Draft Order as of November 17

[Joe Dolfan]

Pretty good discussion.

This team has done a great job going from terrible to decent in an offseason.
Credit across the board.
IMO - to get to next level- SB contender- need 3-4 special players via Draft:

1. WR1- commands double team- think Adams, Thomas, Julio, Allen.

2. DL - dominant inside presence-

3. RB1 - Dynamic, get us little more

I think the dominant WR and DL player must be a premium pick. Top 15.
The RB can be Rd2

We also could use help at the LB position and Center position - again depending on availability.

I don't see anyone that fits your WR requirements. Chase is supposedly the best WR in the draft, but he had the best QB in the NCAA passing him the ball.

Does anyone see a dominant, aka Aaron Donald type, presence in this draft?

RB1 - Okay, There are a couple obvious choices here. There's Etienne and Harris. Etienne benefits (or used to benefit) from the best QB in NCAA. Harris benefits from being a member of the team that gets the most talented players in college football. Personally, I'd give the edge to Harris, because he has never played with the best QB in the NCAA.

 

[Feverdream]

There isn't a sacking DT in this draft... there is, however, a MLB that would fill that role after Wilkins and Davis tie up the front wall.

 

[macd123]

So you're saying he's a sure fire top ten talent. He can run routes well, catches well and has genuine 4.3 speed?

I'm more saying there's nobody else in the draft like Waddle. So if you want him you're going to have to pick high. But you could find some guys to replicate what Smith offers in terms of route running and great hands. So of the two, Smith is more likely to be there for pick 1b.

But yes he has those 3 things. There's a video of him racing Ruggs and you'd need a photo finish to decide the winner. But his route running is a lot better than Ruggs.

 

[Kebo]

I think you guys underestimate Devonta Smith. I think he is the safest pick in this draft, guaranteed star. His route running is at another level. He isn’t the physical receiver like Chase. Chase is like a Michael Irvin. Smith has the greatest gift a receiver can have, the ability to change directions at full speed. Plus Tua is already in sync with him. Put them together and let them put up numbers like Manning and Harrison. I see it as the missing piece to take this team to a championship level.

 

[SCOTTY]

I think you guys underestimate Devonta Smith. I think he is the safest pick in this draft, guaranteed star. His route running is at another level. He isn’t the physical receiver like Chase. Chase is like a Michael Irvin. Smith has the greatest gift a receiver can have, the ability to change directions at full speed. Plus Tua is already in sync with him. Put them together and let them put up numbers like Manning and Harrison. I see it as the missing piece to take this team to a championship level.

My top 3 goes: Waddle, Chase, Smith in that order. Whoever is on board at 1b im taking...
But I'm thinking all 3 are gone before that pick.

 

[El Canadian]

I've realized I'm at a point where I wish we had every pick in the top 10. I love so many prospects out of this draft, I also trust Grier and Flores. Here's everyone we drafted from the first 4 rounds with where they got drafted in brackets.

(5) Tua - Starter, potential franchise QB
(18) A. Jackson - Starter, potential franchise LT
(30) Iggy - Raw, he was thrown into the fire early in the season without any preseason so, hard to judge. He's been getting better every week though.
(39) R. Hunt - He looks good but a little shaky, again, with every week that passes he looks better and better.
(56) R. Davis - Didn't have the greatest start but I think he's been our most underrated player the past 2 weeks.
(70) B. Jones - Loved this pick at the time, he's one of those guys where you know he's leaving everything he has on the field.
(111) S. Kindley - He's been the steal of the draft imo, the most pro-ready OG in the class with apparently an amazing work ethic.

 

[SF Dolphin Fan]

I appreciate the explanation. Maybe Slimm can speak on this, but (to your 4th point) Smith appears to be a high-character guy. I know less about Waddle, but I get a similar impression. I really get the sense, though, that Smith is obsessed with learning all the intricacies of the receiver position - both because of how technically good he is and because of what I've heard Saban and other players have said about him.

OL is a position where good enough is good enough. You'd like an elite OL, but it's better to have a good OL and elite WR's than vice versa - same way you'd rather have an elite secondary than an elite DL.

Miami's biggest weakness = its WR's inability to separate. Tua is throwing into tight coverage way more than you'd like, and it's not because he's missing open guys.

I just don't see what you'd spend the pick on otherwise. Defense is far less consistent than Offense, and Miami has already invested more in D than O.

To your point, Parker and Gesicki have stalled a bit. Geiski seems to be running some routes that we saw from Preston Williams as well. Lots of contested catches by both and perhaps adjusting to Tua. Both may have been better fits wit Fitzpatrick???

