Fins Picks: A Decade in Review | FinHeaven - Miami Dolphins Forums

Fins Picks: A Decade in Review

MiamiSportsGen

MiamiSportsGen

Keeping the Fan Faith Alive
Joined
May 6, 2009
Messages
261
Reaction score
3
Location
Miami FL
The year 2010 marks the beginning of a new decade, and perhaps a new era for Miami Dolphins football. With the Dolphins on the outside looking in, the focus has shifted from postseason aspirations to offseason preparations. But before we begin to ponder the thought of the upcoming draft, a look into the past would serve us all well; defining the successes and failures that the Dolphins have experienced in previous drafts.

To properly evaluate these Fins Picks we will review round-by-round selections, summarize the draft class' impact and value the payoffs (or lack thereof) based on player performance.

Year: 2000

Selections
  • 1st Round - Traded to Carolina Panthers in '98
  • 2nd Round - Todd Wade, T, Mississippi
  • 3rd Round - Ben Kelly, CB, Colorado
  • 4th Round - Deon Dyer, FB, North Carolina
  • 5th Round - Arturo Freeman, S, South Carolina
  • 6th Round (a) - Ernest Grant, DT, Arkansas-Pine Bluff
  • 6th Round (b) - Traded to Kansas City Chiefs in '99
  • 7th Round (a) - Traded to San Francisco 49ers for QB Jim Druckenmiller
  • 7th Round (b) - Jeff Harris, CB, Georgia

Summary

The new millenium was clearly not a fresh start for the Dolphins in terms of draft success. Out of six draft choices, there were only...

Continue Reading at MiamiSportsGeneration.com
 
Its too depressing to think about... I refuse to read the 2007 draft choice... Ginn and his family?
 
GoonBoss said:
On What? On how our drafts have stunk? :facepalm:

We know.
Click to expand...

It's not as bad as you think when you compare to the rest of the league. Name a team that has consistently had great drafts over the last decade. Keep in mind that the Dolphins have primarily had mid to late picks since 2000 to this day, with the exception of a couple seasons in between.

The draft is really about getting two, maybe three, players that will positively impact the franchise for quite a few seasons. Not may teams (at all) draft a handful of studs each season. Not even the Patriots have had great drafts for a while.

This article was more about what was good and what was bad. So we can learn from the mistakes and point out the successes. This way fans can voice their opinion with a better understanding of the draft past.
 
How a proud franchise is destroyed.
Thats how you do it.
 
I think the grades are way too forgiving.

(2001) Todd Wade was consistently good, no better. Outside of him, we didn't get much out of this draft. D at best.

(2002) A B- in a year where we traded a 2003 2nd round pick to go get Jamar Fletcher???? Chambers was solid but he wasn't anything more than solid. Morlon Greenwood was ok and Travis Minor was no more then a back-up RB. I would give this draft a D+ primariy b/c we didn't get any very good players out of the draft and wasted a 1st round pick on one of the biggest busts for the Dolphins over the last 10 years. Remember, we traded Jamar Fletcher a few years later for Cleo Lemon (I think).

(2003) An A- when outside of Ricky Williams we got a 2 year starting offensive lineman and a TE who showed glimpses of greatness but could not be consistent enough. The highest grade I could give this draft would be a C and that would only be if you would consider Ricky Williams to be part of that draft (he was technically a trade, so while I don't think you can fault Miami for not having a 1st round pick, you also can't lump Ricky into the draft). Taking Ricky and the 1st round pick out of the equation, I give this draft a D simply b/c we didn't really get an impact player (outside of maybe McMichael for 2 years or so).

Just looking back at these 3 years, it's obvious why we have been in such dissaray. Thanks Dave Wanstedt.

Now look at the impact players we have gotten out of the draft the last 2 years.

Long
Merling
Langford
Henne
Vontae
Sean Smith
Hartline
Bess (undrafted mind you)

On the verge of impact
Donald Thomas (if he starts next year and produces)
Clemons (if he starts next year and produces)

That's more impact players in those 2 years then we got in probably the first 5 years of this decade (if not more).

Everyone beating up the FO, just think where we would be if Wanny or Cam was our coach still.
 
this is how we have struggled. The guys that should be the corp of our team are no longer on the team
 
qmar said:
I think the grades are way too forgiving.

(2001) Todd Wade was consistently good, no better. Outside of him, we didn't get much out of this draft. D at best.

