Miami Herald: Dolphins have their eyes on Zack Martin | FinHeaven - Miami Dolphins Forums

Miami Herald: Dolphins have their eyes on Zack Martin

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jim1

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Although the Dolphins, as one scout put it, would “fall all over themselves” if Michigan’s Taylor Lewan somehow slipped to them, multiple sources in the know firmly believe Martin is the team’s first-round target on May 8.

Sources say Miami has first-round grades on just five tackles: Martin, Lewan, Jake Matthews (Texas A&M), Greg Robinson (Auburn) and Ja’Wuan James (Tennessee).
In their eyes, there’s a drop-off to the next level, which includes Virginia’s Morgan Moses.
The Dolphins will not spend a first-round pick on Alabama’s Cyrus Kouandjio, whose injury red flags have the team concerned.

http://www.miamiherald.com/2014/04/26/4082782/miami-dolphins-have-their-eyes.html

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Personally, I think that Kouandjio is one heck of a RT prospect if his knee in fact checks out, worthy of a #19 pick. Interesting tidbit about Ja'Wuan James, who to me seems a solid, efficient but unspectacular RT. Gotta give credit where credit is due, CK Parrot was the first I saw to tout James and mention that he's a better prospect than his teammate Richardson, good call.
 
Don't see him slipping past the Giants, let alone the Steelers or Ravens.
 
The way I see it is this draft will go one of three ways and the dolphins are actually in a good position no matter how it shakes out at the top.

1. Only Bortles is taken in the top 18 at QB. This will cause all the lineman to get picked over early, leaving us with no good RT solution at 19. The good news in this scenario is those 3 qbs are great bait for a trade back, possibly netting us another 2nd.

2. A run on qbs in the top ten drops a ton of talent into the teens causing Martin and possibly Lewan to fall in our laps. We would need Carr to join the top 3 qbs, but it's entirely possible. Bridgewater may actually be our hardest hurdle, I'm banking on jaxs doing something stupid and taking him off the board.

3. The qbs go but the teams value linemen over the skill position early and we once again are left with none. We would have our pick of some pretty amazing talent though.
 
j-off-her-doll said:
I hope we don't like him as a RT. 308 is light for a RT, and it'll show in pass pro.
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I think that if anything it's an OT being too heavy that shows in pass pro, especially when they're up against fast and quick DE's/OLB's that are 50 lbs. or so lighter than they are. Martin has very food feet and slides/mirrors well, he's just a good football player.
 
jim1 said:
I think that if anything it's an OT being too heavy that shows in pass pro, especially when they're up against fast and quick DE's/OLB's that are 50 lbs. or so lighter than they are. Martin has very food feet and slides/mirrors well, he's just a good football player.
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It's not all about speed and quickness in pass pro. If you can't anchor or have to overcompensate to anchor, you're in trouble. 308 isn't impossible, but it's not ideal. Fluker did a very good job at RT, and people questioned his quickness. Meanwhile, the much more athletic Eric Fisher had very real struggles. Fisher weighed in at 306, and Fluker weighed in at 339. Joeckel also struggled (306). Even Lane Johnson (303) struggled early, but he's a guy with elite athleticism. Almost all of the top RT's in the NFL are 320+.
 
j-off-her-doll said:
It's not all about speed and quickness in pass pro. If you can't anchor or have to overcompensate to anchor, you're in trouble. 308 isn't impossible, but it's not ideal. Fluker did a very good job at RT, and people questioned his quickness. Meanwhile, the much more athletic Eric Fisher had very real struggles. Fisher weighed in at 306, and Fluker weighed in at 339. Joeckel also struggled (306). Even Lane Johnson (303) struggled early, but he's a guy with elite athleticism. Almost all of the top RT's in the NFL are 320+.
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They won't take him as a RT. At least not long term. Depending on what they do they could play him there for a year. But long term they have to be thinking guard. Like you mentioned.. 308 and short arms.. he's gonna struggle to anchor. Even tho he does a great job keeping his hands inside, and his hands are very strong.
 
futurescout said:
They won't take him as a RT. At least not long term. Depending on what they do they could play him there for a year. But long term they have to be thinking guard. Like you mentioned.. 308 and short arms.. he's gonna struggle to anchor. Even tho he does a great job keeping his hands inside, and his hands are very strong.
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If Miami likes him as an All Pro LG like you do, I can understand it at 19. I'm not there on him, and I won't be before the draft. That said, it makes a lot more sense to me than hoping he can play RT. He is very slick moving to the 2nd level.
 
I was going to preface the article with a comment about how obvious the title was, knowing that at least one poster would have to comment on it, couldn't resist themselves. Sure enough...
 
Short term right tackle unless they find something that surprises them in the draft to handle it more suited as a right tackle only long term left guard...but provides the position versatility that this unit desperately needs...

I'm not worried about his strength at tackle he turns people with leverage and strength in the run game as much as any tackle not named Greg Robinson yeah he's a little light but his technique is so good and he has plus Feet where I think he can make up for being a little light...plus I think he can play at 315 over the long term...

Clean as a whistle off the field 52 collegiate starts locker room leader and high character...exactly what Miami is looking for durability high character leadership

What team can't use a Logan mankins like player with more core and functional strength coming out
 
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