012 3rd round pick Olivier Vernon, who had 3.5 sacks in 2012 season. Still, the best way to make a secondary better is to put as much pressure as possible on the quarterback, and the Dolphins need more from that spot. Lemonier has 17.0 career sacks in his 3 years at Auburn, and has faced some of the best competition in the nation. 4) Brandon McGee, CB, Miami - As I mentioned earlier, the Dolphins will look to take multiple cornerbacks, and McGee has very nice size at 5'11, 193 lbs and the speed to match. Very fluid hips and can easily open up and run with wide receivers. Underacheived while at Miami, but has all the making of a Sam Shields type of cornerback. For those that are not familar with this, Shields went the Miami and also struggled while at Miami, but blossomed once he got into the NFL. 5) Hugh Thornton, OG, Illinois - With the signing of OG Lance Louis, the Dolphins will likely go into the mid rounds before they look to bring an OG into the fold, but they will look to add talent to the position. This is a little blurb on Thronton from NFL.Com. Strengths Tenacious blocker once engaged either in the run game or pass pro, finishes blocks to the ground whenever necessary. Good quickness from his stance, can fire out to greet defenders. Very good upper body strength to latch onto and stone targets, possesses footwork to stay with them throughout the play. Quick feet and good straight-line speed also help him block down and reach second-level targets, also pulled for outside runs. Uses athleticism and length as an effective cut blocker in space to take out defenders. 5) Kenyon Barner, RB, Oregon - Miami will be featuring RB Lamar Miller in 2013, as Reggie Bush was allowed to leave via free agency. But Miami seems to be looking for a change of pace back and will be bringing in Clemson RB Andre Ellington. Barner is a very similar back in style of play, size and expolsive plays and playmakers. 7) Don Jones, SS, Arkansas State - Miami has shown a lot of interest in this SS prospect from Arkansas State. Very nice size at 5'11, 191 lbs with very good speed at 4.41 40. 7) Brandon Moore, DT/NT, Texas - Jeff Ireland likes keeping the DL stocked with talent, and the Dolphins went to Texas and found Kheeston Randle in the 7th round in 2012. Moore is a big, powerful man that can add depth to the DT position. Also, Paul Solaia will be a free agent after the 2013 season as well. Here is a little blurb from NFLDraftScout.com, the CBS Sportsline.com Draft site. "STRENGTHS: Naturally large man with long limbs and good overall weight distribution. Scheme versatile. Flashes a powerful bull rush to push the pocket. Possesses just average burst but shows surprising straight-line speed once he gets going. Untapped potential." 7) Vince Williams, ILB, Florida State - Miami adds depth to the linebacker corps with this intense Seminole. Miami has talked about possibly adding a QB as well, so keep an eye on Vanderbilt QB Jordan Rogers. Props to ToneOz, one of our members that had Rodgers in his mock draft in the 7th round.
