Your Surprise Pick for Miami?

[SF Dolphin Fan]

Late round pick - Tip Reiman TE from the Fighting Illini. He's big - 6'5", 275 lbs and has the frame to get bigger. 22 years old and he's a good blocker who can also catch. Excelled in a lot of the NFL Combine drills. I don't study the college football like many others on FH. However, it struck me that Reiman is like Durham Smythe (ie good blocker who can catch a bit) - he's also roughly the same size as Smythe. (I know that we picked up Jonnu Smith in free agency, but he's a much better pass catching TE that Mike McDaniel will utilize in the passing game).

I'm with you there!

 

[jimthefin]

I want Mims or Fautanu or Newton.I prefer OL in R1 because I think there will be solid DT value at #55. There might be a OT like Amengadjie there too but I am less confidnet that he makes it to #55 vs Jenkins or Dorlus or Orhorhoro.My dream combo without a move back would be Mims or Fautanu in R1 and Kris Jenkins in R2.

My surprise pick would be Verse.

I think he fits the Raven mold that we assume Weaver would want at DE and while it is a short term need it could be a long term oone as well since Chubb is coming back from another serious injury and the Fins might want to move away from his contract sooner than later. And who knows if the team re-signs Phillips? They just let Wilkins walk.I know it was too much money and they tried for long time to extend him but the fact is an important, homegrown, young defensive talent left the team in FA so it could happen again.

 

[The Ghost]

It's also a position where you need quality depth if you're a serious super bowl contender.

Yup. Corners can really dictate how an offense can even attack a defense. Great CB's tend to shut down great WR's of the equivalent talent level, more often than not.

There is no substitute for having great CB play. You can't hide bad corners. Those guys are literally out there all by themselves and it requires a lot of mental toughness.

 

[spiketex]

Bowers and Verse are both "pound the table for" players in my view. Verse is 24 so maybe he drops a bit?

Bowers won't get past the Jets at #12. He won't make it to position #21.

 

[The Ghost]

Bowers won't get past the Jets at #12. He won't make it to position #21.

Jets at 10, but ya I agree. I am not thrilled about that at all. Garrett Wilson and Breece Hall are already a talented 1-2 punch. Even though they don't have a QB for the future and a suspect OL, Bowers/Wilson/Hall is nightmare trio.

 

[dolfan91]

Jets at 10, but ya I agree. I am not thrilled about that at all. Garrett Wilson and Breece Hall are already a talented 1-2 punch. Even though they don't have a QB for the future and a suspect OL, Bowers/Wilson/Hall is nightmare trio.

Scary ****.

 

[GatorFin73]

The team has so many needs that we really could go in several different directions here but we are not desperate at any of them. Could use an Edge player with two injured ones and an older one year rental. Could use a corner per the OP's analysis with 2 older vets and a 2nd year player we don't know what we have with yet. Could use a WR as Tyreek is getting older, Waddle heading into 5th year option year and our inability to generate much offense when one or both of them were missing time and or dinged up last year. Could use a tackle because Armstead will miss games and will likely retire after the season. Could use a guard since we lost Hunt and are depending on an often injured player at LG, with a bunch of lesser players filling backup roles. Could use a young stud DT with the loss of Wilkins however with the number of signings we have had there that doesn't look likely early in this draft.

So what to do? Grier has done a good job in that we aren't desperate at any of these positions, like need a day 1 starter to depend on now. We can go in a lot of different directions come draft day so other GM's won't know for sure what player(s) we covet. Much will come down to Grier's own board and what players he has a first round grade on, it may just be as simple as taking the highest rated 1st round graded prospect at any one of these "positions of need".

I'm still of the opinion that the best macro strategy for this team is to load up offensively. The defense will be a work in progress with a bunch of new players, several key injured players and a new DC. Although we could use a corner, use another Edge, I would postpone those needs and patch where necessary later in free agency while looking to the '25 draft when we have 10-11 picks, 8 of those in the first 5 rounds.

I doubt Grier would target a non-premium position so that removes center/guard from my consideration at #21. So that leaves Tackle and WR. This draft is supposedly loaded at both positions. For that reason a trade down if at all possible given the value would likely be my first choice and a strong consideration for Grier. Assuming we stay at #21, again tackle or WR for me, take your highest graded prospect at one of those positions with the thought of getting the other in round 2. If the draft is really that deep at both positions we could land a quality player at both positions.

IMO this team is going to win games on offense this year, will go as far as the offense takes it. Really can't afford to peter out like last year. Hit tackle and WR early and assuming we pick well the offense is strong at QB, 2 fast RB's and a quality FB, 2 fast WR's and a stud rookie WR to develop w/ decent depth in this system from WR 4-6, Smith/Smythe at TE and hopefully an at least average OL strong across the starting 5 but also with depth.

