Mock 2 - Three Rounds

[SF Dolphin Fan]

1. Jake Matthews
Hear me out on this one. I think Miami ends up franchising Jake Long and signing him for one year. Without a long-term contract the team can gauge his value over the 2013 season and make a decision from there. Matthews could be his replacement, or he could slide to RT with Jonathan Martin moving to LT. Keep in mind that Joe Philibin knows the value of the offense line and Matthews has connections with Mike Sherman. He would transition easily to this offense. Doesn't hurt that he's a heck of a player with incredible bloodlines as his father was one of the best offensive linemen to ever play the game. I know fans wouldn't necessarily like the pick, but Matthews could play guard early on and give the team a championship caliber line.

2. Corey Lemonier
He's a guy that could go end of 1st or early 2nd so may require a slight trade up. Dolphins need a pass rusher opposite Cam Wake and Lemonier provides that. Great motor.

2. Tavon Austin
Miami will likely bring in a free agent wide receiver, but they need plenty of help there. Austin is a playmaker who drops due to lack of size. He also has returnability.

2. Trade Up (3 & 4 pick) Desmond Trufant
The luxury of having so many picks is that Miami can target a player it wants and move up. Trufant is exactly the type of player the secondary needs and this is a prime area that needs an upgrade.

3. Robert Lester
I think he drops a bit as he's skills aren't elite. But he is a smart player who always seems to be in the right place. Third round might be a little optimistic on my part.

[datruth55]

If you're drafting an OT with the first pick, you're not gaging anything. You don't franchise tag a LT and then draft his replacement unless you plan on losing several of your own free agents...that's a $15 million dollar gauge...that makes no sense and it's bad business. You're certainly not going to be players in the free agent market if you tie up more than 12% of you cap space on one player.

Lemonier is more of a tweener to me. Undersized DE, good fit in the 3-4, high motor, good pass rush moves. Not sure how he would hold up against the run in the NFL.

I don't like Tavon Austin in the 2nd...not enough value for me. He's a slot receiver at best so you've essentially negated Bess who should be in the slot and not on the boundary and still haven't addressed the boundary where we need the most help.

[SCOTTY]

This mock draft makes no sense at all. I think I threw up a lil in my mouth when you said tag Long then draft Oline with our first.

[SF Dolphin Fan]

If you're drafting an OT with the first pick, you're not gaging anything. You don't franchise tag a LT and then draft his replacement unless you plan on losing several of your own free agents...that's a $15 million dollar gauge...that makes no sense and it's bad business. You're certainly not going to be players in the free agent market if you tie up more than 12% of you cap space on one player.

Lemonier is more of a tweener to me. Undersized DE, good fit in the 3-4, high motor, good pass rush moves. Not sure how he would hold up against the run in the NFL.

I don't like Tavon Austin in the 2nd...not enough value for me. He's a slot receiver at best so you've essentially negated Bess who should be in the slot and not on the boundary and still haven't addressed the boundary where we need the most help.

I like Bess, but Austin would provide another dimension with his big-play ability. He's the guy who could take a short pass to the house something Bess doesn't do. Although Austin is best suited for the slot he can also beat people deep. Yes, I agree we need that boundary receiver more and I'm hoping maybe we can get that player in free agency. As to Matthews, I think there's a good chance that Miami doesn't sign Jake Long. That will be an interesting decision this offseason. Picking around 18, I could see Matthews as a target.

[SF Dolphin Fan]

This mock draft makes no sense at all. I think I threw up a lil in my mouth when you said tag Long then draft Oline with our first.

I hear you, but I really think this is a possibility. As of now, Miami is slated to pick around 18th. At that point, the top two corners (Milliner and Banks) will be gone as they are likely top 10 picks. The top pass rushers (Jones, Werner, Jordan, Mingo) should be gone. Allen should be gone. I think the Dolphins will be looking at players like Hunter, who I like, Matthews (Texas A'M connection/some concerns with Jake Long), Woods, Eifert, Montgomery. I think Philibin will place a high value on the offensive line, maybe not round 1, but probably higher than fans might expect.

[finsfanjay13]

I like Bess, but Austin would provide another dimension with his big-play ability. He's the guy who could take a short pass to the house something Bess doesn't do. Although Austin is best suited for the slot he can also beat people deep. Yes, I agree we need that boundary receiver more and I'm hoping maybe we can get that player in free agency. As to Matthews, I think there's a good chance that Miami doesn't sign Jake Long. That will be an interesting decision this offseason. Picking around 18, I could see Matthews as a target.