Read more here: http://miamiherald.typepad.com/sports-buzz/#storylink=cpy
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Written by Dave Blake
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Friday, 29 March 2013 |
PHINFEVER MOCK DATABASE (43) | SITE | MOCK | BIO | COMMENTS | UPDATED | Phinfever Owner:
Dave
"Big Dave"
Blake | Xavier Rhodes | CB
Florida St
Junior
6 '2"
217 lbs
40 @ 4.55 | Face it, this team needs playmakers all over, and there are holes along the offensive line, in the secondary, and tight end positions. My first choice would be OT Lane Johnson here, and the Dolphins would seriously consider him, but the Chargers will grab him at #11. The Dolphins will also look seriously at WR Tavon Austin who is going to be a nice little playmaker in the NFL, but unless the Dolphins pick up Grimes, they will need a cornerback to replace Sean Smith.. Rhodes reminds me of Vontae Davis as he is physical and a good cover corner. Can he play zone? That is what they should have evaluated all ready. | Mar 29
| Phinfever Draft Guru:
Tony Simmons | Tavon Austin | WR
West Virginia
Senior
5 '8.5"
171 lbs
40 @ 4.40 | Miami has rebuilt their WR corps for the most part with the signing of Mike Wallace and Brandon Gibson and re-signing Brian Hartline. Davone Bess is going into his final year of his contract and there is talk of possibly trading Bess. With that being said, you need to be able to score points and have multiple weapons. Austin is the most expolsive player in this draft and gives QB Ryan Tannehill one more lethal weapon to work with. Other possiblities are CB Xavier Rhodes of Florida State, CB Desmond Trufant of Washington, DE Bjoern Werner of Florida State. | Mar 28
| | | | | | | Bleacher
Report | Xavier Rhodes | CB
Florida St
Junior
6 '2"
217 lbs
40 @ 4.55 | Right now, this seems like one of the most likely picks of the entire round. The Dolphins need a corner, Rhodes presents solid value outside of the top 10 and he can help the team right away. | Mar 29
| CBS
Sportsline
Rob
Rang | Jonathan Cooper | OG
North Carolina
Senior
6 '3"
295 lbs
40 @ 5.15 | The Dolphins have added talented pass-catchers for Ryan Tannehill but they won't do any good if he doesn't have time to throw. Miami lost left tackle Jake Long to the St. Louis Rams and allowed veteran guard Brandon Moore to leave town after hosting a visit with the New York Jets' free agent. If their offensive line issues aren't resolved prior to the draft, Miami would be wise to pounce on the ultra-athletic and versatile Cooper if he was available here. | Mar 25
| Draft
Academy | Lane Johnson | OT
Oklahoma
Senior
6 '7"
307 lbs
40 @ 5.30 | 1st: Lane Johnson OT Oklahoma. Jake Long is gone, Martin slides over to LT but they need a real starter at RT. Johnson is a starter from day 1. 2nd: Terrance Williams WR Baylor. A good combo WR, this is assuming they don’t sign Greg Jennings. 2nd: Will Davis CB Utah State. Complete ballhawk, they need to replace Sean Smith. | Mar 4
| Draft
Ace | Desmond Trufant | CB
Washington
Senior
6 '0"
186 lbs
40 @ 4.45 | A reach? Maybe. But the Dolphins situation at cornerback is a mess and Desmond Trufant is one of the most underrated prospects in this draft class. In my opinion, the gap between Trufant and Dee Milliner is relatively small. Trufant should immediately be the No. 1 corner in Miami and a significant upgrade over Sean Smith from a season ago. | Mar 23
| Draft
Insiders
Digest | Cordarelle Patterson | WR
Tennessee
Senior
6 '3"
205 lbs
40 @ 4.50 | (No comment given.) | Mar 24
| Draft
Daddy | Xavier Rhodes | CB
Florida St
Junior
6 '2"
217 lbs
40 @ 4.55 | Dolphins lost Sean Smith to free agency and signs point to retooling at CB. Alternate picks: OT Lane Johnson, DT Star Lotulelei. | Mar 21
| Draft
King | Cordarelle Patterson | WR
Tennessee
Senior
6 '3"
205 lbs
40 @ 4.50 | I realize that the Dolphins gave Mike Wallace megabucks to sign as a free agent, but Jeff Ireland is full "We must win now" mode. And even with the Dolphins overpaying to keep Brian Hartline, Patterson is considered by many to be the top wide receiver prospect in this draft and would suddenly provide QB Ryan Tannehill with a sufficient number of top-tier wide receivers. | Mar 20
| Draft
Season
Lups | Tavon Austin | WR
West Virginia
Senior
5 '8.5"
171 lbs
40 @ 4.40 | The Phins have signed just about every free agent out there including receivers Mike Wallace and Brandon Gibson, but that shouldn’t stop them from getting Austin here. Davone Bess is a good slot guy but he’ll be gone after next season and Austin would be electric. The team can get nutty and line him up just about everywhere and he’s a threat to score every time the balls in his wee little hands. 43. Miami Dolphins - Jonathan Banks CB, Mississippi St.
