One of the biggest remaining mysteries of this Dolphins offseason is whether they can find a cornerback in the draft who’s better than Jamar Taylor (the current front-runner) or Will Davis for the starting job opposite Brent Grimes.But we can assure you they’re looking very closely at draft options. I'm told they have summoned three potential first-round cornerbacks --- Michigan State’s Trae Waynes, LSU’s Jalen Collins and Wake Forest’s Kevin Johnson --- to meet with Dolphins coaches and executives in Davie.
Those three represent 10 percent of the Dolphins’ permitted 30 visits by non-local players. It's more than 10 percent if you also factor in the visit by Utah's Eric Rowe, a projected second-rounder.Inside the Dolphins, there remains optimism that Taylor and Davis can develop, but Miami wants to see results -- and quickly. “This is year three,” Joe Philbin said of Taylor (off a shoulder injury) and Davis (off an ACL tear). “Neither one played any meaningful time their first year. Last year both of them contributed somewhat and both ended up on injured reserve. They should have enough experience. You know the drill. You’ve been around. You’ve been in the system. Coverages haven’t changed a lot. It’s an important year for them.”The Dolphins say they view free agent pickup Brice McCain (who started nine games for Pittsburgh last season) as primarily a nickel corner (replacing Jimmy Wilson) and their pursuit of a few free agent starting corners (primarily Buster Skrine) didn’t materialize into signings.But Miami has explored trades for a corner (Philadelphia’s Brandon Boykin has been reported as a possibility) and is intrigued by Waynes, Johnson, Collins and Rowe.
Exploring the cornerback options in the draft:First-round possibilities: Waynes would be appealing if he slips to 14, but ESPN analyst and former Tampa Bay general manager Mark Dominik said there’s no way he falls out of the top 10.“He has speed, size. All the things you want in physical qualifications suggests he's going to go in the top 15,” said ESPN’s Mel Kiper, who has him going 11th. “Corners tend to be pushed up. He's got the right attitude. There are times he will give a little ground and guys will beat him inside, but that’s rare. He's without question the top corner in this draft.”NFL Network’s Mike Mayock said Collins and Johnson also would be worthy of Miami’s pick at 14, though some rate them lower than that.Kiper has Johnson 22nd and Collins 30th in his mock draft, and Miami might be able to trade down a bit to get either of them.“Jalen Collins had only 10 starts at LSU but has good size (6-1), reach, can play physical but also turn and run with the fastest wide receivers in the league,” Kiper said. “He's not a complete package yet.”And what about the six-foot Johnson?“A standout on a lousy team; good length for the position and moves as well as any cornerback in the draft,” Kiper said. “He can make man-to-man coverage look so easy at times, and he's an active run defender.”Marcus Peters, who was dismissed from the Washington team last November after several arguments with coaches, is a first-round talent but “brings with him some off-field baggage after multiple suspensions and run-ins with coaches at Washington,” ESPN’s Todd McShay said.But, McShay added, “purely based off of tape study, he's the best corner in this class, with very good size, strength, natural athleticism and playmaking instincts.”Kiper has Peters going 26th. After the experience with Mike Wallace and based on Joe Philbin's past behavior, it's difficult to envision Philbin wanting to deal with a player who has a history of arguing with coaches, as Peters reportedly does.Connecticut’s Byron Jones, who Kiper has 27th, has seen his stock rise and looms as a late first-round option.
