Very interesting stuff from the Athletic

[Beach Bum]

The Athletic has been a joke for years, IMO. I wouldn't let anything from them affect my thinking one way or the other on any subject, not just Dolphin related content.

As to how we handled the draft, meh. We really weren't in a position to approach it in hugely different way. We kind put ourselves in the position of having to address both lines early. They were obvious positions of need. Did we "play it safe" , to the extent any pick is a safe pick, by not swinging for the fences? Maybe so, but sometimes the safe bet is the right bet.

Well said! We had no choice. The Athletic can F**K OFF!

 

[NY8123]

They said "they" that Miami needed DL and OL help followed by the secondary. There was a run on DL and OL prior to the 13th pick and Miami might have got the best run stuffing DL in the draft.

Then they got a beast of an interior lineman with the next pick. Yeah they gave up capital to get him which wasn't desirable but what do people want them to do? I guess they could have taken a TE and maybe a CB with the 13th and then in the 2nd but that wasn't gonna get them more physical and tougher in the treanches.

I didn't love the draft but it certainly isn't an F, that is pretty silly to be honest, a C or maybe C+ is the grade, they even managed to get tougher at RB and found a decent QB with value late in the draft. It wasn't an F, I mean if you don't knock the "+" off of Cleveland just for taking two QBs in the same draft, IDK what to tell ya.

 

[Finsup1981]

I read a CBS Sportsline that gave us a C-
Don't love draft grades, per se. But you can question or grade a front offices' approach and for me, Grier gets a D on this one.

Jason Marshall shouldn't be your first, and only attempt to improve the CB room through the draft. You shouldn't tell your fanbase that this draft class of corners is deep and then come away with very little at that position after the draft.

Bad time to be a Fins fan because we are a rudderless mess

Do you have a link to that CBS sports line ranking you saw?

 

[Mach2]

They said "they" that Miami needed DL and OL help followed by the secondary. There was a run on DL and OL prior to the 13th pick and Miami might have got the best run stuffing DL in the draft.

Then they got a beast of an interior lineman with the next pick. Yeah they gave up capital to get him which wasn't desirable but what do people want them to do? I guess they could have taken a TE and maybe a CB with the 13th and then in the 2nd but that wasn't gonna get them more physical and tougher in the treanches.

I didn't love the draft but it certainly isn't an F, that is pretty silly to be honest, a C or maybe C+ is the grade, they even managed to get tougher at RB and found a decent QB with value late in the draft. It wasn't an F, I mean if you don't knock the "+" off of Cleveland just for taking two QBs in the same draft, IDK what to tell ya.

Yeah, it wasn't a "home run" draft, but it wasn't an "F", either.

I think many, and I understand it, aren't looking at the 2025 draft in a vacuum. It's hard to do that when the situation was largely created and dictated by decisions, many would say mistakes, made previously.

The wisdom of moving up is debatable, but I can see why they did it. The value was there, but it didn't help in the immediate.

 

[Finsup1981]

The problem with projecting all this upside with Grant is the athletic test scores don’t measure up. Christian Wilkins might have had a better ras than 7.5 idk. I realize this kids like 2 years younger but when you are chasing upside in a top 15 pick you should be chasing the traits catching up with everything else.

What exactly are you banking on outside of pass rush polish here from a development/upside stand point?

I think they regret missing out on Dexter Lawrence, so they tried to draft the closest thing to him in the draft?

We chose Wilkins over Lawrence, so we pick Grant who they project to be worse than Wilkins…if the reasoning was to find the next Lawrence and we end up with Wilkins-lite that would be the most Dolphins move ever

If Walter Nolen ends up being as good as Jeffrey Simmons I’m gonna be really upset we passed on him for a Wilkins….again.

 

[dolphinheel]

The Athletic has been a joke for years, IMO. I wouldn't let anything from them affect my thinking one way or the other on any subject, not just Dolphin related content.

