NYPhin24
Scout Team
- Joined
- Apr 29, 2007
- Messages
- 4,353
- Reaction score
- 8
http://blogs.sun-sentinel.com/sport...kle-kheeston-randall-shouldnt-be-ignored.html
At first I thought Kheeston Randall was just a throw-in player.
The Miami Dolphins’ seventh-round pick was the 215th selection in the 2012 NFl draft. How good can he really be?
Then I watched the former Texas defensive tackle play against Texas A&M during a ESPNU rebroadcast of the 2011 Texas vs. Texas A&M game and he caught my eye on a number of plays. Randall was barely moved. He anchored well, and helped contain the Aggies ground game.
It was just one game, but that performance got me thinking Randall might be a keeper. The Dolphins generally keep seven to eight defensive linemen on the 53-man roster, so Randall has a good shot of making the roster if he performs in camp. This month’s release of Phillip Merling should help his case.
[video=youtube;Pobv4oEcbBI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pobv4oEcbBI&feature=player_embedded[/video]]
Randall, who was a nose tackle at Texas, is realistically battling Isaako Aaitui, who was on the practice squad last year, and Ryan Baker, a three-year veteran, for the spots behind Paul Soliai, Randy Starks, Jared Odrick, Tony McDaniel and fellow rookie Olivier Vernon. Jamaal Westerman might be included in this mix, but we’ll see how the Dolphins use him.
The undrafted rookies shouldn’t be ignored either, but Randall will have every opportunity to excel, earning a spot on the 53-man roster, because of the signing bonus he’ll receive.
Keep in mind that Starks and McDaniel are in the final year of their contract, which means its time the Dolphins begin developing some youngsters on the defensive line.
Randall caught General Manager Jeff Ireland’s eye at the Senior Bowl. The Dolphins like his versatility (he could play end in a 3-4, tackle in a 4-3, and might grow into a nose), his size (6-foot-4, 307 pounds) and length (long arms). But he wasn’t tremendously productive as a two-year starter at Texas.
“He runs really good,” Ireland said. “He’s got very long arms. We think he can play any position on the defensive line,” Ireland said. “He’s got versatility.”
Ireland likes to use seventh-round picks on defensive linemen hoping that in time they’ll blossom into solid players like Jason Ferguson did back in Parcells’ Jets days, and Jay Ratliff did back in their Dallas Cowboys days together.
Both of those players are seventh-round pick gems, and it is possible Randall could turn into one too.
At first I thought Kheeston Randall was just a throw-in player.
The Miami Dolphins’ seventh-round pick was the 215th selection in the 2012 NFl draft. How good can he really be?
Then I watched the former Texas defensive tackle play against Texas A&M during a ESPNU rebroadcast of the 2011 Texas vs. Texas A&M game and he caught my eye on a number of plays. Randall was barely moved. He anchored well, and helped contain the Aggies ground game.
It was just one game, but that performance got me thinking Randall might be a keeper. The Dolphins generally keep seven to eight defensive linemen on the 53-man roster, so Randall has a good shot of making the roster if he performs in camp. This month’s release of Phillip Merling should help his case.
[video=youtube;Pobv4oEcbBI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pobv4oEcbBI&feature=player_embedded[/video]]
Randall, who was a nose tackle at Texas, is realistically battling Isaako Aaitui, who was on the practice squad last year, and Ryan Baker, a three-year veteran, for the spots behind Paul Soliai, Randy Starks, Jared Odrick, Tony McDaniel and fellow rookie Olivier Vernon. Jamaal Westerman might be included in this mix, but we’ll see how the Dolphins use him.
The undrafted rookies shouldn’t be ignored either, but Randall will have every opportunity to excel, earning a spot on the 53-man roster, because of the signing bonus he’ll receive.
Keep in mind that Starks and McDaniel are in the final year of their contract, which means its time the Dolphins begin developing some youngsters on the defensive line.
Randall caught General Manager Jeff Ireland’s eye at the Senior Bowl. The Dolphins like his versatility (he could play end in a 3-4, tackle in a 4-3, and might grow into a nose), his size (6-foot-4, 307 pounds) and length (long arms). But he wasn’t tremendously productive as a two-year starter at Texas.
“He runs really good,” Ireland said. “He’s got very long arms. We think he can play any position on the defensive line,” Ireland said. “He’s got versatility.”
Ireland likes to use seventh-round picks on defensive linemen hoping that in time they’ll blossom into solid players like Jason Ferguson did back in Parcells’ Jets days, and Jay Ratliff did back in their Dallas Cowboys days together.
Both of those players are seventh-round pick gems, and it is possible Randall could turn into one too.