WalterFootball.com -- Day 1 winners & losers -- Yup, Dolphins are losers

[tay0365]

Umm, Walter football mocked James to us...in the first. So, there opinion has zero credibility.

http://walterfootball.com/draft2014_1.php

:lol2: :lol2:

 

[tay0365]

You know what they say about opinions...remember being frustrated with over 50 sacks. If he isures up our right side...then who cares.

There you go, exactly. If picking him allows Tannehill to become a better QB, and Miami run better, who care when Miami picked him, just thank goodness Miami was able to actually do it.

 

[finz99]

Armchair GM's are the losers. And it's obvious very few if any on this forum come anywhere close to gathering the amount of research a NFL personnel department does.

The main problem with Armchair GM's is that they base all of their research and knowledge of what is presented to them by ESPN/NFL Network. While ESPN/NFL Network do a fine job of covering the HUGE names (Manziel, Watkins, etc.) they can do a poor job of educating the public on sleepers in the draft. James, by all acounts, was presented as a late 1st, early 2nd round pick by most draft analysis. However, James did not get much publicity, and because of that the reactions are "WHO?!" "WHAT DID WE DO?!" "WE SHOULD HAVE PICKED CLINTON-DIX." In reality, we picked a player that fits our needs and will keep Tannehill upright. Tannehill upright hopefully means more points. And more points hopefully means more wins.

In conclusion, I like that pick, I understand the hatred (because we all feed off of ESPN/NFL network), and think we just got ourselves a couple extra wins this season.

 

[Pachyderm_Wave]

I feel so relieved now after reading this. Thanks for the insight. Who would you target in the 2nd round if you were the phins GM at th 50th pick?

Come right back with Su'a-Filo, Jeremy Hill, Carlos Hyde, Donte Moncrief, or Jordan Matthews.

 

[TheWalrus]

Umm, Walter football mocked James to us...in the first. So, there opinion has zero credibility.

http://walterfootball.com/draft2014_1.php

I'm amazed people are buying this as a valid line of thinking. Projecting a pick in a mock draft is not the same thing as approving of it.

 

[J. David Wannyheimer]

There's a lot of DE's that went in the 1st round last night and top 100 picks last year that Ja'Wuan James has absolutely dominated one-on-one in pass protection. Nevermind what that talking heads and websites say. Watch the tape. He's just superb in pass protection. He needs to add upper body strength and could be a bit more physical, but it's not nearly enough to discount the quality of his pass protection. This is why he deserves a high grade for the pass happy NFL.

I haven't seen the game, but I was told that he absolutely crushed Dee Ford when they played Auburn. I'm warming up.

 

[phinfan40353]

Here's the thing that keeps coming back to me, he's a RT that is projected to be a LT in the NFL. How unusual is that?

So, usually, its the LT argument that "if you can't make it work at LT, you can move him to RT". Obviously implying RT is the lesser skill set and easier to adapt.

Yet, we draft a "pure" RT who projects to be a LT in the NFL. Well, I don't know why all the complaining and crying. Seems like we got a pretty darn good flexible player. And no one has even questioned his ability to play RT in the NFL. So, where's the downfall here?

When you factor in the concerns that Albert "may" be an injury waiting to happen and you just drafted your RT (who may be better at LT)..... can anyone say "security blanket"?

About the only player I saw last night that we MIGHT have a shot at was Mosely. When he came off the board and it was our pick, it was obvious Hickey found himself in a conundrum. He's sitting in the mid point of the 1st round with no real blue chips filling areas of need for us. So, either draft James and fill a huge gaping hole to protect our Franchise or pick a player in a position we already have depth and starters and hope Tannehill can run better this year. James or any decent RT would not be there at 50. The RTs are about to come off the board early in Round 2.

And I don't buy this hole "he had trades offered to him" BS. If other teams viewed James as we do, he may have been drafted a few picks later. You can't say we still would have gotten as good a player.

Hickey protected the Franchise's immediate hole at RT and give us an immediate backup LT to protect the investment in Albert.

This was a need based pick, but it was a multifaceted need based pick that will make our OL worries go away. Now Hickey can play the BPA game.

 

[Pachyderm_Wave]

I haven't seen the game, but I was told that he absolutely crushed Dee Ford when they played Auburn. I'm warming up.

It was a completely one sided affair in favor of James. By my count he only allowed Ford to even hurry the quarterback once in what amounts to 25 dropbacks. Keep in mind the Vols were starting a true freshman at QB who played wide receiver in high school in this game.... Josh Dobbs. He completely neutralized Dee Ford.

This is the same Dee Ford that won MVP of the Senior Bowl by abusing Jack Mewhort, who was an All-American playing LEFT tackle at Ohio St. last year. Joel Bitonio, Seantrel Henderson, Wesley Johnson, etc., etc....the best offensive tackles in the draft were absolutely helpless against Ford in the Senior Bowl. Taylor Lewan went #11 to the Titans and was no match for Dee Ford's speed and explosiveness at the Senior Bowl.

Like I said, Ja'wuan James can play. Forget the talk and subjective ratings by talking heads. The film tells the truth.

 

[Pachyderm_Wave]

I mean don't get me wrong either... I don't have a dog in the race here. It doesn't matter to me if the Dolphins draft nothing but one-legged rodeo clowns from now on. I'm not here to optimistically defend any team or what they do. As far as the NFL goes, I'm just a fan of whatever team I bet on that day. I'm just looking at the situation, scenario, player, and what was left. Just calling it like I see it, I don't see anything wrong with the pick. Miami selected the best RT in the draft with all the elite difference makers already gone. Don't know any other way to put it.