The Phins lost Sean Smith in free agency and got to find someone to fill his shoes. 56. Miami Dolphins (From Indianapolis Colts) - Margus Hunt DE, SMU
The Dolphins get a much need pass rusher who has immense potential | Mar 25
| Draft
Season
Onebar | Xavier Rhodes | CB
Florida St
Junior
6 '2"
217 lbs
40 @ 4.55 | The Dolphins have made a big splash in free agency but have yet to get a possible replacement for Sean Smith. Even with Smith the Fins had a need at corner, unless a tackle slides, look for Miami to go strong at a corner. | Mar 18
| Draft
Season
Will Lomas | Barkevious Mingo | DE (OLB)
LSUl
Junior
6 '4"
240 lbs
40 @ 4.60 | 12. Miami – Barkevious Mingo DE, LSU 43. Miami – Johnthan Banks CB, Miss. St. 56. Miami (via Indianapolis) – Jamar Taylor CB, Boise State | Mar 20
| | Lane Johnson | OT
Oklahoma
Senior
6 '7"
307 lbs
40 @ 5.30 | Miami's spending spree in Free Agency netted them 2 WRs, 2 LBs, and a TE but both the OL and Secondary were downgraded. The top 2 CBs in the draft are gone so Miami looks toward the trenches. Both Johnson and OG Cooper are options. However, OT is the more important position and, despite the re-signing of Garner, Johnson gets the nod. He'll fight Martin for Long's old LT spot. | Mar 26
| East
Coast
Sports | Jonathan Cooper | OG
North Carolina
Senior
6 '3"
295 lbs
40 @ 5.15 | The Dolphins filled their biggest need on the team in free-agency with the signing of Mike Wallace but have need a real need at LT and help for the middle of their line since Richie Incognito has just one year left on his contract...Cooper is more athletic than Incognito and has the versatility to play center if needed.
Team Needs - HB, WR, OG, OT, CB; Offense - Vertical passing, Zone blocking. Defense - 4-3 scheme, Press man coverage. | Mar 19
| ESPN
Mel
Kiper | Cordarelle Patterson | WR
Tennessee
Senior
6 '3"
205 lbs
40 @ 4.50 | Pick analysis: He needs work as a route-runner, but Patterson is a potential difference-maker in the passing game. He can go up and get it, take the top off defenses and keep safeties deep because of his speed, and he's a big, physical, shifty runner with the ball in his hands. Free-agency factor: If the Dolphins make a splash move and add a player such as Mike Wallace or Greg Jennings, they could go in another direction at this spot. They certainly could be thinking tackle if Jake Long moves on. | Mar 11
| ESPN
Todd
McShay | Jonathan Cooper | OG
North Carolina
Senior
6 '3"
295 lbs
40 @ 5.15 | Miami must find a replacement for departed free-agent OT Jake Long but can't afford to reach for a tackle here. Cooper is the best blocker in space in this class, and he fits what the Dolphins are looking for in terms of athleticism and stamina. He will help protect young QB Ryan Tannehill -- who has been provided with several new weapons this offseason -- and upgrade Miami's run blocking. Cooper is the best player left on the board at this point, and some feel he is even better than Warmack. 42 Miami D.J. Hayden CB Houston | 54 | Miami (from Indianapolis) | Sam Montgomery* | DE | LSU | | Mar 28
| Fantasy
Football
Jumgle | Lane Johnson | OT
Oklahoma
Senior
6 '7"
307 lbs
40 @ 5.30 | After losing Jake Long to St. Louis via free agency, Miami will focus on finding his replacement through either trade or the draft. Building around Ryan Tannehill has been Miami’s biggest off-season priority, and I can’t think of a greater benefit to the young quarterback than a young left tackle that’ll keep his jersey clean. | Mar 23
| FF Toolbox:
Binstock | Xavier Rhodes | CB
Florida St
Junior
6 '2"
217 lbs
40 @ 4.55 | Miami has had an active free agency signing Mike Wallace, Dannell Ellerbe and Philip Wheeler. However after trading away Vontae Davis last year and allowing Sean Smith to sign with the Chiefs, Miami jumps on the second best CB in the draft. Rhodes is big and physical with the ability to play tight coverage from the line of scrimmage all the way down the field. | Mar 26
| FF Toolbox:
De Lima | Desmond Trufant | CB
Washington
Senior
6 '0"
186 lbs
40 @ 4.45 | Trufant continues is steady climb up draft boards after a great offseason evaluation period. Miami has needed a corner since trading away Vontae Davis and now especially after allowing Sean Smith to sign with the Chiefs. 42. (2.10) MIA: Justin Pugh, OG, Syracuse
Back to back Orangemen is merely a coincidence because their talents are anything but coincidental. Pugh's ideal size and strength should contribute early as a starter. 54. (2.22) MIA: Cornellius Carradine, DE, Florida State
Carradine sometimes looked like the better prospect between he and Werner. He has a great combination of length and pass rush moves. | Mar 19
| FF Toolbox:
Dimon | Xavier Rhodes | CB
Florida St
Junior
6 '2"
217 lbs
40 @ 4.55 | Rhodes has great size for a cornerback at 6'2'' and 217 pounds. After leaving FSU early, he has cemented himself as a virtual lock for the first round. 42. (2.10) MIA: Matt Elam, S, Florida
Elam has a chance of ending up as the first safety off the board come April. 54. (2.22) MIA: William Gholston, DE, Michigan State*
Standing at 6'7'' and 268 pounds, Gholston will be tough to pass up toward the end of the second round. | Mar 15
| FF Toolbox:
Standig | Bjoern Werner | DE
Florida St
Senior
6 '4"
255 lbs
40 @ 4.80 | Signing Mike Wallace to a mega contract and keeping Brian Hartline addresses (in theory) the Dolphins receiver need and moves them closer to best available territory. Werner racked up 13 sacks last season for the Seminoles. | Mar 14
| FF Toolbox:
Warner | Xavier Rhodes | CB
Florida St
Junior
6 '2"
217 lbs
40 @ 4.55 | The 6-2, 215 pound redshirt junior has 35 tackles, seven passes broken up and three interceptions in 2012. He has a solid size/speed combo with above average hands and would be a welcomed addition to a Miami secondary that saw top CB Sean Smith sign with Kansas City. The very replaceable Richard Marshall is coming off back surgery. Trading Vontae Davis to Indy was a mistake as Miami's pass defense fell to 27th in the NFL. 42. (2.10) MIA: Menelik Watson, OT, Florida State*
Former #1 overall pick Jake Long signed with St Louis. Rookie Jonathan Martin struggled early improved and will likely start 2013 on the blind side. A new right tackle is needed. 54. (2.22) MIA: Margus Hunt, DE, SMU
Miami owns this pick as part of the Vontae Davis (with Indy). Cameron Wake was the only consistent pass-rushing threat on the Dolphins defense in 2012. Margus Hunt is a officially a Freak. The Estonian track star-turned SMU D-lineman had an impressive combine running a 4.60 forty with 38 reps on the bench. Hunt (6-8, 275 pounds) has 17 career blocked kicks (10 FGs, 7 PATs), which ties for second in NCAA history (record is 19). He was named First-Team All-C-USA honors in 2012 and amassed 14.5 career sacks. | Mar 27
| Football
Fan
Spot | Xavier Rhodes | CB
Florida St
Junior
6 '2"
217 lbs
40 @ 4.55 | With all 3 of the top tackles definitely off the board at this point (Joeckel, Fisher, and Johnson won’t get past Philadelphia, Arizona, and San Diego respectively), the Dolphins will probably take either a cornerback or one of the top-2 guards. Warmack and Cooper are also off the board here, so that leaves cornerback, which is by far their biggest need right now after everything they did in free agency. None of Nolan Carroll, Richard Marshall, or Dimitri Patterson are starting caliber and the latter two could easily be cap casualties this off-season or next. Marshall is owed 9.85 million over the next 2 seasons combined, while Patterson is owed 9.8 million. Neither one of them is worth that., DE, Florida State Signing Mike Wallace to a mega contract and keeping Brian Hartline addresses (in theory) the Dolphins receiver need and moves them closer to best available territory. Werner racked up 13 sacks last season for the Seminoles. | Mar 24
| Great
Blue
North
Draft
Report | Xavier Rhodes | CB
Florida St
Junior
6 '2"
217 lbs
40 @ 4.55 | (No comment given.) 42. MIA: Terron Armstead - OT - Arkansas-Pine Bluff
54. Mia (from Indianapolis): Da'Rick Rogers - WR - Tennessee State | Mar 18
| Heard's
Football Report | Xavier Rhodes | CB
Florida St
Junior
6 '2"
217 lbs
40 @ 4.55 | (No comment given.) | Mar 17
| KFFL | Desmond Trufant | CB
Washington
Senior
6 '0"
186 lbs
40 @ 4.45 | Cornerback is argubly the biggest need for Miami right now, but defensive and offensive tackles could come into play with this pick. | Mar 13
| Miami
Dolphins
Draft.
COM | Tavon Austin | WR
West Virginia
Senior
5 '8.5"
171 lbs
40 @ 4.40 | Miami fans have been noticing ever since draft season began that Austin stands out in film study like few others. He is not the prototypically sized receiver you would covet as a #1 receiver, and especially not this early in the draft; however Austin would tie everything else in the Dolphin offense together. He would complement the deep speed of Mike Wallace with speed underneath, quickness off the line. The possession talent of Brian Hartline on the outside, with the same possession talent of Austin in the slot on the inside. If Wallace occupies the attention of one safety, Austin could keep the other safety busy, allowing Lamar Miller to never face an eight man front. Austin in the slot would open up the middle of the field for Dustin Keller. The possibilities are endless. Miami wouldn’t be just drafting Austin at 12 to carry the team or the offense, but rather to gel the entirety of the unit together and make it a well-oiled machine. They wouldn’t be the fastest show on turf, but they would have a shot at fastest show on grass, and in today’s NFL, fastest anything is a necessity. Round 2a Zach Ertz, TE, Stanford
Round 2b Jamar Taylor, CB, Boise State
With two picks at their disposal, Miami can build on what they’ve already started. In taking Austin in round 1, they would be passing on TE Tyler Eifert who would also be quite useful in the Miami offense. Choosing to go with the elite speed of Austin does not mean however that they would then ignore the TE spot entirely. Ertz provides a big target and someone that would be useful in the red zone. He played at Stanford with Andrew Luck and was a teammate of OT Jonathan Martin. Ertz has decent hands and uses them to grab the ball rather than catching it with his body. With Keller signed for this season, it would allow Miami time to work with and evaluate both Ertz and last year’s third round TE Michael Egnew, although the hope would be that Ertz could in fact play right away in two tight end sets. The cornerback position is the area of biggest need on defense however if Richard Marshall returns to form from injury last year and with Dimitri Patterson back with a full offseason to work, the Dolphins would have a total of four corners on the roster capable of playing, just needing an infusion of talent upgrades where possible. Enter Taylor who is a tough, physical corner that GM Jeff Ireland typically prefers in his corners. He can play in either scheme, zone or man which makes him valuable as he can adapt to whatever coverage is needed. | Mar 28
| National
Football
Post
| Lane Johnson | OT
Oklahoma
Senior
6 '7"
307 lbs
40 @ 5.30 | Jake Long is now a St. Louis Ram and Jonathan Martin did not “wow” anyone with his play in 2012. Johnson is a top athlete who has made great strides since becoming an offensive lineman/tackle in 2011 and could protect Ryan Tannehill’s blindside for a long time. | Mar 27
| NFL.COM
Bucky
Brooks
| Xavier Rhodes | CB
Florida St
Junior
6 '2"
217 lbs
40 @ 4.55 | The loss of Sean Smith robs the Dolphins of a big, athletic corner with range. Rhodes is not a polished product at this point, but he possesses a rare combination of size, speed and skill. | Mar 15
| NFL.COM
Charlie
Casserly
| Xavier Rhodes | CB
Florida St
Junior
6 '2"
217 lbs
40 @ 4.55 | Will Tampa Bay jump Miami to snag this rangy cornerback? | Mar 24
| NFL.COM
Charles
Davis
| Cordarelle Patterson | WR
Tennessee
Senior
6 '3"
205 lbs
40 @ 4.50 | A crying need meets its match. The Dolphins lack a dynamic playmaker on the perimeter, and Mr. Patterson fills that role. | Mar 5
| NFL.COM
Daniel
Jeremiah
| Chance Warmack | G
Alabam
Senior
6 '3"
320 lbs
40 @ 5.37 | The run on O-linemen continues with this selection. The Dolphins just miss out on one of the three elite offensive tackles, but Warmack is an excellent consolation prize. Wide receiver is no longer a pressing need, but Tavon Austin still might be tempting. | Mar 20
| NFL
Network
Gil
Brandt
| Jonathan Cooper | OG
North Carolina
Senior
6 '3"
295 lbs
40 @ 5.15 | Cooper is pretty good -- a very athletic player who can be used at several different spots, including center. He doesn't look as big as some NFL guards, but he has a great attitude. I think he'll be around for a number of years. | Mar 27
| NFL
Draft
101 | Cordarelle Patterson | WR
Tennessee
Senior
6 '3"
205 lbs
40 @ 4.50 | Ryan Tannehill showed some real signs of improvement and the while Brian Hartline was a welcomed surprise he will only benefit from an improved supporting cast. Patterson is explosive and could be really scary if he continues to refine those incredible raw tools. | Feb 20
| NFL
Draft
Blitz | Xavier Rhodes | CB
Florida St
Junior
6 '2"
217 lbs
40 @ 4.55 | 12. Miami Dolphins – CB Xavier Rhodes (Florida State) *
42. Miami Dolphins – OT Justin Pugh (Syracuse) *
54. Miami Dolphins (from Colts) – DE Alex Okafor (Texas) | Mar 25
| NFL
Draft
Countdown | Xavier Rhodes | CB
Florida St
Junior
6 '2"
217 lbs
40 @ 4.55 | It’s been a head-scratching offseason for the Dolphins thus far. Miami had a lot of money to spend and they made some flashy moves in free agency, most notably bringing in Mike Wallace and Dustin Keller to soup up the passing attack and replacing Karlos Dansby and Kevin Burnett with Dannell Elerbe and Philip Wheeler at linebacker. However, the Dolphins also let their left tackle (Jake Long) and best cornerback (Sean Smith) get away and have yet to upgrade their pass rush. One would think the organizations top priorities would be protecting their young quarterback while beefing up the pass rush and secondary since they have to face Tom Brady twice a year. In all fairness the Phins still have time to make additional moves in free agency and also have eleven picks in the 2013 NFL Draft, including five in the top three rounds, but counting on youngsters to fill holes at key positions like left tackle, cornerback and pass rusher is asking a lot. Xavier Rhodes | Florida St. Seminoles It’s unlikely that Oklahoma OT Lane Johnson will make it this far so Miami may have to turn their attention elsewhere in round one. Xavier Rhodes of Florida St. offers rare size at corner and answered questions about his speed by running a 4.43 forty at the Scouting Combine. Rhodes would be a nice fit in the Dolphins scheme and could step into their starting lineup immediately. If it’s a pass rusher Miami wants the most likely options are Jarvis Jones of Georgia, Ezekiel Ansah of B.Y.U., Barkevious Mingo of L.S.U. and Bjoern Werner of Florida St. | Mar 20
| NFL
Draft
Dog | Sheldon Richardson | DT
Missouri
Senior
6 '4"
295 lbs
40 @ 4.95- | Came on strong towards the end of the year. Very powerful and quick at 6' 4" 295 lbs. | Jan 27
| 900
Football
Links | Xavier Rhodes | CB
Florida St
Junior
6 '2"
217 lbs
40 @ 4.55 | All the pundits who are criticizing the Dolphins for treading water with their linebacker signings confounds me. They talk about the big contracts but fail to recognize a simple fact; the Dolphins got younger and avoided cap problems in the near future and did so very economically. The real cost for Ellerbe was his money minus Dansby's money. The same thing goes for Wheeler, his real cost was his money minus Burnett's money (the cap impact is a little more complicated since it needs to be adjusted for money brought forward because of their early release) . The Fins also avoided a situation where in a couple of years the older linebackers could be underperforming vis-a-vis their contracts at a time when the Dolphins could be in cap trouble instead of having cap room. Well, enough of that. Miami has a need at cornerback, and also could use a pass rusher opposite Wake. While Werner is still an option here, I'm off him for now and am projecting Rhodes, a tall, fast corner to replace Sean Smith who left for Kansas City in free agency. | Mar 16
