Every year it is the same...

[ChambersWI]

here's my opinion on what makes a draft successful; if by the end of the weekend you can honestly say that you are a better team than before you entered the draft.

We have 7 picks tomorrow, and will likely trade Smiley for another, maybe Merling as well. So far, the draft has brought us Jared Odrick, Koa Misi, Jon Jerry as well as Brandon Marshall and Tim Dobbins via trade. 4 probable starters that fill needs and Dobbins is good depth. Several people also feel that Cliff Avril deal will happen.

You've got to have a plan in place during the draft. The Broncos may not have the greatest draft, but they are going from the Zone Blocking Scheme to a power game under McDaniels.

After the 08 draft, I could say we were better than before. After the 09 draft, I thought we got a couple good players, but we weren't better as a whole.

 

[Dr. Phin]

I know a lot will disagree with me but going into the draft I thought our biggest needs were NT,OLB,FS, WR, G and TE

I think thru the first three rounds we filled
NT,OLB,WR and G leaving only FS and TE

I can wait. Right now I am extremely excited about this season, in truth I havent been this excited about our team since "The Great Liar's" second year with the team.

Let's not forget that ILB is still a need IMO (chowder), and we got Dobbins from the Chargers. He could replace Chowder or at least Torbor...Let's hope he is decent...

 

[MD]

I am not bashing the player or players. I am questioning using a pick on guard when we have a glaring need at FS. No I don't think Culiver or Clemons are the answer, I think they would be weaker then GERBIL.

This is the issue Ryan. Ireland says that he is comfortable at FS with Culver and Clemens but I don't believe it because they had Burnett in their sights prior to the Packers selecting him. They still have a hole at OG and filled it with a 4 year starter instead of reaching for the next option at FS. There are still some strong options at FS but the value of the OG spot was better, hence the selection. Still some talent at the position on the board.

Although not an enviable position to be in, if they can't find the FS they need in the draft, they still have a couple of options in free agency.

 

[MD]

Until fans turn off the clown network with it's guru's Kiper and McShay, this will continue. ESPN focuses the fans on the sexy picks and most fans won't study the players in the trenches (which is where games are won and lost). Do yourselves a favor. As Nublar said if you don't know the player, there are numerous credible sights with player evaluations. You have several guys on here (not going to name them because undoubtedly I miss someone) that provide solid insight.

Last but not least, the draft is a gamble. No one knows who will or won't pan out each year. Not every pick will make it and some not picked will.

 

[Predaphin]

Agreed. Not only do fans fall in love with players, buy also the media hypes up certain players, and fans get dissapointed when they aren't picked.

Persononally, I was thrilled with the way the trifecta has drafted the past 2 years, even when they picked pat white whom was.hyped by the media as a running qb and wildcat weapon , now I can't wait to get rid of.pat and move on. But this years draft I am unsure of the players we have drafted. However, even if I was to disagree with the picks, the trifecta has not warranted any kind of backlash considering their good track record in finding talent on draft days.

All I am doing is trusting the trifecta.

 

[Padfoot]

We went into the offseason needing a #1 WR, a NT, an ILB, a SOLB, and a FS.

We traded for Marshall, need met.

We're moving Starks to NT, and replacing him with a very talented first round pick, need met.

We signed Dansby, need met.

We drafted Misi to likely play SOLB, need potentially met.

We also added depth at ILB, and improved the interior of our o-line. Guard may not have been technically a need, but with all the injuries our interior linemen sustained last year, I think it was a good idea to take Jerry.

We have not addressed the FS position, however, of all the positions of need we have, I worry the least about FS. I like Culver a lot and think he should be given a chance to start this year.

I can't see how the FO could have done a better job this offseason.

 

[LikeUntoGod]

I loved the Hartline pick, it was the Pat White and Pat Turner picks that made me mad.

 

[Vaark]

its like people think they are better at evaluating talent than bill parcells, jeff ireland, tony sparano and all the dolphin coaches. Its totally asinine.

or that our FO's selections sucked since they obviously fell short of the talent-savvy visions of who we should take by the likes of Kiper, McShay, King, Prisco, and half the anonymous mock drafters on Walter football.

 

[andyahs]

If you read most comments almost every team with a few exceptions (Cowboys/Broncos) are avoiding the sexy pics this year and going after immediate impact needs. Sexy would make this board happy but the team may not get starters right away. I am extremely pleased with the draft so far and still a lot of talent remaining. We need to all step back and look at the draft next week and then the picture for this team will look clearer.
NFL Network called the Jets first day winners - unreal.

 

[ChambersWI]

If you read most comments almost every team with a few exceptions (Cowboys/Broncos) are avoiding the sexy pics this year and going after immediate impact needs. Sexy would make this board happy but the team may not get starters right away. I am extremely pleased with the draft so far and still a lot of talent remaining. We need to all step back and look at the draft next week and then the picture for this team will look clearer.
NFL Network called the Jets first day winners - unreal.

Only sexy pick the Broncos made was Tebow. The thing with Denver under McDaniels is that he has a completely different mindset than Shannahan. Under Shanny, the Broncos drafted smaller quicker OL that could do the zone blocking. The only starters Denver had when McD went there that could play in his offense were Ryan CLady and maybe Ryan Harris.

As for the Tebow and Thomas picks, both are high character guys that really differ from a lot of people Denver has had recently (not just Cutler and Marshall). Plus, McDaniels' offense is based around short quick passes and YAC. Bryant's strenth isn't that, but Bebe could be.

Cowboys really haven't been overly sexy outside of Dez either (Sean Lee was a good pick). Only team I think has been going sexy is Baltimore, but they can afford to.

 

[PHANTASTIC 13]

The draft has been great so far...I would like to see the fins concentrate on the offensive side of the ball now...add a TE and WR next two picks...then a safety and I will be happy with the draft over all. GO FINS!!!

 

[DuderinoN703]

I agree with you, good point. I think what may be bothering some of us is not so much the players taken, but the positions they play versus our perceived needs.

Who better to know what the team's needs are then the actual guys who assemble the team we're talking about :)

 

[Tigers2003]

March and April, people are talking draft and getting really excited. Certain players have bandwagon fans and everyone thinks we are going to take that certain player. All excitement until the Dolphins make their first pick.

Then the Dolphins pick one player, then their second and third and so on. Suddenly the excitement goes away and dread appears.

"Who is that?"

"What a reach."

"This draft gets a F!!"

"OMG What are we doing?"

"They have no idea what they are doing. Fire them."

"LOL We suck."


......and so on. I remember the Brian Hartline pick last year being blasted with some people saying the Dolphins reached and that he wasn't going to be drafted. Or that he could have been had in much later rounds. What did Hartline do? Went on to become one of our best receivers and will likely start alongside Marshall this season.

Heck, I remember people bashing the Jake Long pick. One person even said this I remember "Why take him #1? He was going to be around in round 2".

Look, I personally can't say the John Jerry pick was an exciting one or that it filled a need, but I do know not to get really attached to players pre-draft or to bash a pick without actually knowing who the player is. Honestly, I never heard of John Jerry before. Started researching him and I can see why the front office likes him.

I think the problem is that fans fall in love with certain prospects and when they don't get picked by the Dolphins, fans start to bash. I would actually be surprised if Miami or any team had a draft where there are not people bashing the pick.

When Miami picks someone that you didn't have as your favorite or someone you haven't heard of. Don't bash right away and go on a rant. Look at the player, research him and have an open mind. Just remember Brian Hartline.

Excellent post. Everybody wants to be armchair GM and thinks they know better. But we think we know but we don't know. Its obvious form watching the draft that now more than ever NFL teams are going the way of drating best player available over need. Glaring needs are being targeted by trades and FA, acquiring proven vets.

Now some team are going to go need and in this draft those in the top half of the 1st could do that. Sam Bradford was a need pick; but the lambs have a lot of needs. Suh was a need pick for Detroit as they are very light upfront.

But by far and large FOs don't think like fans. They are not wowed by hype and and perception. They have access to more data than we ever will have. Regardless of the internet and the resources available to fans now that was not out there in years past. These guys are professionals whose livelihoods are dependent on correct analysis.

I prefer to sit back and enjoy the festivities. There are certain players that we naturally favor. But, instead of arms raised over the top responses fans IMHO should read deeper into what the FO is doing and do the research to understand why certain things are done on draft day.

 

[Phin-O-mania]

Yeah, people need to calm down, and just realize that most likely the FO knows more than they do. Otherwise they would be working in the NFL...

 

[Phantom]

How many of the people complaining on this board and others have actually studied these draft picks? I'd guarantee you it would be less than 50% of them. It's all about the sexy picks and when the Phins don't go that way, this is what you get.

While this is true, i'll bet half the people raving about the picks have no clue who they are either. The bottom line is time will tell as it always does.