 

[DuderinoN703]

CBS Sports ranked James as the 38th best player. That is actually a much higher ranking than most other sites, but that is still 19 spots later than where Miami picked James.

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/prospectrankings

You do realize that "ranking" a player is purely opinion right? Or at least its no predictor how the player's career will turn out. Also if you notice, James' predicted round to be drafted in is 1-2 rounds according to CBS Sports. It isn't a disaster as you're making it seem.

 

[Awsi Dooger]

In a thread about Bitonio a week or two ago I contrasted who was recruiting Bitonio out of high school compared to all the blue blood programs courting James. I mentioned that Alabama wanted him badly and James initially committed to Alabama before switching to Tennessee. There were several related threads on the recruiting sites during that time frame. He was briefly linked to considering the Canes before that fizzled.

I don't hate the player. I'm surprised at the negative reactions here compared to some seasons in which we flat out blew it.

It feels blah. I didn't want an offensive lineman in round one, once it dropped below Lewan. Zack Martin is a fifth senior with a narrow base. I'm suspicious of his upside. Just because we undervalued the position last year doesn't mean it's smart to go overboard a year later. You are essentially narrowing the pickings to a mere handful, and allowing the rest of the league to dictate to you.

Let's put it this way: Imagine if the Jets had taken a player at 19 who was rated 38th to 80th on most pre draft boards. The howling would be loud and incessant. Since it's us, the scrambling begins.

I thought we were well positioned after about a dozen picks. Then it turned against us sharply when guys like Fuller and Shazier were nabbed. Actually I was thrilled we might be gutsy enough to pull the trigger on Manziel. This organization doesn't do bold things like that. We scheme to patch our roster and our stadium.

Best cement available.

My long held philosophy is to take previously highly rated guys who dropped, for no apparent reason. That's exactly the opposite of JuWaun James, so no chance I'm going to pretend I love this pick.

Very solid fundamentals. Keeps his shoulders square in relation to the defender and maximizes arm and hand movement in pass blocking. He's not going to be beaten by athletes of similar caliber. The athletic ability isn't outstanding, however. I would have had higher aspirations in that regard. Overachievers get you beat, as I've emphasized countless times. There's nothing more boring on the planet than the story of an overachiever. Steve Jobs didn't hire overachievers at Apple. He wanted brilliant guys at every project.

BTW, Jon Gruden is terrific on the draft coverage. He isolates packages of plays that spotlight specific weaknesses, instead of raving about everything. His focus on Robinson's sloppy penalties (or penalties that should have been called), and Mack's flatfooted lack of energy and instincts when he's behind the line of scrimmage, were fantastic insight and should have received more time. Gruden also understands that special quarterbacks are a separate matter, and you can't slot them as 10th best or 12th best player, or whatever, and pretend that it's rigidly impossible to deviate from that board. Lots of general managers prefer to take safe linemen instead of sticking their reputation on the line via a high profile quarterback.

 

[KTOWNFINFAN]

I don't think there was a huge difference between James and Moses or some of the other tackles. So I would have liked to trade back and pick up a draft pick. But I said before the draft in another thread that if we ended up with Shazier, Martin, Moses, James, Cyrus or Mosley that I wouldn't be crushed. So I will stick to that.

A much WORSE place to be, would have been going to bed tonight having missed out on all the remaining OTs some how and knowing we were throwing away the season because of another year of not protecting Ryan. I don't LOVE the pick, but it's growing on me. Let Fox start the first 3 games, then when he gets hurt maybe James will be ready to step in and be the man.

Now all we have to do is trade our 4th rd pick for Evan Mathis and the OL will be looking pretty good.

 

[nbrewer22]

What some of you are failing to understand about these Mocks are, these guys are trying to be as accurate as possible. If they think that someone is probably going to reach for a player in the first round out of need, they will mock them to take that player. With that said, it doesn't mean that they think it is a good pick, it just says who they think this team WILL take not who they SHOULD take.

 

[Padfoot]

I'm gonna type this s-l-o-w-l-y: go read the actual mock (and if you're too lazy to do so before condemning it, I'm gonna make you work by not furnishing the link). But the Monarch Notes version essentially declares how dire the offensive line needs are and if Martin is off the board which he will be early, James is the logical next pick. Also provides two alternative picks (you can look em up but both are off the board already too). No where does the mock condemn the pick other than saying it's not one of the top 4, which is moot anyway.

It's like a judge telling you beforehand that if your life and limb is in jeopardy, shoot first and ask questions later, doing what you need to do, and then at your trial lecturing you that you did the wrong thing and should have found other alternatives (which he still couldn't suggest). Sheeesh! Sorry if reality got in your way on this :idk:

He says in his mock that o-line is still an option because the dolphins have a first round grade on him, not that it's a good pick. He even says all the first round offensive line talent is off the board.

In his criticism, he simply says most teams did not have James as a first round grade and that the Dolphins maybe could have gotten him in the second.

I don't dislike the player chosen, I dislike using the use of the 19th pick. I think they should have taken the small risk of trading back and adding an extra 3rd round pick.

 

[DuderinoN703]

USA Today has Miami as a winner in the draft: http://www.usatoday.com/story/sport...sers-jadeveon-clowney-johnny-manziel/8885093/

I'd take their opinion over Walter Football's. Either way nobody knows how it'll work out until these guys step on the field. Just because he wasn't listed in the first round in any mock drafts (besides ironically, walter football), doesn't mean he isn't a first round talent. I'd like to think NFL teams have done more research and know a little more about prospects than people in the media and people on forums. As for saying it's a dumb pick, why is it dumb? Is it because mock drafts and people on the internet didn't list him as a first rounder? There's a reason Mike Mayock, Todd McShay and Mel Kiper aren't asked to be GM's.

Too funny.