That changes with a receiver like Smith or Chase, who would seemingly take the best cover corner with them.

 

[Pachyderm_Wave]

I appreciate the explanation. Maybe Slimm can speak on this, but (to your 4th point) Smith appears to be a high-character guy. I know less about Waddle, but I get a similar impression. I really get the sense, though, that Smith is obsessed with learning all the intricacies of the receiver position - both because of how technically good he is and because of what I've heard Saban and other players have said about him.

OL is a position where good enough is good enough. You'd like an elite OL, but it's better to have a good OL and elite WR's than vice versa - same way you'd rather have an elite secondary than an elite DL.

Miami's biggest weakness = its WR's inability to separate. Tua is throwing into tight coverage way more than you'd like, and it's not because he's missing open guys.

I just don't see what you'd spend the pick on otherwise. Defense is far less consistent than Offense, and Miami has already invested more in D than O.

I wouldn't waste my time if I were you.

 

[jimthefin]

I think we all agree that a dynamic WR is what this offense needs most of all.

We may differ on who that guy is, or how high he should be drafted, but adding a dangerous threat at WR would really bolster this offense.

Not only would you be adding big play potential, but you would be making Parker and Gesicki's job easier.

I would be happy adding any of Chase, Waddle or Smith as i think all 3 would more than fill that role.

The trouble is if you don't use the Houston pick on WR you are not getting one of those 3 with the Fins pick.

So do you pass on Parsons to go WR or do you try to move up from the 2nd pick to grab one of them?

Or do you "settle" for Bateman or Marshall with your own 1st?

I don't like the idea of taking a WR in the Top 10 but if Parsons is gone then that will probably be the play. Maybe they move down a little bit and still get one of the top 3 guys and then just stick to BPA after that.

What we do not know(and they probably don't know yet either)is how they feel about these players.

Maybe they will rate one of them well above the others, or maybe they will fall in love with a guy like Bateman and grab him with their own pick.

 

[jimthefin]

I would love to add parsons to this defense but I agree that WR(and RB for that matter)are bigger needs.

The defense is playing very well and Flores has shown the ability to get good play out of less than A+ talent.

The offense is clearly lacking in dangerous play makers and they will have the opportunity to add at least one in the first round.

I may be talking myself into going WR early, especially if Parsons is off the board.

Right now I am going to rank the WR:

1. Chase
2. Smith
3. Waddle
4. Bateman

 

[jimthefin]

Rousseau sitting out is really messing with the Fins pick.

He could be a stud but I needed to see him play more and progress beyond his natural athletic talent.

 

[Rowdy1972]

Joe Dolfan is such a fitting name.

 

[SF Dolphin Fan]

I don't see anyone that fits your WR requirements. Chase is supposedly the best WR in the draft, but he had the best QB in the NCAA passing him the ball.

Does anyone see a dominant, aka Aaron Donald type, presence in this draft?

RB1 - Okay, There are a couple obvious choices here. There's Etienne and Harris. Etienne benefits (or used to benefit) from the best QB in NCAA. Harris benefits from being a member of the team that gets the most talented players in college football. Personally, I'd give the edge to Harris, because he has never played with the best QB in the NCAA.

Overall, I don't think it's a great year for top-end defensive talent. The top two are probably Parsons and Surtain II. Pass rushers are a risky group IMO. Not to say, some players won't emerge or might end up being better NFL players than college players.

 

[SF Dolphin Fan]

There isn't a sacking DT in this draft... there is, however, a MLB that would fill that role after Wilkins and Davis tie up the front wall.

Twyman from Pitt is a pass rushing option. He opted out so that may be a tough evaluation for scouts.

 

[SF Dolphin Fan]

I think you guys underestimate Devonta Smith. I think he is the safest pick in this draft, guaranteed star. His route running is at another level. He isn’t the physical receiver like Chase. Chase is like a Michael Irvin. Smith has the greatest gift a receiver can have, the ability to change directions at full speed. Plus Tua is already in sync with him. Put them together and let them put up numbers like Manning and Harrison. I see it as the missing piece to take this team to a championship level.

Which sounds exactly like what Miami needs. Take the best cb off Parker and watch out! I do probably have Chase as #1 and Smith as #2. But Smith has the advantage of playing with Tua, which could make for a quicker transition. Plus, he's played this year. It would have been interesting to see how Chase would have done without Burrows, although Marshall have emerged for LSU.