You thoughts on our rookie class | FinHeaven - Miami Dolphins Forums

You thoughts on our rookie class

dolphinator86

dolphinator86

You are TERMINATED!!
Joined
Feb 12, 2008
Messages
2,626
Reaction score
15
Well we have made it through the regular season and into the playoffs much thanks to rookies contributing to our overall effort. Here are my thoughts on our rookie players please feel free to chime in your thoughts of their performance in the regular season.

Jake Long- UNBELIEVABLE season. Stepped right into the most important position on the line and played great probably deserved to be a pro bowler outright not through reverse status. Had something like 3 sacks allowed and 5 penalties and protecting the back of our QB. Will be good for the next 12 plus years excellent in run blocking and got better each week in pass blocking.

Philip Merling- 26 tackles a sack and the HUGE interception and touchdown yesterday. He is in a backup role and has room for improvement but has shown flashes of being a pass rush linemen in the 3-4.

Chad Henne- Not much to say but he is learning from one of the best i look for great things from him

Kendall Langford- 31 tackles and 2 sacks excelled at stopping the run has room for growth in pass rushing but started DAY ONE. I look for big things out of this guy with an offseason in an NFL weight training program. He will be a stud

Donald Thomas- won the starting job but we lost him. I look for him to come back stronger and ready to win his spot back our line is going to get even better look for Thomas to make an impact next season.

Dan Carpenter- made alot of big kicks missed a few but seems not to be shaken by big kicks beat out a veteran kicker in the pre season i look for him to be making kicks in Miami for a long time.

Davone Bess- Undrafted free agent was thrusted into the starting role after Cam's injury and has made several catches each week a great slot guy i wouldnt give up the world for we need to extend him and keep him the slot to cause havoc for years to come.

I know i left out a few but most of them never cracked the roster during the season.

But lookign at this class i have to give them TWO THUMBS WAAAAAY up and congratulate them on a spectacular season. Keep it up we still have work to do boys.

Opinions welcome
 
I've been very pleased with our rookie class this season.

Seems like they've all improved over the course of the year.
 
I'd say we have the best of every team .. most team just has the one standout player, but ALL of our (noninjured) guys are contributing tremendously for us
 
This has got to be our best class in 10+ years. I mean hell, how many Phins rookies can say they are contributers on a playoff team? Just these guys since 01.
 
Yea we definitely have one of the top rookie classes this year. That Jake Long pick set the tone.
 
I also must say that Jake Long is a pick that will be one of our "Anchor Picks" for years. He is going to be a perrenial Probowler and a big part of the championships we win over the next decade.
 
Let's not forget another very important rookie....Mr. Sparano. What a hell of a job he has done!!!
 
I agree that we had an excellent rookie class (Coach Sparano included). Best of all, each of them seems to have strong potential to get even better with time.
 
Jake Long :
You can't really say enough about him and how important he is to that O-Line.. already acts like a veteran and has made great strides over the course of the season.. will be a perennial all-pro left tackle and we must see that we can hold him here because then he will anchor that line for the next 10-13years..

Phillip Merling :
A good 3-4 defensive end who is good against the run and has room for improvement in his pass-rush.. that interception was really huge and got us the momentum.. I also see him on this team for many years to come..

Kendall Langford :
great at stopping the run and has shown good pass-rushing skills early in the season but must improve there.. also, like Merling a prototypical 3-4 end who will have more room for improvement than Merling because he comes from a small school.. Like the 2 before I see him as a great player on this team for years to come.. maybe he will not get all the big stats and honors like other ends but Kendall nevertheless can be very dominant and is a very promising player..

Chad Henne :
From what I've heard he is great in practices and has a same mentality like Pennington.. great work-ethic and we'll see how he does in the whole offseason, OTAs and mini-camps.. maybe he will get pushed by Beck who has also great work ethic (I think that we are very lucky with the OB group that we have) I expect him to step up and make good things happen in the post- Pennington era..

Dan Carpenter :
I doubted him in the offseason but I must say that this guy is really good.. kicked I think one or two game-winners and it seems that he will be our kicker for the next years (maybe like Mare)

Donald Thomas :
also a pick where I think that he will be on this O-Line for many years to come.. showed great promise and I expect him to re-take his starting job from Ndukwe.. Thomas should be ready to go for the OTAs and minicamps..

Davone Bess :
stepped up as Camarillo went down.. great slot receiver who finished the season strong.. No.2 all-time in receptions by an undrafted rookie.. also showed great promise..

Lionel Dotson :
Inactive for the whole season but got praise from teammates.. maybe he will develop more in the offseason.. maybe an practice-squad candidate for next season..

Shawn Murphy :
also inactive all season.. was leapfrogged on the depth chart by Donald Thomas in training camp.. maybe the offseason will help him.. also a practice-squad candidate for next season but he was a fourth-round choice so that might keep him on the roster..

Joey Haynos :
at 6'7'' he is a big target and has made strides late in the season.. good blocker but we will see how he pans out.. If Ronnie would have thrown that ball a bit better against the Jets Haynos would have been gone for 70 yards to the house..

Eric Walden :
A waiver claim.. a great special-teamer.. the special teams improved as he was added and I expect him to stay because he is the best wedge-buster on this team and a big, big hitter.. he will stay on the roster strictly for special-teams duties..

Summary :
Imo with that rookie class we laid the foundation for years to come and something you can build on.. a positon where we struggled for years (LT) is now set for years to come and imo Langford and Merling will stay in Miami for a long time if they can continue to make strides and play more and more dominant (don't forget that Merling was a projected first-round pick) also I think that we will have much fun seeing this players out there on the field every sunday:up: I think this was my longest post on Finheaven ever:lol:
 
I think they are a big part of Miami's turnaround this season, and that draft class is one of their best in a long time.
 
I'm just stunned that Dolphins rookies are actually seeing the field, much less actually making the contributions they are. After the last decade, I'd started to assume that rookies were just people Miami used to fill in the 53 man roster.
 
CusePhinFan said:
I think they are a big part of Miami's turnaround this season, and that draft class is one of their best in a long time.
Click to expand...

Absolutely a big part of our turnaround! An excellent draft class indeed. Also for a change we've yet to see the best of Chad Henne. Pennington will afford the organization to groom him properly and let him learn for a few seasons.

I can't wait to see what next year brings.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom