Grading the Dolphins Draft: C+
As the hoopla fades, the Dolphins exit the Draft with nine rookies - but how do they rate?
By JANIE CAMPBELL
Updated 9:59 AM EST, Mon, Apr 27, 2009
It's over already? The Dolphins went for size and raw talent in the Draft -- and have their work cut out for them with more than a few late-round projects.
First Round | Vontae Davis | Cornerback | Illinois | Grade: B-
There was a glaring need for a big, physical cover corner, and Davis is arguably the most pure corner in the entire draft -- so props to the Dolphins for sticking to the program. However, Davis' questionable work ethic and distaste for authority could be an issue. On the bright side, if there's a staff that can channel a poor attitude into on-field aggression, or has earned the benefit of the doubt where personnel picks are concerned, it's the Dolphins. So in Parcells we trust.
The minus is on account of our souls dying a little when Davis referred to himself in third person from his draft party at a place "sort of like a restaurant" in Daphne, Alabama. (What does that even mean? Possible translations from Vontae to English: "strip club with a lunch buffet," "parking lot hot dog trailer," "Chuck E. Cheese," "staring admiringly into a mirror while I slowly eat a steak I'll pay off when I sign my fat first-round contract and all 843 attached behavioral clauses.")
Second Round | Pat White | Quarterback | West Virginia | Grade: A
Little. Yellow and Blue. Different.
Ooh-wee, this pick is a beauty! White is undersized, and the Dolphins don't need another backup QB. But he's the absolute perfect fit for Miami's shiny new Wildcat formation; his unique skill set makes him a very viable and flexible offensive threat right off the bat for at least a handful of plays per game. Watch him run! Watch him pass! We just might see him on returns, too, where he could be very dangerous. Judging from his career overachieving at a position for which he's always been small, it might even be foolish to rule him out of the third-string quarterback race. And he's a coach's dream.
Second Round | Sean Smith | Cornerback | Utah | Grade: A-
Still learning to play corner, Sean Smith is pretty much just a lump of clay. But he's a giant lump with a huge wingspan, great hands, real speed and tons and tons of upside. Did we mention his size, which would come in handy in the AFC East? Oh, we did. Smith has everything in place to grow into a great defensive back. Just add coaching, mix well, and distribute evenly.
Third Round | Patrick Turner | Wide Receiver | USC | Grade: C+
Fourth Round | Brian Hartline | Wide Receiver | Ohio State | Grade: C-
Yes, the Dolphins need a wide receiver. But didn't they need an explosive wide receiver? These two characters are a bit underwhelming, and both were likely picked a round early. Turner has size but no zip, with good hands; Hartline, on the other hand, is speedy but known for dropping balls. And see all those linebackers going elsewhere? Middling wideouts are a dime a dozen, so why use two consecutive early and mid-round picks?
Fifth Round | Johnathan Nalbone | Tight End | Monmouth | Grade: B-.
Never mind the need at nose tackle, Nalbone owns every tight end receiving record in school history at Monmouth ("The Brigadoon University of the NFL Draft") and three of Miami's tight ends will be free agents in 2010. It's not a sexy pick, but the Dolphins do need to shore up this position, and Nalbone just might grow into it after a couple years.
Fifth Round | Chris Clemons | Safety | Clemson | Grade: Eh.
Our apathy knows no bounds. Especially because safety wasn't as pressing as adding depth elsewhere, like the offensive line, or adding Jimmy Buffett to the game-day mix. A C- would be appropriate, but we can only make a gutteral noise.
Sixth Round | Andrew Gardner | Offensive Tackle | Georgia Tech
Seventh Round | J.D. Folsom | Outside Linebacker | Weber State | Grade: Zzzzzzz
Okay, now they're just making these schools up. And Parcells, Ireland, and Sparano might be making up talent where it isn't: both of these players project at "scout team." Folsom was even planning on being a vet; while late-round picks are generally blah, these appear particularly uninspired.
But, since the Dolphins didn't pick a linebacker until the seventh round, it looks like Jason Taylor might have found his way home after all. And that would be an A+.
Janie Campbell is a Florida sports fan who awards the Dolphins a C+ and may God have mercy on their souls. Her work has appeared in irreverent sports sites around the Internet.
First Published: Apr 26, 2009 9:24 PM EST
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