If Dolphins can emerge with 2 players from same position at same school, here are 2 ideas
On the eve of the NFL Draft, some news, notes, as well as more thoughts from the lead draft analysts from ESPN (Mel Kiper Jr.) and NFL Network (Daniel Jeremiah) on things of interest to the Dolphins:
▪ The Dolphins like both of Georgia’s offensive tackles — left tackle Andrew Thomas and and right tackle Isaiah Wilson — and it would be quite a feat if they could come away with both, allowing Jesse Davis to move to right guard.
Kiper said if Wilson had gone back to Georgia for his senior season in 2020, he would have been a top-15 pick in 2021.
“At right tackle, he did a good job opposite Andrew Thomas,” Kiper said. “He’s a second-round possibility. Definitely a second-round-caliber player, at worst, early third.”
We have been told Dolphins general manager Chris Grier likes the Georgia linemen in this draft class. Miami has done a FaceTime session with Thomas.
Meanwhile, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and The Athletic’s Mike Lombardi (the former NFL executive) reported the Dolphins are trying to acquire Detroit’s pick at No. 3 with the intent of taking an offensive tackle.
A source who has been in touch with the Dolphins confirmed to me that Miami is trying to trade for No. 3, but without necessarily giving up No. 5.
In that scenario, Miami could move ahead of the Giants at No. 4 to take their No. 1-rated offensive tackle among Thomas, Iowa’s Tristan Wirfs, Alabama’s Jedrick Wills Jr. and Louisville’s Mekhi Becton. Besides their admiration for Thomas, Miami also likes Wirfs, and he would be very much in play in such a trade; the Dolphins had invited him to team headquarters before the coronavirus pandemic canceled that visit. And Wills and Becton can’t be discounted, obviously, either.
Wilson, meanwhile, could go anywhere from late in the first round to sometime in the second round.
Georgia is not the only school from which the Dolphins should consider taking two players who play the same position.
I could also make a strong case for drafting Louisiana guard/tackle Robert Hunt in the second round (Kiper advocates Miami taking him at 39) and teammate Kevin Dotson (the AP All-American first-team right guard) on Day 3. The Dolphins had invited both of those players for “30 visits” to team headquarters before they were canceled by coronavirus, according to league sources.
Incidentally, Kiper advocates the Dolphins picking multiple offensive tackles. He cites these as third-day tackles he likes: St. John’s Ben Bartch, Rhode Island’s Kyle Murphy, Charlotte’s Cameron Clarke (who can also play guard), South Carolina State’s Alex Taylor and Mississippi State’s Tyree Phillips, who Kiper said is “very underrated” and could sneak into the third round.
▪ Jeremiah frames the Tua Tagovailoa/Justin Herbert debate for the Dolphins this way: “When everything is dialed up the way it is supposed to be, they’re similar... When [the play] doesn’t go as expected, Tua has a little bit more of a playmaker gene than Tua does.”
Jeremiah sees Tua having the edge in instinctiveness, accuracy and urgency working through progressions.
Jeremiah said when Herbert played strong nonconference FBS teams (such as Auburn and Wisconsin) “I thought he was solid but never dominated those... bigger stage... games.” (Herbert was named offensive MVP of the Rose Bowl game against the Badgers in January but went 14 for 20 for 138 yards and an interception.)
As I wrote yesterday, a veteran NFL person who has spoken to the Dolphins said he does not expect Herbert to be Miami’s pick at No. 5, and that the Dolphins indicated they like Tua and to a lesser extent, Jordan Love.
▪ It’s doubtful the Dolphins pick two quarterbacks in this draft — unless they trade Josh Rosen.
Kiper’s three favorite potential third-day QB picks: FIU’s James Morgan, Hawaii’s Cole McDonald and Colorado’s Steve Montez. Of that group, the Dolphins have shown particular interest in Morgan.
“James Morgan would be the guy for me,” Kiper said of third-day QB options. “I’m intrigued by Morgan. I think in the sixth round, he would be a really good pick; 6-4, 230-pounder with a nice arm. Can make the throws, moves well in the pocket, good football IQ, loves to study the game.
“Cole McDonald has arm talent, hits smaller receivers in stride. Steven Montez has a lot of talent at Colorado but is erratic in terms of decision-making and accuracy.”
Kiper, incidentally, said two general managers told him Oklahoma quarterback Jalen Hurts won’t get out of the second round.
▪ Kiper sees a possibility that the Dolphins could take Oklahoma inside linebacker Kenneth Murray at 18.
“Kenneth Murray is a hot guy,” Kiper said. “Tested off the charts, three straight years of great production. His tackle production is staggering, had tackles for loss. Great kid, chiseled frame. He’s one of the those guys where you can say no later than the Saints at 24.”
▪ Kiper cites these players as rising in the draft: TCU receiver Jalen Reagor (Miami has called about him), Texas receiver Devin Duvernay (likely second-day pick) and Dayton tight end Adam Trautman, a player the Dolphins booked for a video conference session. Kiper sees Trautman rising to late in the second round, potentially.
Kiper cites these players as falling: Alabama cornerback Trevon Diggs, Alabama outside linebacker Terrell Lewis and Mississippi State cornerback Cameron Dantzler.
“Diggs had some games where he was a little inconsistent with his coverage ability,” Kiper said. “Still a work in progress. Lewis is more of a two, early three.”
An FAU player could go before a UM player; Kiper envisions FAU tight end Harrison Bryant going in the third or fourth round.
▪ Ohio State running back J.K. Dobbins thought his visit with Chris Grier and Brian Flores went very well on March 12, and his associates are optimistic Miami will select him, potentially at No. 26.
Jeremiah believes 39 makes more sense for a running back for Miami and has Dobbins as his fourth back, behind D’Andre Swift, Jonathan Taylor and Clyde Edwards-Helaire.
“He does not see himself as anyone but the top running back in this class,” Jeremiah said of Dobbins. “I love that about him. Very compact, physical runner, great balance. No hesitation to him. Really good in pass protection. Had two drops against Clemson, but his hands are really good. If Miami took him with the 39th pick, he’s off and running and would be a legitimate rookie of the year candidate if he gets in the right spot.”
▪ Jeremiah, asked by a reporter on a conference call about Love being charged with marijuana possession before December’s Frisco Bowl, said “it’s the fact it was the week of the bowl game. It was poor decision all the way around. It definitely matters.
“You have to have that discussion with him, but you have to factor in where we are as a country. If it happened in the middle of summer, I don’t think it would be a big deal at all. It’s a little concerning [with the timing]. I don’t think it will move him [at all]. But the topic will get brought up in interviews.”
▪ Jeremiah said the classic “boom-or-bust” player in the draft is Alabama edge player Terrell Lewis.
“Lewis is raw and hasn’t been able to stay healthy,” Jeremiah said. “There are teams who are concerned with the medicals. He’s my 101st player. He’s got freaky change of direction [but] he disappears at times and unfortunately hasn’t been able to stay healthy. He’s a classic boom bust player in this draft.”
He missed substantial time in his career with an upper arm injury and a torn ACL.
▪ We mentioned Mississippi State linebacker Willie Gay Jr. as one player the Dolphins have shown interest in, and Jeremiah said: “Willie Gay is fascinating. Five-star recruit. You can see at the Combine how athletic and explosive he was. He didn’t start a game last year, got suspended for academic things. When teams met with him, teams were comfortable with him. He presented himself well.”
Jeremiah believes he could rise into the second round.
Please check back tonight for another Dolphins six-pack.
This story was originally published April 22, 2020 at 4:28 PM.