| | Lane Johnson | OT
Oklahoma
Senior
6 '7"
307 lbs
40 @ 5.30 | OT Lane Johnson, Oklahoma
This pick is by far the hardest in my mind to forecast given the remaining time in free agency but as of now should OT Lane Johnson be on the board, I would expect the Phins to take him. The 6’7″ 303lbs Oklahoma product is a physical specimen who has seen time at 3 positions in his college career. He is very athletic and projects as one of the best pass protectors in the draft (clearly a priority for the Dolphins moving forward). He needs to add a little more weight but has proven he is willing and able to do so. Additionally the guy is exactly the type of player Philbin likes, a high character, extremely hard-working player who could be a future leader for this team. Second Option: CB Xavier Rhodes, Florida State
Rhodes is a very physical 6’ 2” 210lbs cover corner with 4.5 speed. Some have highlighted his 2012 game tape as a problem, but teams really threw away from him a lot of the time. To see his potential check out his 2011 game, in which he covered former Notre Dame now Arizona Cardinals WR Michael Floyd, and shut him down hard. Also if DE Deon Jordan is available (which is highly unlikely) don’t be surprised if the Phins take a luxury pick. Also don’t be too surprised if the Phins trade down before taking a corner, this draft is very deep at the tackle and corner positions and more picks are never bad. | Mar 29
| | Tyler
Eifert | TE
Notre Dame
Senior
6 '6"
251 lbs
40 @ 4.75 | The Dolphins have made an effort to surround Ryan Tannehill with more talent this offseason, re-signing Brian Hartline and adding Mike Wallace to the fold. Now they add arguably the most talented skill player in the draft in tight end Tyler Eifert. The tight end is becoming a weapon in today’s passing offenses, and Eifert fits the mold of the elite players at the position. | Mar 25
| Sports
Illustrated
Don Banks | Xavier Rhodes | CB
Florida St
Junior
6 '2"
217 lbs
40 @ 4.55 | The Dolphins gave their fans the sizzle they clamored for in free agency, but they did lose cornerback Sean Smith and must find his replacement near the top of this draft. Rhodes is the second-rated cover man in this draft, and scouts love the presence he brings at 6-foot-2, 210 pounds. | Mar 27
| | Desmond Trufant | CB
Washington
Senior
6 '0"
186 lbs
40 @ 4.45 | Miami has almost nothing at the CB position; they need to address it early and often. Trufant may be one of the best cover CBs in this draft. He’s got great footwork, fluid hips and instincts. His physicality and toughness will need to improve but he’s got top 20 talent. The Dolphins can’t afford to pass on him here. | Mar 24
| Walters
Footbal
Matt McGuire | Xavier Rhodes | CB
Florida St
Junior
6 '2"
217 lbs
40 @ 4.55 | The Dolphins dealt Vontae Davis to the Colts the previous offseason. Now they just lost Sean Smith in free agency to the Chiefs. Cornerback has become a huge need for Miami. The position already had to be addressed even when Smith was on the team, but now the Dolphins have to find two new corners this offseason. *** OTHER 2013 NFL DRAFT POSSIBILITIES: *** 1. Lane Johnson, OT - Jake Long is gone. Jonathan Martin did a good job at left tackle at the end of the year, but a right tackle is needed. 2. Jonathan Cooper or Chance Warmack, G - Two interior line options. The Dolphins need an upgrade here. | Mar 27
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