As to how we handled the draft, meh. We really weren't in a position to approach it in hugely different way. We kind put ourselves in the position of having to address both lines early. They were obvious positions of need. Did we "play it safe" , to the extent any pick is a safe pick, by not swinging for the fences? Maybe so, but sometimes the safe bet is the right bet.

They love our second pick and our UDFA class but we got an F. Right.

 

[PhinFan1968]

The Athletic has been a joke for years, IMO. I wouldn't let anything from them affect my thinking one way or the other on any subject, not just Dolphin related content.

As to how we handled the draft, meh. We really weren't in a position to approach it in hugely different way. We kind put ourselves in the position of having to address both lines early. They were obvious positions of need. Did we "play it safe" , to the extent any pick is a safe pick, by not swinging for the fences? Maybe so, but sometimes the safe bet is the right bet.

It could just be perception, but to me it seems the teams that dazzle in the draft and/or win the offseason are teams that never reach contender status…at least not “soon.”

 

[Mach2]

I think they regret missing out on Dexter Lawrence, so they tried to draft the closest thing to him in the draft?

We chose Wilkins over Lawrence, so we pick Grant who they project to be worse than Wilkins…if the reasoning was to find the next Lawrence and we end up with Wilkins-lite that would be the most Dolphins move ever lmao.

Do we really know that at this point?

Yes, one can project what the future may be, but it's just that, a projection, and opinions vary.

Wilkins was a very good player for us, but I don't see Grant as a "Wilkins light" at all. Wilkins was a lot older than Grant when drafted. You were getting a good player, but the upside beyond what he was was pretty much known. Wilkins had had more years of higher level coaching. I think when Grant gets NFL level teaching)coaching, combined with his purported passion and work ethic, he has a higher possible upside.

I loved Wilkins as a Dolphin fan, but no way in hell would I have given him that contract. Good for him, though. He bet on himself and cashed in.

 

[Finsup1981]

Do we really know that at this point?

Yes, one can project what the future may be, but it's just that, a projection, and opinions vary.

Wilkins was a very good player for us, but I don't see Grant as a "Wilkins light" at all. Wilkins was a lot older than Grant when drafted. You were getting a good player, but the upside beyond what he was was pretty much known. Wilkins had had more years of higher level coaching. I think when Grant gets NFL level teaching)coaching, combined with his purported passion and work ethic, he has a higher possible upside.

I loved Wilkins as a Dolphin fan, but no way in hell would I have given him that contract. Good for him, though. He bet on himself and cashed in.

Of course not, I hope Grant turns out to be the best DT ever, but a lot of scouts don’t think very highly of his potential, this is the the third one I’ve seen that said he won’t be as good as Wilkins.

I pray they are wrong and he’s incredible, but there are question marks that only time will tell

I’m always optimistic until proven otherwise

 

[GRYPHONK]

Miami did what they needed to do, built the trenches.

With their first 4 picks they got 1 possibly 2 starters on the D line
Plus they got arguably a top 3-5 IOL in this draft
They also changed a 4th rounder this year to anywhere between a 65-99 pick next year. Will anyone still complain if that Texans pick turns out to be a top 80 next year?

I'm not going to argue or debate the value of the 5th round and later. Not really going to speculate on players that were passed on 150 times before getting picked. It's a crap shoot

For me I like it because it was "safe" I mean, they could end up busting. However, the likelihood of a D line or O line busting is less IMO then a top ranked DB.

So in a team with many needs, taking safety picks has a greater success of hitting then missing and Miami can't afford to miss right now.

The only reason Miami is getting lower grades, IMO, is because they didn't draft the player these guys mocked to us. Zabel/Johnson/Barron and Warren were the "sexy" picks.
These guys knew Miami was drafting Zabel or a DB. Since they didnt, Miami gets lower grades of course

Miami said F that. Lol

 

[hoops]

I’d say outside of pass rush polish the grant upside lies largely in consistency of technique and conditioning. Who does that remind you of?

Christian Wilkins. Wilkins has absolutely maximized what he has. Conditioning and technique wise. I just hope this kid can impact the qb consistently.

