Drafttek Draft Takes

Greetings NFL fans! This is Joseph Mays, your Draft Tek Dolphins Correspondent. I’ve been absent around here since the draft but am back now with some noteworthy items about that lovable team coming off their worst season in franchise history (we can only go up, right?).

First, as a quick reminder, here is how the Dolphins 2008 draft played out…

• Round 1, Pick 1, Overall 1 - Jake Long, OT, Michigan
• Round 2, Pick 1, Overall 32 - Phillip Merling, DE, Clemson
• Round 2, Pick 26, Overall 57 - Chad Henne, QB, Michigan
• Round 3, Pick 3, Overall 66 - Kendall Langford, DE, Hampton
• Round 4, Pick 11, Overall 110 - Shawn Murphy, OG, Utah State
• Round 6, Pick 10, Overall 176 - Jalen Parmele, RB, Toledo
• Round 6, Pick 29, Overall 195 - Donald Thomas, OG, Connecticut
• Round 6, Pick 38, Overall 204 - Lex Hilliard, RB, Montana
• Round 7, Pick 38, Overall 245 - Lionel Dotson, DE, Arizona

A solid draft under Year One of the Parcells/Ireland/Sparano regime. It shouldn’t be surprising at all that 6 of the 9 picks were used on linemen. Parcells likes to build the trenches first and then add some skill position players the next year. Year Two of the current regime should bring in a WR, CBs, and LBs. Anyway, back to this year.

The only clear opening day starter is Jake Long. He has been given the LT job by default, which is what everyone expected. With Jake Long learning at LT, Vernon Carey was moved back to RT. The RT position is a much more natural fit for Carey, who can run block with the best of them. In my opinion Carey is a very underrated tackle who has improved immensely the past 2 seasons. Unfortunately for the Dolphins he has proved that he can play LT so that when he is an UFA in March 2009 it may be hard for Miami to resign him.

The offensive line may not only have one rookie starting. Currently one of the guard positions is up for grabs (depending on which spot Justin Smiley lands in). If a rookie were to win the job (Murphy or Thomas), then Smiley most likely would start a LG next to Long. so that 2 rookies do not start next to each other.

Phillip Merling and Kendall Langford seem poised to be in what could be a strong DE rotation in the Dolphins 3-4 defensive scheme. As of now it looks that Vonnie Holliday and Matt Roth will start with free agent signee Randy Starks working into the rotation with the rookies. Merling and Langford could be the teams starting DEs by 2009. Starks should also see time at NT to spell Jason Ferguson.

The QB situation for Miami has been dismal since the retirement of Dan Marino following the 1999 season. Josh McCown was signed as a veteran presence and expects to win the job but it won’t be handed to him. His two challengers will be 2nd year man John Beck and rookie Chad Henne. Beck has reportedly been working his butt off to get stronger and learn the offense. Looking around the web you will find many bloggers and commenters that believe Beck will earn the job. The “experts” seem to lean towards McCown. I say, don’t count out Henne.

Here’s why Henne should be factored into the equation. First, Sparano has stated that the QB competition will be a 3-way battle. Second, in the years Henne has been a QB he has beaten out the “veteran” players. He started all 4 years at QB for Wilson High School in West Lawn, PA. The QB situation was up for grabs when he was a freshman (I know, because I played on the team with him … seriously) . Oh and did I mention that he didn’t become a QB until the spring of his 8th grade year? That’s right. Chad Henne learned to be a QB and then lead the team to the District playoffs - a high school team that hasn’t had a losing season in almost half a century - in about 5 months. Oh and at Wilson the high school consist of 10th through 12th grade; Henne started as a 9th grader (freshman). Thirds, he is smart and tough. He has shown how intelligent he is by learning the offense fast enough to start in high school and then in college - at one of the premiere programs in the nation - as a freshman. In both cases the coaching staff felt comfortable enough with his knowledge of the playbook and defenses to allow Henne to make audibles at the line. Yes the NFL is a lot different but Henne will pick things up fast. His toughness should never be questioned, either. He has played through a plethora of injuries through high school and college. Apparently it is one of the reasons that the new Dolphins regime took him in the second round. Am I saying that Chad will definitely win the starting job? No. But he has the talent and mindset to do so from day one. Will it happen? Don’t be surprised if it does. I truly believe he will be Miami’s opening day starter by 2009.

So there is a brief overview of the 2008 draft. How about some of the players the Dolphins snagged following the draft? After all, some of the undrafted free agents will put together better careers than some draft picks. The biggest UDFAs the Dolphins snagged were two WRs, Davone Bess and Jayson Foster. Bess, the steady receiver from Hawai’i, has the talent necessary to contribute this year. He has perhaps the best hands of anyone on the Dolphins roster and is deceptively quick. It is not out of the question that Bess will win the 4th WR spot and possibly even push Derek Hagan for the #3 role (assuming Ted Ginn and Ernest Wilford are the 1 and 2). Foster, while raw, is a burner. He may be the fastest player on the team, even faster than Ginn. Foster was a WR and QB at Georgia Southern. He has to learn better routes and bulk up some to be a go-to receiver in the NFL, but his return abilities shadow those of Devin Hester and the once electric Dante Hall. Foster should be stashed on the practice squad for the beginning of the year but could see some game action in November or December.

That’s about all I have for this installment. For your viewing pleasure, here are a few fun and/or interesting Dolphin articles from around the web. Enjoy!

• Dolphins All-Franchise team as determined by Doug at Pro Football Reference
• Dan Marino, greatest QB of All-Time (another PFR entry)
• Armando Salguero believes Ricky Williams could be the best player Miami has
• Someone thinks Miami should be improved in ‘08 (shouldn’t be too hard to do)

Next blog entry from me: Monday, July 21st, 2008 - How do I see the 2008 season playing out for the Dolphins?

Joseph Mays, Draft Tek Dolphins Correspondent

P.S. - Have a question or comment for me? Send me an email at Dolphins@drafttek.com!