Austin would get *crushed* over the middle in the NFL, in my opinion (read: DeSean Jackson). I'd rather get Stedman Bailey who has an inch and fourteen pounds on Austin. I'd also argue that Bailey has better hands. He's not as fast, but I believe he makes up for it with better route running and fantastic catches.

[hooshoops]

not a fan...if you're gonna get a de he better have high end rush tools...i think lemonier has a decent arsenal i guess but lacks explosion and burst...if you're taking jake matthews which i can absolutely get behind cause i think he's a terrific fit you are letting jake long walk...matthews looks like a plug and play nfl right tackle in a zbs...why would i use my top pick in 2013 on a swing tackle in year 1???

i think lester is a guy that because of the things you mentioned is there in round 3...but what's the real upside there...nothing he does is elite level upside imo...although i do think he has instincts...he may also be a guy that's protected like a lot of those bama kids have been of late by the talent around him...

i like tavon austin in round 2 cause that kids explosive and he has a lot of specials versatility but not over a boundary wr...not when bess is playing so well in the slot...i'd rather if i'm going slot wait til the 3rd and pluck a swope...if i go slot at all...swope is another guy that knows how to run option routes and very smart...

key with whatever wrs we bring is is they need to be coverage id and route smart and they need to run solid routes...

as for desmond trufant i like that i think but i want to see how tall he measures in at come combine time...i have some is he 5 ft 10 reservations there...i would agree that odds on milliner or banks cause of their length and the fact they will test well and play against such high end comp each week getting out of the top 15 very slim

[datruth55]

I like Bess, but Austin would provide another dimension with his big-play ability. He's the guy who could take a short pass to the house something Bess doesn't do. Although Austin is best suited for the slot he can also beat people deep. Yes, I agree we need that boundary receiver more and I'm hoping maybe we can get that player in free agency. As to Matthews, I think there's a good chance that Miami doesn't sign Jake Long. That will be an interesting decision this offseason. Picking around 18, I could see Matthews as a target.

You're not getting that player in free agency if you tag Long. $15 million for Long...another $10 million or so for a free agent WR...that's $25 million of approximately $124 million cap...20% of the cap on two players? Awful business.

Let's say we have $60 million in cap space next year (that's on the high side) with 23 players scheduled to be free agents next year...that leaves 30 players signed for the 2013 season. You've just spent $25 million on two players leaving you $35 million to sign the other 21 players you need to fill the roster...about $7 million will be used to sign the rookie class and lets say they all stick (unlikely but just for kicks). So now we have 41 players, 9 of which are rookies, and $28 million left to sign 12 more players. That averages out to be about $2.3 million per player. Lets say we re-sign Hartline ($6 million), Smith ($8 million) and Fasano ($5 million)...and I'm being conservative with the salaries here...that leaves you $9 million to sign 8 players...in the mean time you have no QB behind Tannehill cause re-signing Moore to backup money is $5 million right there and Devlin is also a free agent and re-signing him would probably be $3 million, Bush, Starks, Clemons, McDaniel, Garner, Trusnik, Marlon Moore and Spitler (those last three just put a heck of a dent in your special teams) among others. You can't sign a veteran backup QB because you won't have the money to fill the roster...you've severly hampered the team in terms of experienced depth and you're relying on rookies to get you over the hump....good luck with that.

[j-off-her-doll]

I like Lemonier, but as truth said, he's a bit of a tweener, and if you're going to spend a 1st or 2nd on a tweener, dude better be B. Irvin explosive. Austin is a guy I'd feel better about in the 3rd. I'm not going to cry about getting an explosive player like that, but I'd much prefer his teammate, S. Bailey (in one of his threads, Slimm has a great write up - with video - on Bailey).

In this draft, we need WR's (and offensive players in general) who can score TD's.
We need guys who can get to the QB.
We need help in the secondary.
We likely need to find a RT (assuming Martin would kick over to LT).
And we probably need a legitimate RB - see as how box-of-rock Miller might never learn the playbook.

[SCOTTY]

I hear you, but I really think this is a possibility. As of now, Miami is slated to pick around 18th. At that point, the top two corners (Milliner and Banks) will be gone as they are likely top 10 picks. The top pass rushers (Jones, Werner, Jordan, Mingo) should be gone. Allen should be gone. I think the Dolphins will be looking at players like Hunter, who I like, Matthews (Texas A'M connection/some concerns with Jake Long), Woods, Eifert, Montgomery. I think Philibin will place a high value on the offensive line, maybe not round 1, but probably higher than fans might expect.

I don't think Oline is even a remote possibility with our first. Not even if we are picking in the low 20s. I have no doubt that we will go skill position. Best CB or DE on the board. If the guy we are targeting in a late first rounder then I wouldn't rule out a trade back dropping us 5 to 7 picks and getting another pick.