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With Jason Taylor decision, here is a look at the replacements

Discussion in 'Miami Dolphins Forum' started by dgb11112, Apr 19, 2008.

  1. dgb11112

    dgb11112 Hall Of Fame

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    I think If we get rid of Jason Taylor we have to make a move for his replacment. If we do get rid of him and are able to trade down then we will be looking at either Gholston or Long. I have done a comparison of what we can expect.

    They bothe seem to be close to each other in their speed and quickness.



    Chris Long
    DE | (6'3", 272, 4.75) | VIRGINIA

    Strengths:

    One of the most versatile and polished prospects in the 2008 class. Possesses adequate height with outstanding bulk and all around strength. Can play DE in three-and-four man front, and also projects favorably as a 3-4 OLB. Displays explosive power with initial punch. He shows very first-step quickness, fires out with leverage and does a great job of knocking offensive linemen back with his initial pop. Displays outstanding power and technique in his club and rip moves. Does a fine job of protecting his lower body. Extremely powerful bull rush. Frequently will stand up the OL and drive him back into the QB. He is instinctive and does an excellent job of finding the ball while still fighting through blocks. He disengages quickly and is relentless in pursuit of the ball carrier. Never gives up on a play and his elite motor is infectious. He grew up around the game and knows what it takes to make it in the NFL. His overall intangibles and work ethic are as good as it gets. Also has been extremely durable to this point; missed time in 2004 due to illness but started every game from that point on (2005-07).

    Weaknesses:

    Lacks elite top-end speed. Will rarely win battles on pure burst off the edge. Very good athlete as a DE but there are still questions regarding his ability to flip his hips in coverage as a LB. Also can get washed out at times when asked to stack versus 300-plus pound OTs.

    Overall:

    Long appeared in 30 games (24 starts) in his first three seasons (2004-'06), recording 108 total tackles (24 for losses) and seven sacks. He turned in a brilliant senior year, collecting 79 tackles (19 for losses), 14 sacks, two forced fumbles and an interception that Long returned 25 yards. He was a unanimous All-America selection, winner of the Ted Hendricks Award (given to the nation's top defensive end) and the ACC Defensive Player of the Year in 2007. Long missed five games in 2004 while suffering from mononucleosis. He is the son of Oakland Raiders Hall of Fame defensive end Howie Long. Long still has room to improve when it comes to fighting through double teams and he also lacks elite top-end speed. Otherwise, he's everything a NFL team looks for in a future perennial Pro Bowl defensive end. His combination of size, power, quickness and tenacity are unparalleled by anyone in college football today. Adding to Long's value is his versatility; he can play end in a three-and-four man front (or both in a hybrid) in the NFL. Long has made enormous strides during each of his three seasons at Virginia. If that trend continues as a senior, he will undoubtedly hear his name called in Round 1 of the 2008 draft.

    Vernon Gholston
    DE | (6'3", 266, 4.669) | OHIO STATE

    Strengths:

    Has the physical tools to develop into an every-down impact defender in the NFL. Possesses adequate height and bulk, but few prospects have a better physique. Very little body fat. Powerfully built with explosive strength for his size. Displays very good initial burst not elite level of Dwight Freeney (Colts), but only a notch below. Uses a wide array of pass rush moves. Can beat OT's with speed, power and fluid double moves. He's the only defender in past two years (from what we saw on film) to give Michigan OT Jake Long problems. He is strong enough to take on some blockers and anchor versus the run. Plays with good discipline. Seals off the end versus the run and will take on bigger blockers when asked to. He does an adequate job of protecting his legs as he works across the line on runs away from him. Hard worker off-the-field and obviously puts in more than fair share of time in the weight room.

    Weaknesses:

    Flashes upper-echelon skills but he's not consistent enough. Is strong but lacks ideal height/bulk to consistently anchor at the line versus bigger blockers. Would need to add some bulk in order to hold up as a fulltime end in a four-man front in the NFL. Still raw dropping into coverage and will need time to develop that aspect of his game assuming he's used to some degree as a hybrid end-linebacker type. Played in a heavy rotation at Ohio State, which kept him fresh a luxury he is not likely to have as a high picks in the NFL.

    Overall:

    Gholston played sparingly in six games as a freshman in 2004 and was redshirted in 2005 after breaking his hand in the season opener. He emerged as a force a year later and didn't miss a start in his last two seasons. In 2006, he finished with 8.5 sacks, 49 tackles and an interception. Last year Gholston set single-season (14) and single-game (four) school sack records on his way to being named a second-team All-America selection. He returned a fumble for a touchdown and posted 15.5 tackles for loss (for a career total of 30.5). It can get frustrating studying Gholston on film because he's inconsistent. There are times when he is flat-out dominant and there are other times that he will disappear. However, most of his best performances came in the Buckeyes' biggest games (notched four combined sacks in last two outings versus rival Michigan). Gholston has the potential to play wide-end in a four-man front and/or rush-linebacker in a 3-4 alignment. He is one of the top pass rushers in this year's class and his combine performance only verified his explosiveness in that regards. As a result, Gholston is a likely top-10 selection in the 2008 draft.
     
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  2. mason

    mason Junior Member

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    What about later rounds replacements, in case jake long is the pick?

    Would a quentin groves(on the off chance he fell or we traded down) be a gould pickup?

    or Cailais campell or sahwn crable

    I don't think they are the same cailber as Gholston or C. long But how far off are they?
     
  3. Vendigo

    Vendigo German Gigolo Club Member

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    Quentin Groves would be an excellent pickup. Besides Gholston, he's the prototypical 3-4 OLB in this class. I actually have him as top 20 talent on my board and the Dolphins are actually very interested in him, although his heart condition might scare them away ... it will depend on what the team doctors have to say about that one.

    Apart from Groves, the Dolphins are showing a lot of interest in Lawrence Jackson (who could project to an OLB in a 3-4) and Cliff Avril. Both would be excellent options in my opinion. Also keep in mind that they were heavily pursuing Calvin Pace, who signed with the Jets eventually, and you get a pretty strong indicator that they intended to trade JT way before all these new rumors started.

    This class is loaded with 3-4 OLB talent. After Groves, Jackson and Avril you have guys like Bruce Davis or Brian Kehl as options for rounds 3 or 4. If Jake's the guy, look for them to add one of these guys. Even if Chris is the man, I wouldn't rule out an OLB later as Chris is a bit of a projection at OLB and might be more comfortable playing DE.
     
  4. PhinsRock

    PhinsRock Premium Member Luxury Box

    Unless we trade down (please, please, hope, hope) it will be either Jake Long or Gholston. If it's Gholstonb then your question is answered. If its Jake, which seems likely, then you have to look at the lower tier OLB guys at #32 or even #57.
     

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