Open Rants by kkunert327

With the draft in the books time to go back and do a wrap up of how teams made out. I might be a bit of a harsh critic to the top 3 round picks, but that is where you need to hit in the draft to be successful. Sure most of the league is 4th rounders and later, but any that turn into Pro Bowlers or All-Pro players is mostly out of luck. So without further adieu, the Miami Dolphins are on the clock.

1 (5) - Tua Tagovailoa QB Alabama - B

1 (18) - Austin Jackson OT USC - C- 

1 (30) - Noah Igboghene CB Auburn - F

2 (7) - Robert Hunt OL La.Lafayette - B- 

2 (24) - Raekwon Davis DT Alabama - C+

3 (6) - Brandon Jones S Texas - F

Wow, I really came into the draft for the Dolphins believing they can figure it out with this new GM and a promising young head coach. Sadly, I was mistaken big time and they are just the same old Dolphins. I loved Tua and I do think had he been healthy he would have been the top quarterback in this class. However, that is a big IF and I am not sure the Dolphins are strong enough to keep their fan base at bay that will want to see him play sooner than later. I think a full season to get healthy, develop, and learn from Fitzpatrick would do him a world of good. Like everyone I do worry about his injuries and my lack of trust for the Dolphins to protect him properly hence him only getting a B from me. He could turn into the next Drew Brees, but I see him being a better version of Baker Mayfield with a better are and anticipation to his throws. Say what you will about Mayfield he still has upside and ability to be a very good franchise quarterback, Tua just has that special it factor Mayfield lacks in my opinion. After that pick, it all went down hill for the Dolphins in my book. Jackson was not a first round talent in my books and at only 20 has a long ways to go before he can be a reliable starter. He is super finesse and will get steam rolled in the NFL. His lack of versatility to possibly have right tackle as a fall back if left tackle does not work also hurts him. Hopefully he can develop in the year Tua is on the bench, but I still do not understand why you trade Tunsil to replace him with Jackson. They had the cap space and will for awhile with Tua on a rookie deal. Igboghene is a huge reach on a 3rd round prospect and not really filling a huge need. Xavier McKinney would have been a much better pick and filled a big need for them. At best Igboghene is a track speed athlete who will contribute on special teams and always make you wanting more on defense. Hunt was a solid pick, but like Jackson needs time to develop transitioning to guard. They could have easily traded down to nab him later in the 2nd round or just have taken Josh Jones to make it a better pick. Davis is a solid pick who has a high floor as an elite run stuffer, but I did not see defensive tackle as a big need with Davon Godchaux and Christian Wilkins already on the roster. To use a valuable pick on a 2 down player on a roster with no talent was a bit of a head scratcher. Jones was another wasted pick. All in all the first two days of the draft for the had left me wanting more out of their picks. 

4 (5) - Solomon Kindley OG Georgia - B+

5 (9) - Jason Strowbridge DE UNC - C+

5 (19) - Curtis Weaver OLB/Edge Boise St - C+

6 (6) - Blake Ferguson LS LSU - F

7 (32) - Malcolm Perry WR/RB Navy - B-

When they selected Kindley I was like hey they might turn it around in this draft, I was wrong. Kindley to me was one of the better sleepers and should start right away and give them a nice pair of guards with Michael Deiter from last year. Then they went and took Strowbridge and Weaver who to me were going to be some of the better picks on Day 3 thanks to their value and upside. Unfortunately, I thought the Dolphins had much bigger needs at safety, running back, and receiver than adding more depth to their defensive front. Where are those two rookies going to play with Shaq Lawson, Emmanuel Ogbah, and Kyle Van Noy all being new handsomely paid free agents. I do think they can rotate in, but as a team with no talent there is no need in investing in depth over more needed positions. I will never understand why teams waste picks on long snappers, they are easily had after the draft in the undrafted pool. I actually do like the Perry pick with his upside as a possible play maker. My only reservation as I have seen many Navy quarterbacks with the same skill sets never really transitioning to the NFL as well as they would seem. All in all, a draft where the Dolphins could have capitalized on their plethora of picks to turn around quickly in a wide open AFC East has left me feeling flat very flat. Tagovailoa is their only saving grace and if he is what we all expect him to be then this is all a moot point. If he is great no one will remember them whiffing on Igboghene or Jackson. If he flounders they missed an opportunity to really find better prospects to build around for the next quarterback they draft in a few years. For some reason the Dolphins even during the Marino era has continued to be mired in mediocrity just like the Lions, Bengals, and Browns. Overall, I really really want to give this draft an F, but they did find some guys like Tua, Hunt, and Kindley that I really like so a D+ is as far up I will go. This was a really disappointing draft in my opinion and one where the Dolphins really could been big winners. 

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