The Dolphins are amid a rebuild that has already begun, and their defense looks like it has good direction. They now have a new coach and need to find the same direction on offense.
Full disclosure, when I started doing this mock draft it was before the killer hype of Kyler Murray going number one overall. I have already published the Cardinals taking Quinnen Williams at number one so I will be staying true to my remaining draft board. The Dolphins are in need of a new quarterback and this could be their draft to find one.
With that said, I like the direction that the Dolphins are taking. They employ three great safeties in Reshad Jones, Minkah Fitzpatrick, and T. J. McDonald. Minkah Fitzpatrick showed last year that he can play every position in the secondary, as he even has the tools to be a lock-down cornerback. Also in the secondary, they have another lock-down cornerback in Xavien Howard. After returning from injury last season he was simply on fire.
To round out the defense they have a solid linebacker trio of Kiko Alonso, Jerome Baker, and Raekwon McMillan. Davon Godchaux proved that he is a top-tier run-stopper. All the defense needs is a little interior help, some edge rush, and some cornerback depth.
The offense is a different story. They just released Ryan Tannehill and no longer have a starting quarterback. That should be a top position of interest. Kenyon Drake and Kalen Ballage make a nice tandem, but I am not sold on either yet so adding some competition would be smart. They could definitely use some outside receiver help, although the coaching staff seems to be giving Davante Parker yet another chance. They start with the 13th overall pick and have seven other picks, lets see where the new coaching staff goes.
Round 1, Pick # 13 Kyler Murray, Quarterback- Oklahoma
Kyler Murray only falls here because Gettleman has his man in Haskins and Elway is too pig-headed to look past Murray’s height and realize he has unreal arm talent. Murray is a serious two-way quarterback and has a beautiful throw. Watch his tape and you can see him drop dime after dime while also seeing him torch defenses with his legs. Murray finished the 2018 season with 4,361 passing yards, 42 touchdowns and only seven interceptions.
In addition to his passing numbers, Murray also accumulated some amazing rushing stats. He ran for 1,001 yards at 7.2 yards per carry and 12 touchdowns. Murray won the Heisman Trophy in 2018, and quarterback is the main position of need for the Dolphins. They no longer have to look for their franchise quarterback.
Round 2, Pick #48 Jachai Polite, Edge- Florida
Polite is a first round talent for sure but showed some issues with immaturity at the draft combine. Polite has some great speed and bend on the edge, and tight ends are no match for him. He played a full 13 games in 2018 and showed his knack for getting behind the line of scrimmage. His totals for 2018 were 45 tackles, 19.5 tackles for a loss, 11 sacks, 4 passes defended, and an outstanding 6 forced fumbles. With his speed around the edge, he instantly upgrades this pass rush.
Round 3, Pick #79 Antoine Wesley, Wide Receiver- Texas Tech
Antoine Wesley is an amazing physical specimen. He measured in at 6’4 and 206 lbs. at the draft combine while also posting a 37 inch vertical. You cannot teach that type of size and athleticism. During the draft combine, he did not run the 40 yard dash but, watching his tape, he has ample speed. His long legs give him a great stride and he uses that for separation.
At 6’4 Wesley has a huge catch radius and catches with his hands away from his body very well. He has great concentration and is a great jump ball and 50-50 ball winner. In 2018 he had his first full year as a starter and finished with 88 receptions for 1,410 receiving yards and nine touchdowns. With his combination of size, route running, and hands he would be a welcome addition to the Dolphins receiving corps.
Round 4, Pick #117 Ross Pierschbacher, Offensive Guard- Alabama
Pierschbacher is a very good interior offensive lineman and has played right guard, left guard, and center. After his Senior season, he earned second team All-SEC honors as well as second team All-America honors from the Associated Press. He does a great job in an outside zone blocking scheme, which is something that Kenyan Drake could benefit from. He is also great at blocking at the second level. With his versatility along the line and experience against top talent in the SEC, Pierschbacher is a great pick here.
Round 5, Pick #152 Cody Barton, Linebacker- Utah
Cody Barton burst onto the scene in 2018 with a great season. He finished with 117 tackles, 11.5 for a loss, four sacks, six passes defended, one interception, and a forced fumble. Barton has a very strong upper body and is a powerful tackler. His burst is pretty solid and ran a 4.64 second 40 yard dash at the combine.
Instincts and football I.Q. are top-notch for Barton, and he reads and reacts to plays very well. Kiko Alonso had a great start to last year but tailed off towards the end due to lingering injuries, which is the story of his career. Barton can come in and learn from Alonso and be his eventual successor.
Round 6, Pick # 190 John Cominsky, Defensive Line- Charleston
When Cominsky got to college he was 218 lbs. Now he stands at 6’5 and 286 lbs. with some serious muscle to his frame. He does not have the greatest pass rush moves but is a mean run defender. With his 286 lbs. frame he runs a 4.68 second 40 yard dash. With a little coaching, he could easily move along the line between an interior defender and a defensive end. This late in the draft is a good place to look for upside and versatility.
Round 7, Pick #235 Jamal Custis, Wide Receiver- Syracuse
Custis is yet another 6’4 receiver that the Dolphins grab this time in the seventh round. He ran a 4.50 second 40 yard dash at the combine and has very large hands and catch radius. Custis has some basketball background and is a super weapon in the redzone. He high points throws well and is really solid at boxing out opponents. The Dolphins struggled in the red zone so why not add a pair of 6’4 receivers to the mix.
Round 7, Pick #236 Zach Gentry, Tight End- Michigan
Zach Gentry is a former quarterback turned tight end and has really good athleticism. He stands at 6’8 and 265 lbs. and is a strong blocker. Gentry is a large man and has room to still grow into his frame, but he does run a respectable 4.90 second 40 yard dash. With a great awareness and quarterback experience, he excels when the quarterback is under pressure and scrambling. With Mike Gesicki faltering in his first season, it would not be a bad decision to draft some insurance.
Summary
The Dolphins go and grab their franchise quarterback in Kyler Murray and also some weapons for him to throw to. In the third round, and twice in the seventh round, they drafted two receivers at 6’4 and a tight end at 6’8, some really large targets for Murray. After Cameron Wake left in free agency, they replace him with highly talented edge rusher Jachai Polite from Florida in the second round.
They add a versatile guard/center in Ross Pierschbacher to add to an already solid offensive line. Cody Barton was drafted in the fifth round to be a possible replacement for when it is eventually Kiko Alonso’s time to go. Lastly, they added a defensive lineman from a small school in John Cominsky who has the ability to play all across the defensive line. All in all, it is a good draft haul for the Dolphins.
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