Installment No. 8 of our Draft Grader series and we’re going to look at the draft picks of the Miami Dolphins.
After a hot start to the Sparano/Ireland partnership, things quickly went south in Miami as they went from first to worst in the AFC East in the space of three seasons. But where did it go wrong? We’ll be looking at every draft pick (this does not include undrafted free agents) between 2008 and 2010 to see what part this played, giving them a grade between +2.0 and -2.0 (in 0.5 increments) that depends upon:
• Where they were drafted
• Their performance
• Their contribution (how many snaps their team got out of them)
• Other factors such as unforeseen injuries and conditions that could not have been accounted for
So let’s take a look at the players Miami have brought in between 2008 and 2010!
+2.0: You’ve just found Tom Brady in the 6th round
The search for the next Marino goes on.
+1.5: Getting much more than you bargained for!
The Dolphins got production but didn’t hit the kind of homerun that makes you stand up and take note.
+1.0: The scouts nailed it!
Jake Long, T (1st overall pick in 2008): Just a +1.0 for one of the top three left tackles in the league? This has more to do with not taking an offensive tackle when you need a franchise quarterback. The Dolphins went safe and avoided Matt Ryan and picked up a player who doesn’t play a position that is integral to winning a Super Bowl. A great player and good value, but not quite perfect.
Kendall Langford, DE (57th overall pick in 2008): Some will look at the seven sacks Langford has managed in his career and wonder why this was such a great pick. Well, pass rushing is more than just about sacks and Langford has always generated pressure picking up 90 combined sacks, hits, and hurries since entering the league.
+0.5: Never hurts to find a solid contributor
Donald Thomas, G (195th overall pick in 2008): In 2009, Thomas held his own (for the most part) as a player who managed 933 snaps. So he wasn’t elite and didn’t do anything after that, to get a starter who wasn’t a liability for a year in the sixth is good value.
Lex Hilliard, RB (204th overall pick in 2008): The seventh round pick lasted four years on the Miami squad, filling in at half back and fullback when the situation required. He was also an extremely productive special teams player with 22 tackles in this area of the game.
Vontae Davis, CB (25th overall pick in 2009): Is Davis a starter you’d rely on? Yes. Is he one of the top cornerbacks in the game? No. At times very good, Davis just hasn’t jumped to that next level to be anything more than a good pick up relative to where he was taken.
Sean Smith, CB (61st overall pick in 2009): It’s hard to really say what happened last year as Smith took a huge step backwards, after a strong second half to 2010. A bad year? or has Smith lost it? His play over the first three years of his career earns him the benefit of the doubt, but he needs to step it up next year.
Brian Hartline, WR (108th overall pick in 2009): Three seasons over 500 yards isn’t terrible for a fourth round pick who has always looked like he has more in the locker. Could be a huge benefactor from the Brandon Marshall trade.
Koa Misi, LB (40th overall pick in 2010): Misi may never be the pass rusher the Dolphins thought they had drafted, but he’s developed into a decent run defender. Miami will be hoping he can overcome a sophomore slump and get back to showing the form he did as a rookie.
Austin Spitler, LB (252nd overall pick in 2010): So what if he’s just seen three snaps on defense. Spitler has been a big contributor on special teams and that can’t be overlooked with 13 tackles over the last two years.
0.0: Nothing ventured, nothing gained (It could have been worse)
Chad Henne, QB (57th overall pick in 2008): So Henne, ultimately, wasn’t the guy. He also wasn’t terrible and proved a slightly below league average starter when handed the opportunity.
Jalen Parmele, RB (176th overall pick in 2008): With the Ravens stealing Parmele off the Dolphins' practice squad, you can’t really evaluate the former sixth round pick.
Lionel Dotson, DT (245th overall pick in 2008): He bounced between practice squad and the active roster (with some stops at other teams) and even saw some game time in 2008 and 2009. A late round pick that you didn’t expect much from, nor receive anything.
John Nalbone, TE (161st overall pick in 2009): Spent a year on the practice squad and even saw some game time in 2010 before the Dolphins decided he just wasn’t worth investing in.
Chris Clemons, S (165th overall pick in 2009): Clemons has got on the field which is good for a former fifth round pick. Unfortunately, he’s been pretty horrible when he has. Seems better suited as a backup safety who stars on special teams.
Andrew Gardner, T (181st overall pick in 2009): Lasted a year with Miami before being cut after struggling in camp. Took a low risk and it didn’t pay off.
J.D. Folsom, LB (214th overall pick in 2009): Much like Gardner, spent a year on the practice squad (though he frequently came off it when Miami was short on bodies in 2008) before being cut.
Jared Odrick, DE (28th overall pick in 2010): You expect a first round pick to make an impact, whereas Odrick has looked extremely average so far in his NFL career. He’s by no means a bust, but if he doesn’t show up in 2011, this could go down as a wasted first round pick.
John Jerry, G (73rd overall pick in 2010): Jerry took a big step forward when he was afforded the opportunity to play guard in 2011, but 2012 will be huge in seeing what kind of future he has.
A.J. Edds, LB (119th overall pick in 2010): The Dolphins get something of a pass on Edds who tore his ACL out before his rookie year began and was waived a year later.
Nolan Carroll, CB (145th overall pick in 2010): Looked ill-equipped to play corner in the NFL in 2011 after flashing talent in 2010. A fifth round pick, Carroll has helped the special teams unit.
Reshad Jones, S (163rd overall pick in 2010): Encouraging as a rookie, Jones looked out of his depth a year later when teams began to expose him in coverage as a starter.
Chris McCoy, LB (212th overall pick in 2010): A seventh round pick, McCoy never caught on after being signed to the practice squad.
-0.5: That pick was not put to good use
Phillip Merling, DE (32nd overall pick in 2008): Being massively outplayed by Kendall Langford is one thing, but failing to make much of an impact on the field to the point your playing time dwindles year after year? Merling was a first round pick in all but name and failed to deliver on being one of the chosen 32.
Shawn Murphy, G (110th overall pick in 2008): After missing his rookie year through a torn tricep, Murphy was expected to start at right guard the following year. It never happened as the Dolphins cut their losses and waived him.
-1.0: What a waste!
Patrick Turner, WR (87th overall pick in 2009): A third round pick who didn’t manage a snap for the Dolphins despite having the size and athleticism teams love. A true waste of a pick who you expect to contribute.
-1.5: The scouts/ coaches failed, big time!
Pat White, QB (44th overall pick in 2009): Ugh, the Wildcat. Why on earth would you invest a second round pick in such a fad? This is one of those moves that you’re still trying to wipe the stink off of years later.
-2.0: You just drafted the love child of Jamarcus Russell and Ryan Leaf!
There were no Russell/ Leaf hybrids to pick from.
Summary
The Pat White fiasco aside, the Dolphins have usually got production (in one way or another) out of their picks, without ever really getting more than they’d bargained for. Therein lies part of the problem, because while they’ve got production they’ve rarely picked up players who massively improve the roster. That’s a challenge for all teams, but there comes a time when you need to be getting more starters and fewer role players. How the 2011 draft class pans out could be crucial in the futures of those in the front office.
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