(2002) A B- in a year where we traded a 2003 2nd round pick to go get Jamar Fletcher???? Chambers was solid but he wasn't anything more than solid. Morlon Greenwood was ok and Travis Minor was no more then a back-up RB. I would give this draft a D+ primariy b/c we didn't get any very good players out of the draft and wasted a 1st round pick on one of the biggest busts for the Dolphins over the last 10 years. Remember, we traded Jamar Fletcher a few years later for Cleo Lemon (I think).

(2003) An A- when outside of Ricky Williams we got a 2 year starting offensive lineman and a TE who showed glimpses of greatness but could not be consistent enough. The highest grade I could give this draft would be a C and that would only be if you would consider Ricky Williams to be part of that draft (he was technically a trade, so while I don't think you can fault Miami for not having a 1st round pick, you also can't lump Ricky into the draft). Taking Ricky and the 1st round pick out of the equation, I give this draft a D simply b/c we didn't really get an impact player (outside of maybe McMichael for 2 years or so).

Just looking back at these 3 years, it's obvious why we have been in such dissaray. Thanks Dave Wanstedt.

Now look at the impact players we have gotten out of the draft the last 2 years.

Long
Merling
Langford
Henne
Vontae
Sean Smith
Hartline
Bess (undrafted mind you)

On the verge of impact
Donald Thomas (if he starts next year and produces)
Clemons (if he starts next year and produces)

That's more impact players in those 2 years then we got in probably the first 5 years of this decade (if not more).

Everyone beating up the FO, just think where we would be if Wanny or Cam was our coach still.
Click to expand...

I respect your opinion on saying that the grades are forgiving, but those players that you listed came over a span of three separate drafts. If you weigh each of those drafts separately, they would not be much better than the previous mediocre drafts.

In the upcoming articles on 2003 through 2005 and 2006 through 2009 we will weigh the entire draft class as a whole. While the Trifecta has made significantly better draft decisions, its not like the Dolphins are a championship caliber team today. More work needs to be done, which means the drafts have not been that great (aside from free agency moves).
 
MiamiSportsGen said:
Any thoughts on this topic?
Click to expand...

Sorry but no. I stopped reading when I realized that the only reason you posted this on Finheaven was to draw people to your own site. Then you top it off by bumping your own thread. I viewed this solely as an unpaid for advertisement.

Real classy...
 
zENGER said:
Sorry but no. I stopped reading when I realized that the only reason you posted this on Finheaven was to draw people to your own site. Then you top it off by bumping your own thread. I viewed this solely as an unpaid for advertisement.

Real classy...
Click to expand...

I'm sorry you feel that way. The reason why I posted this on Finheaven is because it is the premier forum for discussing Dolphins football, and while I may write for a web site I also am a die hard Dol-Fan that enjoys discussing anything related to the team.

If you haven't noticed, I also partake in other threads and discussions. It's not just about posting an "unpaid advertisement." It's about getting in touch with the fan base.

And I don't mean to turn this into an argument about something other than Dolphins football, so if you feel you would like to discuss this further then we can do so via messages and emails. I'm all ears.
 
ravens, pats, and eagles all decade have drafted better, most of the time in worse drafting position than the fins.
 
chadisawesome said:
ravens, pats, and eagles all decade have drafted better, most of the time in worse drafting position than the fins.
Click to expand...
Which is PRECISELY why it drives me crazy when fans "root for us to lose" at the end of the season to improve draft position. In theory, the person selected at 12 should be better than what's selected at 19, but that's crap. You have to select the right person no matter where you pick. PLENTY of top 10 picks have busted, and I bet all those fans and franchises were pumped to be picking in the top 10(Ryan Leaf! Andre Wadsworth! Curtis Enis! Tim Couch! Akili Smith!)and they're set back by blowing the pick. Pick smart and you'll end up a perennial playoff team like Phila, Balt and NE(I would include Indy, San Diego and Pittsburgh as well)
 
chadisawesome said:
ravens, pats, and eagles all decade have drafted better, most of the time in worse drafting position than the fins.
Click to expand...

You're probably right, while I'll still be tempted to review their body of work in the last ten drafts and evaluate it as a whole. But assuming that they have had pretty good drafts, that makes 3 teams out of a 32-team league.

Not to say we must accept being "lesser than" those elite draft teams, but the Dolphins aren't alone, for the most part, in having lackluster draft pools. Perhaps with this seasons draft and a few more, the Trifecta will be able to turn things around full circle and place the Dolphins in the same conversation as the Ravens, Eagles and Pats.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom