Our First round picks for the past several years | Page 2 | FinHeaven - Miami Dolphins Forums

Our First round picks for the past several years

Kyndig said:
Miami 1st round picks since 1990

YEAR PK(OVR) NAME POS SCHOOL

2006 16(16) JASON ALLEN DS TENNESSEE
2005 2(2) RONNIE BROWN RB AUBURN
2004 19(19) VERNON CAREY OG MIAMI (FLA.)
2001 26(26) JAMAR FLETCHER CB WISCONSIN
1998 29(29) JOHN AVERY RB MISSISSIPPI
1997 15(15) YATIL GREEN WR MIAMI (FLA.)
1996 20(20) DARYL GARDENER DT BAYLOR
1995 25(25) BILLY MILNER OT HOUSTON
1994 20(20) TIM BOWENS DT MISSISSIPPI
1993 25(25) O.J. MCDUFFIE WR PENN STATE
1992 7(7) TROY VINCENT DB WISCONSIN
1992 12(12) MARCO COLEMAN LB GEORGIA TECH

Just a topic for discussion. What I can see is that during the Shula years, we drafted quite well. For example with the exception of Milner, I'd say that our picks from 92 thru 94 were VERY GOOD. Then came JJ, who really only had ONE decent first round pick, i.e. Daryl Gardener on the Defense (surprise surprise) then Green and Avery, two colosal busts. The Wanney/Spielman era actually yielded Vernon Carey, which is as many decent players selected in the first round as JJ, and The Saban Era yielded one good player and one who as of this writing is a BUST, although hopefully he'll get better, perhaps moved to CB, but that's probably just mindless optimism.

We have a top 10 pick this year, which means that we truly have an opportunity to get a good player. Out of all of these other previous first round picks can any one tell us how many were in the top 10?

BTW, you may notice the time differential between Vernon Carey and Jamar Fletcher as well as from Avery to Fletcher. Guess what? These were years we didn't have a first round pick!!! What does that tell you when you look at our roster today? How many first round picks are we missing that could/should be on our roster today?
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Yes, it's not pretty, but you have to look a little deeper.

One of the 1st round picks we gave up was to get an extra 2nd to draft Patrick Surtain. That turned out very well.

2 more 1st round picks went for Ricky Williams. Yes, they overspent, but it wasn't a bad idea at the time, and he did have over 1800 yards his first year here.

Yatil Green might have been good if his knees didn't give out.

As for the Shula years, they were decent players, but the rest of those drafts were mostly nothing to write home about. And Marco Coleman was thought to be a "bubble" pick (borderline 1st-2nd rounder) that Shula reached too high for. He was a decent player, but never much more than that.

You could look at a lot of team's 1st round picks during that time and find their share of hit and misses. The problem with Miami has been that their complete drafts have basically been poor.
 
ChambersWI said:
Jimmy did not know the talent coming out like he did when he first got to Dallas ,though he did get some great players in Madison,Surtain,and JT (as well as solid players for us in Brommell and Mixon).
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I don't remember exactly how many years JJ was here for (4?), but it's astounding that people badmouth his drafts. Sure he had trouble drafting guys in the first round, but his overall drafts were astounding. In four? years he drafted Surtain, Madison, JT, and Zach...that's a pro-bowler each year. Throw in a few role players that worked out for us, and he did a damn good job - probably as good as anyone in the NFL during that time period.

The difference between Saban and JJ IMO seems to be that JJ took gambles - his picks had a tendecy to either stink or be amazing. Saban drafted much safer; many of his picks have talent and will remain on the team, but aside from Ronnie there's really nobody that is going to be a star for us.
 
Oh god John Avery.

"Randy Moss doesn't fit our system"

Hmmm Dan + Moss = SB rings for both.

What a deadly combo they could have been!
 
Ugh, and don't forget Eddie Moore...he was our first pick in that draft since we didn't have a 1st round pick. He was projected as a second day pick at the time.
 
Finattick said:
Jimmy also drafted Cecil the diesel Collins, remember how that worked out?
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Yeah he was what, a fourth round draft pick? Who cares that he didn't work out? Why do people post one "bad" pick and think it's validation of a poor drafting record?

