NFL Scouting Combine Preview: Breaking down the Miami Dolphins’ top five options at LB
This is the fourth in a series of position previews ahead of next week’s NFL Scouting Combine.
The Dolphins are likely going to keep drafting linebackers until they get the position fixed.
Dolphins general manager Chris Grier has taken a linebacker among the Dolphins’ top three draft picks in each of the past three seasons.
But the position remains an issue. A reason? He’s never used a first-rounder on the position.
Could that change in 2020? There’s an argument to be made the prospect with the best combination of talent and scheme fit isn’t a quarterback, but a linebacker.
Isaiah Simmons
School: Clemson.
Year: Redshirt Junior.
Position: Outside linebacker.
Height/weight: 6-4, 230.
2019 stats: 104 tackles (16 1/2 for loss), 8 sacks, 3 interceptions, two forced fumbles.
ESPN position/overall draft ranking: 1/4.
What to know: In Miami, Isaiah Simmons would gladly be the player that Minkah Fitzpatrick refused to be. And he would be an ideal fit in coach Brian Flores’ multiple defense. Need him to hold the edge on the line of scrimmage? Check. Need him to rush the passer? You go it. Need him to drop back into coverage as a corner? Sure thing. His combination of size and skill is wholly unique. And it has translated to excellence on the field. Simmons won the Butkus Award as the nation’s top linebacker in 2019 and was also the Atlantic Coast Conference Defensive Player of the Year. He’s the Dolphins’ most likely pick at five if they don’t take a quarterback.
They said it: “Ascending hybrid talent with rare length, speed and versatility to create mismatches for the offense, depending upon alignment. He has a bachelor’s at three positions [slot corner, safety, linebacker] but could earn a master’s degree in complex workload with a more focused and defined job description than “jack-of-all-trades.” He can handle zone or man coverage from a variety of spots on the field, which gives defensive coordinators a chance to disguise blitz packages and exotic post-snap looks. He’ll miss run fits and can be misdirected due to a lack of instincts near the line, but his playmaking range outweighs those concerns for now. His unique potential to spy and shrink the field against dual-threat quarterbacks could push him way up the draft board.” — Lance Zierlein, NFL.com.
Kenneth Murray
School: Oklahoma.
Year: Junior.
Position: Inside linebacker.
Height/weight: 6-2, 234.
2019 stats: 102 tackles (17 for loss), 4 sacks, 4 passes defensed.
ESPN position/overall draft ranking: 1/21.
What to know: Quick — how many plays can you remember the Dolphins’ linebackers making in 2019? Yes, Raekwon McMillan had a few tackles for loss in the run game and Sam Eguavoen was second on the team in sacks (3 1/2). But on balance, the Dolphins simply didn’t get nearly enough production from the position. Murray could change that in a hurry. He’s a sideline-to-sideline tackling machine who would likely be a top-10 pick if he were a little better in coverage. But as is, he would be a huge upgrade for the Dolphins if they took him at 26 or 39.
They said it: “Murray has elite straight-line speed and shows high-end closing burst. He plays with great effort and is a strong tackler, as evidenced by his 102 tackles, 17 tackles for loss (tied for 19th in the country) and 4 sacks this season. However, Murray lacks the man-to-man coverage skills you’d want to see from an inside linebacker in the NFL.” — Todd McShay, ESPN.com.
Zack Baun
School: Wisconsin.
Year: Redshirt senior.
Position: Outside linebacker.
Height/weight: 6-2, 227.
2019 stats: 75 tackles (19.5 for loss), 12 1/2 sacks, 2 forced fumbles.
ESPN position/overall draft ranking: 2/22.
What to know: Chris Grier loves Big Ten linebackers, particularly those from Ohio State and Wisconsin. Could Baun be the latest, joining former teammates Andrew Van Ginkel and Vince Biegel? There’s something about the Badgers’ defensive system that attracts Flores to Wisconsin’s players. Maybe it’s their versatility, of which Baun has plenty. He wasn’t much of a factor his first three years on campus but popped in 2019, earning second-team Associated Press All-American and first-team All-Big Ten honors.
They said it: “Baun is a slightly undersized outside linebacker with excellent athleticism and versatility. He spends a lot of time playing over tight ends and gets the best of them in the run and pass games. As a rusher, he has a good initial burst and can really bend at the top of his rush. He has a nifty inside counter move and he can get skinny before closing on the quarterback. He mixes in a stutter/bull rush, but usually stalls out after generating some push. He is very athletic as a dropper in coverage. He is very good as a back-side run defender because of his burst and effort. Teams will differ on where to play him at the next level. He reminds me of former USC LB Uchenna Nwosu, someone whose versatility the Chargers have tapped into. I’d do the same with Baun.” — Daniel Jeremiah, NFL.com.
Terrell Lewis
School: Alabama.
Year: Redshirt junior.
Position: Outside linebacker.
Height/weight: 6-5, 252.
2019 stats: 31 tackles (11 1/2 for loss), 6 sacks, 2 passes defensed, 1 recovered fumble.
ESPN position/overall draft ranking: 3/23.
What to know: No first-round linebacker has a bigger bust potential than Lewis, who appeared in some 20 games in four years at Alabama. Simply put, he cannot stay healthy. He missed basically two full seasons with arm and knee injuries. So why go pro early? He was excellent when available in 2019, earning second-team all-conference honors. Some team might take a shot on him in Round 1 based on potential, but the Dolphins would be better served going with lower-risk prospects early and hope Lewis falls to them in Round 2.
They said it: “Lewis oozes potential. He is long with an athletic build. His sack production will not impress anyone but he is fast. Lewis is a quick twitch player who displays great balance and a promising war chest of pass rush moves. The D.C. native is so fluid for his size and that should pop off the charts at the NFL Scouting Combine later this month.” — Josh Edwards, CBSSports.com.
Patrick Queen
School: LSU.
Year: Junior.
Position: Inside linebacker.
Height/weight: 6-1, 227.
2019 stats: 85 tackles (12 for loss), 3 sacks, 2 passes defensed, 1 interception.
ESPN position/overall draft ranking: 2/41.
What to know: There’s a big difference in opinion on just how high Queen should go. Daniel Jeremiah has him as draft’s the 16th-best player, regardless of position. Mel Kiper Jr. ranks him 25th, Todd McShay doesn’t give Queen a first-round grade. What does Grier think? We’ll find out in late April, when he will have five of the draft’s first 56 picks. Helping Queen’s stock: His LSU pedigree. The school has churned out a number of talented linebackers in recent years.
They said it: “Queen is an undersized linebacker with outstanding burst, instincts and coverage ability. Against the pass, he is very fluid in his drops and his change-of-direction ability is excellent. He has good instincts to jump routes and he closes to the flat in a hurry. He is a very dynamic blitzer (see him flat-back an offensive guard in the Texas A&M game). In the run game, he is quick to key/read and shoot gaps. He does get uprooted at times because of his size, but he usually finds a way to beat blockers to spots. Overall, Queen is a high-tempo playmaker at the second level and should impact all three downs.” — Daniel Jeremiah, NFL.com.
This story was originally published February 20, 2020 at 11:36 AM.