Second round (Miami picks 47th): Keep an eye on Rowe, who played safety for three years and moved to corner last year. The Dolphins were interested enough to bring him to Davie.“The two most interesting guys are Byron Jones --- he's late first, early second, and Eric Rowe, who has tested like a first rounder and played like a high pick at a variety of positions,” Kiper said. “Those two guys have moved way up.”FSU’s Ronald Darby and PJ Williams and Louisville’s Charles Gaines (who visited the Dolphins) are all options in the second round or perhaps lower; Williams’ stock figures to be hurt by a recent DUI arrest.Quinten Rollins, who played four years of basketball at Miami of Ohio, also has moved up to the second round on some boards, and Miami is looking at him very closely.“PJ Williams could be a first-round corner because of his length in the NFL's continuing quest to get longer,” Mayock said before his arrest.“Darby is quick but I think he's more of a third- fourth-round corner. I'm a Quinten Rollins guy. For the kid to not play any college football to step on the gridiron and pick off seven passes and become the MAC Defensive Player of the Year is pretty mind boggling.”One wild card is Oregon’s Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, a first-round talent recovering from an ACL injury. He “could be a steal if he drops into the second round,” Mayock said.
Mid-round options: That group includes FAU’s D’Joun Smith (Miami has worked him out and shown interest), UCF’s Jacoby Glenn, Tulane’s Lorenzo Doss, Oregon State’s Steven Nelson, Mississippi’s Senquez Golson, Southern California’s Josh Shaw, Notre Dame’s Cody Riggs, Stanford’s Alex Carter, Ohio State’s Dorian Grant, TCU’s Kevin White and Northwestern State’s Imoan Claiborne.The Dolphins also have shown strong interest in two players who weren’t invited to the NFL Combine and could be late-round picks: Texas A&M’s DeShazor Everett and Texas Southern’s Tray Walker.
My thought on Miami's first round pick three weeks before the draft: A receiver or cornerback would seem to make the most sense at 14, and Miami has used at least six of its 30 visits on first-round picks at those positions.Other possibilities? Kiper has Miami taking Washington defensive tackle Danny Shelton. And Miami taking a high-quality tackle who can play guard at an elite level --- or Georgia running back Todd Gurley --- cannot be ruled out by any means, either.Another option: Trade down a few picks in the first round to draft cornerbacks Collins or Johnson; add a third-round pick in the trade; and address receiver in the second round (perhaps with Phillip Dorsett) and linebacker or guard in the third.And remember, even though the Dolphins need a starting linebacker, Mayock said there's no 4-3 linebacker worth taking at 14 or in the first round. (Vic Beasley and Bud Dupree are considered 4-3 ends or 3-4 linebackers.)
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Those three represent 10 percent of the Dolphins’ permitted 30 visits by non-local players. It's more than 10 percent if you also factor in the visit by Utah's Eric Rowe, a projected second-rounder.Inside the Dolphins, there remains optimism that Taylor and Davis can develop, but Miami wants to see results -- and quickly. “This is year three,” Joe Philbin said of Taylor (off a shoulder injury) and Davis (off an ACL tear). “Neither one played any meaningful time their first year. Last year both of them contributed somewhat and both ended up on injured reserve. They should have enough experience. You know the drill. You’ve been around. You’ve been in the system. Coverages haven’t changed a lot. It’s an important year for them.”The Dolphins say they view free agent pickup Brice McCain (who started nine games for Pittsburgh last season) as primarily a nickel corner (replacing Jimmy Wilson) and their pursuit of a few free agent starting corners (primarily Buster Skrine) didn’t materialize into signings.But Miami has explored trades for a corner (Philadelphia’s Brandon Boykin has been reported as a possibility) and is intrigued by Waynes, Johnson, Collins and Rowe.
Exploring the cornerback options in the draft:First-round possibilities: Waynes would be appealing if he slips to 14, but ESPN analyst and former Tampa Bay general manager Mark Dominik said there’s no way he falls out of the top 10.“He has speed, size. All the things you want in physical qualifications suggests he's going to go in the top 15,” said ESPN’s Mel Kiper, who has him going 11th. “Corners tend to be pushed up. He's got the right attitude. There are times he will give a little ground and guys will beat him inside, but that’s rare. He's without question the top corner in this draft.”NFL Network’s Mike Mayock said Collins and Johnson also would be worthy of Miami’s pick at 14, though some rate them lower than that.Kiper has Johnson 22nd and Collins 30th in his mock draft, and Miami might be able to trade down a bit to get either of them.“Jalen Collins had only 10 starts at LSU but has good size (6-1), reach, can play physical but also turn and run with the fastest wide receivers in the league,” Kiper said. “He's not a complete package yet.”And what about the six-foot Johnson?“A standout on a lousy team; good length for the position and moves as well as any cornerback in the draft,” Kiper said. “He can make man-to-man coverage look so easy at times, and he's an active run defender.”Marcus Peters, who was dismissed from the Washington team last November after several arguments with coaches, is a first-round talent but “brings with him some off-field baggage after multiple suspensions and run-ins with coaches at Washington,” ESPN’s Todd McShay said.But, McShay added, “purely based off of tape study, he's the best corner in this class, with very good size, strength, natural athleticism and playmaking instincts.”Kiper has Peters going 26th. After the experience with Mike Wallace and based on Joe Philbin's past behavior, it's difficult to envision Philbin wanting to deal with a player who has a history of arguing with coaches, as Peters reportedly does.Connecticut’s Byron Jones, who Kiper has 27th, has seen his stock rise and looms as a late first-round option.
Second round (Miami picks 47th): Keep an eye on Rowe, who played safety for three years and moved to corner last year. The Dolphins were interested enough to bring him to Davie.“The two most interesting guys are Byron Jones --- he's late first, early second, and Eric Rowe, who has tested like a first rounder and played like a high pick at a variety of positions,” Kiper said. “Those two guys have moved way up.”FSU’s Ronald Darby and PJ Williams and Louisville’s Charles Gaines (who visited the Dolphins) are all options in the second round or perhaps lower; Williams’ stock figures to be hurt by a recent DUI arrest.Quinten Rollins, who played four years of basketball at Miami of Ohio, also has moved up to the second round on some boards, and Miami is looking at him very closely.“PJ Williams could be a first-round corner because of his length in the NFL's continuing quest to get longer,” Mayock said before his arrest.“Darby is quick but I think he's more of a third- fourth-round corner. I'm a Quinten Rollins guy. For the kid to not play any college football to step on the gridiron and pick off seven passes and become the MAC Defensive Player of the Year is pretty mind boggling.”One wild card is Oregon’s Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, a first-round talent recovering from an ACL injury. He “could be a steal if he drops into the second round,” Mayock said.
Mid-round options: That group includes FAU’s D’Joun Smith (Miami has worked him out and shown interest), UCF’s Jacoby Glenn, Tulane’s Lorenzo Doss, Oregon State’s Steven Nelson, Mississippi’s Senquez Golson, Southern California’s Josh Shaw, Notre Dame’s Cody Riggs, Stanford’s Alex Carter, Ohio State’s Dorian Grant, TCU’s Kevin White and Northwestern State’s Imoan Claiborne.The Dolphins also have shown strong interest in two players who weren’t invited to the NFL Combine and could be late-round picks: Texas A&M’s DeShazor Everett and Texas Southern’s Tray Walker.
My thought on Miami's first round pick three weeks before the draft: A receiver or cornerback would seem to make the most sense at 14, and Miami has used at least six of its 30 visits on first-round picks at those positions.Other possibilities? Kiper has Miami taking Washington defensive tackle Danny Shelton. And Miami taking a high-quality tackle who can play guard at an elite level --- or Georgia running back Todd Gurley --- cannot be ruled out by any means, either.Another option: Trade down a few picks in the first round to draft cornerbacks Collins or Johnson; add a third-round pick in the trade; and address receiver in the second round (perhaps with Phillip Dorsett) and linebacker or guard in the third.And remember, even though the Dolphins need a starting linebacker, Mayock said there's no 4-3 linebacker worth taking at 14 or in the first round. (Vic Beasley and Bud Dupree are considered 4-3 ends or 3-4 linebackers.)
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