I didn't answer the OP's question about the exact surprise pick because I don't break down the college prospects so I have to go by what I hear on who's really good, 1st round grade, etc. I like to focus more on the position(s) being targeted, the macro build strategy. If looking for a surprise, QB would surprise, a Penix or Nix type. We still haven't signed Tua long-term and our backups aren't good so no matter what one thinks of Tua, we're just a serious injury away from a lost season. Not many teams double dip so to speak at QB when they think they have a good one but Green Bay has, twice, and it's seemingly worked for them. KC took Mahommes when they already had Alex Smith. Rodgers was the 24th pick in the draft when he came out, not saying any of the guys this year are that caliber but do you pass on a QB say that the FO loves just because you already have a good QB and think you need a OT/WR to better fill a hole? Yes most teams would pass on the QB but that doesn't make it right down the road. I'm sure a lot of teams have been kicking themselves for passing on Rodgers for so long those years ago for need picks that never amounted to much, or not for long compared to a great QB. In any event I'm not advocating for this just saying that would be my surprise pick. With edge, corner, tackle/guard and WR needs I don't really consider any of them a surprise.

 

[TFK]

Why corner? Ramsey and Fuller are both 30. Smith is unproven. More importantly, these are potentially really good players at a premium position and Grier has always put a huge emphasis on the secondary.

Ideally, your 1st round pick is going to make an immediate impact on the team, and a CB just isn't going to do that, barring injury.

 

[rickd13]

Because the individual talent of the DB directly effects the QB's decision. The corner doesn't rely on any other player to do his job but in turn helps promote the success of the DL with his individual talents. A WR relies on the OL and the QB to have success before the WR can ultimately make the play. The CB play is made immediately and if he loses, it spells disaster for the entire defense. The idea is enhanced when you have a vulnerable DL, like we do.

Great CB's vs Great WR's, I'll take the corners everytime.

That’s the point of having as many good receiving options as possible. Stress the defense all over the field. It’s impossible for a defense to take away everything. And you are totally dismissing the possibility of Hill or Waddle missing games due to injury. If that happens, it’s easy for the defense to take away, or at least limit, only one great receiving option. Miami currently, doesn’t have a significant backup WR on their roster. You would be counting on Braxton Berrios, someone you don’t like as a player, as the number two receiver if Waddle or Hill get banged up.

 

[Dolphin Mule]

any player that is not OL or WR

I will say; any player that is not OL or DE.

 

[PappyK]

You have to plan for injuries at every position and db comp breeds excellence at one of the most important 'individual' positions.. sounds like weaver wants ramsey moving around more, having 3 starting cb's might be the plan

 

[LargoFin]

Cynthia Freelund had Miami taking Coleman in one of her mocks.

I wouldn't like the pick at 21, but I do see his value for Miami. He is a physical receiver who wins those 50/50 and could be a terrific redzone threat.

I hope not. Plus, he does not meet the speed requirements for the offense.

 

[The Ghost]

That’s the point of having as many good receiving options as possible. Stress the defense all over the field. It’s impossible for a defense to take away everything. And you are totally dismissing the possibility of Hill or Waddle missing games due to injury. If that happens, it’s easy for the defense to take away, or at least limit, only one great receiving option. Miami currently, doesn’t have a significant backup WR on their roster. You would be counting on Braxton Berrios, someone you don’t like as a player, as the number two receiver if Waddle or Hill get banged up.

I hear you but it all goes hand in hand with the ability to block. OL play every snap, WR3 gets 3-5 receptions on 5-7 targets.

If we hadn't already invested 3 firsts, a second, two fourths and a 6th as well as a monster contract in our first two WR's, I'd feel a little differently. But as it stands now the roster is pretty thin and its my belief we lost the tough games last year in the trenches, not because of Braxton Berrios.

I also think we are better served signing Beckham and going OL and DL with our first two picks. You can't find OL or DL the equivalent of Beckham as a WR3.

Additionally, I have a really strong belief in Tua's abilities, giving him proper blocking is paramount IMO.

 

[SF Dolphin Fan]

Ideally, your 1st round pick is going to make an immediate impact on the team, and a CB just isn't going to do that, barring injury.

Good point. Dejean can probably play safety year one. Wiggins might not see the field much as a rookie.

 

[SF Dolphin Fan]

Bowers won't get past the Jets at #12. He won't make it to position #21.

Yeah, I don't think he makes it to 21.