15. Miami Dolphins: Ryan Mallett, QB, Arkansas
Four quarterbacks in the top 15? I am starting to build a reputation as the crazy quarterback mock drafter. This year is insane. Players are going earlier than they should, but the combination of no free agency before the draft and so many teams desperate for help at the position make this a possibility.
Ryan Mallett has a great arm. No one really disputes that. He better because he is a statue in the pocket. Chad Henne has fallen out of favor to the point that Mallett would come in with a legitimate chance to unseat him as the starter, but unlike other franchises there would be no urgency to put him in the lineup.
A lot of people have discussed the possibility of teams moving up from Round 2 in order to secure "their guy" at quarterback. I am looking at this from the other direction. Miami has no second-round pick and could be trading down down the board as they try to estimate the interest Seattle (slotted at No. 25) has in Mallett.
79. Miami Dolphins: Clint Boling, OT/G, Georgia
I have no idea why I moved Clint Boling away from the Dolphins in my last mock, but he is back now where he belongs. Poor guard play led to the down seasons from their running back tandem of Ricky Wiliams and Ronnie Brown.
If the Dolphins draft quarterback Ryan Mallett, they have to protect him because he does not operate well under pressure.
111. Miami Dolphins: Virgil Green, TE, Nevada
The Dolphins are one of the few teams left in the NFL without at least one dynamic threat at the tight end position. Now that Tuna is out of the picture I'm not limited to projecting them another "Rambo" (Mark Bavaro) type because no one would confuse Virgil Green with him.
Yes, I did consider they spending an earlier pick on the Arkansas connection by taking D.J. Williams to pair with Ryan Mallett. Those things rarely work out though so I chose not to.
146. Miami Dolphins: Denarious Moore, WR, Tennessee
Speed is a missing element at wide receiver for the Dolphins. Given their limited picks, this is their best option to solve that problem.