Just a FYI for everyone - In the draft, there are always, no matter how good your gm is, more misses than hits. In the real world, a 5th round draft pick that doesn't make the team is not a "bust," it's just the way the draft works. If you can get 2 starters from a draft, you are doing GREAT. If you guys think JJ was a bad drafter, then get ready for disappointment. Drafts don't get much better than the ones he had.
 
vinivedivichi said:
Yeah he was what, a fourth round draft pick? Who cares that he didn't work out? Why do people post one "bad" pick and think it's validation of a poor drafting record?

Just a FYI for everyone - In the draft, there are always, no matter how good your gm is, more misses than hits. In the real world, a 5th round draft pick that doesn't make the team is not a "bust," it's just the way the draft works. If you can get 2 starters from a draft, you are doing GREAT. If you guys think JJ was a bad drafter, then get ready for disappointment. Drafts don't get much better than the ones he had.
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Indeed, I'd be content with drafting a JT or Sam Madison-caliber player once a year. He may have had some misses, but he hit right on with a few too.
 
I'd suggest you have to get 3 starters and a role player as a reserve or special teams player to have a great draft. I think 2 starters is pretty much the norm for a normal draft with picks in each round.
 
Jimmy James said:
I'd suggest you have to get 3 starters and a role player as a reserve or special teams player to have a great draft. I think 2 starters is pretty much the norm for a normal draft with picks in each round.
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That's expecting a lot, especially if you are a playoff caliber team, as we were for most of that time. Also, not all starters are created equal. Some are truly great, others start only because the other options are so unappealing. One Pro Bowl guy or two starters makes for a pretty solid draft.
 
Fineas said:
That's expecting a lot, especially if you are a playoff caliber team, as we were for most of that time. Also, not all starters are created equal. Some are truly great, others start only because the other options are so unappealing. One Pro Bowl guy or two starters makes for a pretty solid draft.
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I think we're circling around the same concept. My point was that saying 2 starters is a great draft is throwing the word "great" around a bit too liberally. A great draft is the type a normal team is going to have once a decade.
 
Yeah, probably a bit of an overstatement. Nonetheless, two starters per year is very solid.
 
Finattick said:
Jimmy also drafted Cecil the diesel Collins, remember how that worked out?
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It actually worked out fine. Jimmy took him in the 5th round for starters. There are 5th round picks every year who don't even make the roster of the team that drafted them. Collins' off the field issues were well publicized, but hell, a 5th rounder was more than a fair trade-off to take a flyer on a guy with his talent. JJ was always willing to overlook things if a player had skills. He also signed Lawrence Phillips two years before that, and someone inside the organization at the time had a real funny quote, something to the effect of "Jimmy would sign Charles Manson if he ran a 4.3 40."

Collins could have been a pretty special back if he could have stayed out of trouble. He was actually just starting to roll when he got hurt, and then got arrested and the rest is history.
 
If what we're saying about a pro bowler making for a solid draft is true, wouldn't that suggest that Miami absolutely should trade up if there is a player who projects to be head and shoulders above the rest in our system? I think that's the smart play this year, and I think enough teams may look to trade down that a bargain might be possible. The "chart" indicates it should cost a 4th and 5th to move up to 7 by trading with the Vikings. If they would accept just the 5th and if it yields a better player, it should be a no brainer. It would cost a 3rd to move up with the Redskins, but it might be a good idea to move up with them if it just costs a 4th and if the right player situation is there. I think it's certainly something to consider.
 
Meh. I'm feeling too lazy to look it up, but I'm interested in seeing the full drafts for those years.
 
ChambersWI said:
that our former regimes sucked at talent evaluation.



Jimmy did not know the talent coming out like he did when he first got to Dallas ,though he did get some great players in Madison,Surtain,and JT (as well as solid players for us in Brommell and Mixon).
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Don't forget that although JJ's drafts were bad in the early rounds as you suggested he did also net us Zach Thomas in the 5th round...
 
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