MiamiSportsGen
Keeping the Fan Faith Alive
As we continue our series of Fins Picks we look back at the 2003 through 2005 offseasons in order to define the successes and failures that the Dolphins have experienced in previous drafts. In our original article, we evaluated the years 2000 to 2002 and found a mixture of not so good and solid draft choices. In all, there was not much to be proud of in the first three millennial offseasons for the Dolphins outside of the Ricky Williams draft-trade and Chris Chambers second round selection.
Now we may have been a bit lenient on the grades last time (spotting a grade of C+ for a 2000 draft that bolstered Todd Wade and Arturo Freeman), but we will be more critical this time around. In our defense, the Dolphins did not have higher than a 23rd pick in the first round and posted solid seasons despite their lack of draft talent. Late draft picks may not be an excuse for poor choices throughout, but it was clear that the Wannstedt era enjoyed raking in talent via trades and free agent signings rather than draft picks.
Moving along, we begin with 2003 and the beginning of the end of the Wanndstedt era.
Year: 2003
Selections
- 1st Round - Traded to New Orleans Saints for Ricky Williams in '02
- 2nd Round - Eddie Moore, LB, Tennessee
- 3rd Round (a) - Wade Smith, T, Memphis
- 3rd Round (b) - Taylor Whitley, G, Texas A&M
- 4th Round - Traded to Carolina Panthers for DE Jay Williams
- 5th Round (a) - Donald Lee, TE, Mississippi State
- 5th Round (b) - J.R. Tolver, WR, San Diego State
- 6th Round (a) - Corey Jenkins, LB, South Carolina
- 6th Round (b) - Traded to Chicago Bears for QB Cade McNown in '02
- 6th Round (c) - Tim Provost, T, San Jose State
- 6th Round (d) - Yeremiah Bell, S, Eastern Kentucky
- 7th Round (a) - Traded to Carolina Panthers in draft trade-up
- 7th Round (b) - Traded to Washington Redskins for QB Sage Rosenfels
- 7th Round (c) - Traded to Carolina Panthers in draft trade-up
- 7th Round (d) - Davern Williams, DT, Troy State
At the top of Miami's choices, the Fins fell flat. Eddie Moore was on injured reserve in his first season and the following three picks all were phased out of the Dolphins lineup (or roster) by 2005. But Miami saved face with the 213th pick in the draft as they selected Yeremiah Bell, who stands as the longest tenured Dolphin in the current roster. Besides that...
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P.S. We thank all those for their comments on the first article in the Fins Picks series.