Epenesa Declares for 2020 NFL Draft | FinHeaven - Miami Dolphins Forums

Epenesa Declares for 2020 NFL Draft

Epenesa is the type of big heavy handed DE I think is valued with Flores and his system. Feels like a Richard Seymour type guy to me. Maybe not that talented but could be a big time baller on the defensive front.
 
Last edited:
If he makes it to pick #18 or #26, could be worth a look.

Any reason to think he would go around 18-20? I think he is just a hot name so people see him as a top 8-12 guy. Honestly dont know much about him, have seen some notes that he is average athletically and isnt a burst type edge and lacks bend. So does he fit what seems to be valued from this staff?
 
Wish the Steelers sucked enough to have an additional top 10 pick for him. Such a perfect fit for this defense.
 
Dude is a good kid and good player!! Hoping he would somehow fall to us. Especially since I have his autograph on the way. Would b better of at graph if he was in Fins uni.
 
If he makes it to pick #18 or #26, could be worth a look.

Assuming you took Tua at 5 and the quality OTs are gone, you absolutely start working the phones if this kid falls past 12/13.

Epenesa, Wirfs, D. Brown and Simmons are “go get” kind of guys IMO. I’m usually in the pro trade down crowd although if you give me a shot at a 2nd top 10 talent I might be inclined to part with draft picks.

None should be available after 15 picks. I expect to see a run on defensive players after the top 10, especially if no QB is available to Indy at 13.

Regardless of whether or not Tua lasts to 5, Chase Young won’t. Gotta get a DE immediately.

Raiders at 12 would make a nice trading partner. They took a DE high last year so AJ might not be on their radar.

I think pick 18 is getting traded, one way or another.

I’m rooting for the draft stock of Herbert, Lamb, Ruggs, Love and Fromm to be pointing up as strongly as possible. In a perfect world all those guys go too 17.
 
Assuming you took Tua at 5 and the quality OTs are gone, you absolutely start working the phones if this kid falls past 12/13.

Epenesa, Wirfs, D. Brown and Simmons are “go get” kind of guys IMO. I’m usually in the pro trade down crowd although if you give me a shot at a 2nd top 10 talent I might be inclined to part with draft picks.

None should be available after 15 picks. I expect to see a run on defensive players after the top 10, especially if no QB is available to Indy at 13.

Regardless of whether or not Tua lasts to 5, Chase Young won’t. Gotta get a DE immediately.

Raiders at 12 would make a nice trading partner. They took a DE high last year so AJ might not be on their radar.

I think pick 18 is getting traded, one way or another.

I’m rooting for the draft stock of Herbert, Lamb, Ruggs, Love and Fromm to be pointing up as strongly as possible. In a perfect world all those guys go too 17.

I really like Espenesa. Going into 2019, Young and Espenesa were generally considered close, and the perception now is that Young is in his own tier, but I think Espenesa is still right there with him, and I think there's a real chance Espenesa ends up the better pro.

I don't think Miami needs to draft a DE early, though. The focus should be offense - and especially the passing game. As much as I like Espenesa, I'd shoot down a trade up. But, there isn't an Espenesa in every draft, and he's an ideal fit at DE in this D, so if he's available at 18, I would consider drafting him as a foundational piece for the D. You're not drafting him for the 2020 Season. You're drafting him for 2021 and beyond - again, only because you might not have the opportunity to draft or sign a similar player in 2021 or 2022.

It really depends, though. OL is the most urgent need, and Miami has to improve the firepower on offense. They have to put the future QB in the best situation possible. With three 1st RD picks, they may have room to spend 18 on Espenesa while still building the offense, but they almost have to draft an OT at 1c, and the board has to line up right for there to be an OT worth drafting in that spot.

Before the season, I assumed Miami would be drafting at 33, and that seemed like the ideal spot to target WR. Tylan Wallace was my preseason favorite in that slot, but even though Miami is drafting at 39, and Wallace didn't declare, 2a still looks like a great spot to draft a WR. Ideally, the draft would go Tua, OT, C/OG (unless they're willing to upgrade Davis, making another OT an option, as well), with WR Bryan Edwards at 2a.

But, if OL doesn't stack up right, or Miami sees too much long-term value in Espenesa, they should consider Espenesa if he falls. I think he probably goes Top 10, though.
 
I really like Espenesa. Going into 2019, Young and Espenesa were generally considered close, and the perception now is that Young is in his own tier, but I think Espenesa is still right there with him, and I think there's a real chance Espenesa ends up the better pro.

I don't think Miami needs to draft a DE early, though. The focus should be offense - and especially the passing game. As much as I like Espenesa, I'd shoot down a trade up. But, there isn't an Espenesa in every draft, and he's an ideal fit at DE in this D, so if he's available at 18, I would consider drafting him as a foundational piece for the D. You're not drafting him for the 2020 Season. You're drafting him for 2021 and beyond - again, only because you might not have the opportunity to draft or sign a similar player in 2021 or 2022.

It really depends, though. OL is the most urgent need, and Miami has to improve the firepower on offense. They have to put the future QB in the best situation possible. With three 1st RD picks, they may have room to spend 18 on Espenesa while still building the offense, but they almost have to draft an OT at 1c, and the board has to line up right for there to be an OT worth drafting in that spot.

Before the season, I assumed Miami would be drafting at 33, and that seemed like the ideal spot to target WR. Tylan Wallace was my preseason favorite in that slot, but even though Miami is drafting at 39, and Wallace didn't declare, 2a still looks like a great spot to draft a WR. Ideally, the draft would go Tua, OT, C/OG (unless they're willing to upgrade Davis, making another OT an option, as well), with WR Bryan Edwards at 2a.

But, if OL doesn't stack up right, or Miami sees too much long-term value in Espenesa, they should consider Espenesa if he falls. I think he probably goes Top 10, though.
How many O line guys do you think we should draft? I'm hoping for at least two starting O line out of free agency and then I'd draft two Oline guys. One in the first round and then one more in the 2nd or 3rd depending on who's on the board of course. I'd prefer to go guard/center in free agency as OT's are hard to get in free agency. I'd focus on OT's in the draft.

One thing to consider (to a point) is that we don't draft well when it comes to O line. The last time we hit on two O Line players in one draft was back in 1990 when we drafted Webb and Simms and really they were better at pass protection than run blocking. Since 1990 we have NEVER hit on two linemen in the same draft and yet I see people saying we need to draft 4 or 5 O line guys.

Having said that, I understand we've never had this many high picks so if there's a year to hit on O line you'd think this is it. The OT's class seems very good. As far as Centers it's pretty good at least with 4 or 5 center that could go in the first two days. Guard seems to be a weak class and hence I'd go for guards in free agency.
 
Back
Top Bottom