I do think unlike Wilkins it isn’t gonna take 3 years for Grant to make an impact on this team. I don’t see pile jumper in his early Miami career. He’s competing with nothing and Grier didn’t take him to watch others play.

 

[hoops]

I think they regret missing out on Dexter Lawrence, so they tried to draft the closest thing to him in the draft?

We chose Wilkins over Lawrence, so we pick Grant who they project to be worse than Wilkins…if the reasoning was to find the next Lawrence and we end up with Wilkins-lite that would be the most Dolphins move ever

If Walter Nolen ends up being as good as Jeffrey Simmons I’m gonna be really upset we passed on him for a Wilkins….again.

I told ya from the get go chasing Lawrence is hard. And dude was an absolute freak. 9.85 from 335 lbs is unheard of. Dudes bust like that too but when you hit you hit big.

That contract with the giants was an absolute no brainer for the giants brass. Worth every penny and some.

We need some of that. No brainers.

 

[Mach2]

Miami did what they needed to do, built the trenches.

With their first 4 picks they got 1 possibly 2 starters on the D line
Plus they got arguably a top 3-5 IOL in this draft
They also changed a 4th rounder this year to anywhere between a 65-99 pick next year. Will anyone still complain if that Texans pick turns out to be a top 80 next year?

I'm not going to argue or debate the value of the 5th round and later. Not really going to speculate on players that were passed on 150 times before getting picked. It's a crap shoot

For me I like it because it was "safe" I mean, they could end up busting. However, the likelihood of a D line or O line busting is less IMO then a top ranked DB.

So in a team with many needs, taking safety picks has a greater success of hitting then missing and Miami can't afford to miss right now.

The only reason Miami is getting lower grades, IMO, is because they didn't draft the player these guys mocked to us. Zabel/Johnson/Barron and Warren were the "sexy" picks.
These guys knew Miami was drafting Zabel or a DB. Since they didnt, Miami gets lower grades of course

Miami said F that. Lol

Probably a lot of truth in that.

I don't think most of these guys follow the Dolphins, or any other franchise for that matter, as closely or in depth as many posters here. How could they? There isn't enough time in a day.

If they were mocking Zabel, they were oblivious to our scheme. If they were mocking Corners, which makes more sense in an overview, they discounted injury and limitations of the two highest rated prospects and Miami was not in a position to gamble in this draft.

Add to that, these guys that put out mocks generally aren't real, qualified scouting personnel, and the feed off Twitter and each other, making for a collasal circle jerk, rather than informed, rational opinion.

 

[hoops]

Dallas just signed Tyler smith to an extension. That dude is a stud and another great test athlete.

I’ll bet ya all the money in my wallet that Tyler booker isn’t that level impact player. Tyler smith at 12 I get it. Tyler booker nah.

Id bet Dallas doesn’t even pick up that 5th year. I can find mauler types with average feet and redirect just about anywhere.

 

[hoops]

Miami did what they needed to do, built the trenches.

With their first 4 picks they got 1 possibly 2 starters on the D line
Plus they got arguably a top 3-5 IOL in this draft
They also changed a 4th rounder this year to anywhere between a 65-99 pick next year. Will anyone still complain if that Texans pick turns out to be a top 80 next year?

I'm not going to argue or debate the value of the 5th round and later. Not really going to speculate on players that were passed on 150 times before getting picked. It's a crap shoot

For me I like it because it was "safe" I mean, they could end up busting. However, the likelihood of a D line or O line busting is less IMO then a top ranked DB.

So in a team with many needs, taking safety picks has a greater success of hitting then missing and Miami can't afford to miss right now.

The only reason Miami is getting lower grades, IMO, is because they didn't draft the player these guys mocked to us. Zabel/Johnson/Barron and Warren were the "sexy" picks.
These guys knew Miami was drafting Zabel or a DB. Since they didnt, Miami gets lower grades of course

Miami said F that. Lol

Yeah did what we needed to do and if they are average players we will be doing the same thing in 4 to 5 years again.

That’s what happens with average. Teams keep their guys that carry em and fill in with replaceables all around em.