OK, it's about 10PM or so on April 28th, the Rams just made their selection, it's pick #15, and you're now officially on the clock...what do YOU do? The following players are off the board: Cam Newton Marcel Dareus Blaine Gabbert A.J. Green Von Miller Patrick Peterson Prince Amukamara Nick Fairley Tyron Smith Julio Jones Robert Quinn Da'Quan Bowers Anthony Castonzo Aldon Smith Now, you can either pick YOUR guy. OR, for the sake of this little experiment, let's say that you can also trade down (because you think your guy will still be there later in the round). So...what do you do? Pick, or trade down? If you trade down, how far are you willing to drop? Who do you think will still be there? Let's hear it...who's on your Dolphins draft wish list? YOU make the call!
I construct a time machine and travel to the future where I draft Andrew Luck. I then give him a new name, birth certificate and have him undergo facial reconstruction surgery so that 2011 Andrew Luck won't realize his future self is playing quarterback for the dolphins. Thus not only have I drafted the franchise quarterback this team needs, but I will have also successfully avoid a time paradox and prevented the fabric of time and space from ripping apart.
Trade down to around 20-26 range and take Mike Pouncey. If he isn't there, then I would reach for Baldwin or Hankerson. Both, could be true #2s for us and instantly give our offense 10x more options. (ie. We'll actually be able to run 4WR sets, it will help take some attention from Marshall, it could create a competition in camp with Hartline for the #2 job, etc...) Pick up a 2nd from the trade down and go after Ryan Williams in the 2nd. In all honesty, I'd rather us take a WR in the 1st over Pouncey, because I like the other options at G later in the draft (Hudson, Moffitt, Watkins, Boling, Franklin, etc...). But, I think taking Pouncey would make more sense.
I would trade down. I think that SD might be a good option but it would probably require us to drop out of the 1st round entirely. On the bright side we'd end up with several picks in the top 100.
without a doubt, trade down to at least pick up another 3d .... and then take either Pouncey or Watkins with the pick (we must be no worse than pick 27 [PIT chooses @ 28] to ensure that we get one of these 2) .... we can get a RB/WR or even a QB with the 2 X 3d RD picks ...
Take Mallett - we need to solve our QB problem. He (or any QB) won't be an instant fix, but we need to start somewhere, and there is 0 guarantee we will have a shot at a good QB next year. Some people don't like him and that's quite fair. Ireland and Co. will be doing their research to determine what kind of player and guy he is. Based on physical talents though, he very well could be a very good QB in this league.
Take the best available player. Do not deviate from your draft board. If that is a defensive player you must go with him. IMO there isn't an offensive difference maker that will be available at # 15, so its BPA and hope you can get more out of Henne this year.
I definitely would prefer a trade down so we might recoup the 2nd we don't have. After the trade down I would take Mallett or Ponder. I want Henne to succeed but we can't take a chance that he wont. If Henne does come around then we have insurance in Mallett, it would be great to end up in a San Diego type of quandary with two quality QBs. Either way we have doubled our chances of finding our quarterback this year and added competition for Henne.
Actually I would have loved to see the Dolphins trade up and acquire either Jones or Green at the wide receiver spot. Since this will not be possible because the Dolphins have no second round pick to offer in a trade. I now want the Dolphins to trade down into the late first round in an attempt to pick up a second round pick. When their pick comes in the first round they should pick the best availiable player on offense left on their board. It really doesn't matter what position this player plays on offense since the Dolphins have needs at all their offensive positions. If they don't draft a QB in the first round and they do trade down. They should use the second round draft pick to select the highest rated QB still on their board.
Rather trade 15 to the Pats for Mankins, he's only 3 years older and has been in the league for 7 years already. But seriously if Mallet is there at 15 take him.
Trade down and keep trading down till the 50's. Too much talent in the late 2nd and 3rd round, especially since we don't need a LT, #1 WR, NT, #1 pass rusher, no elite FS is available, we're a running back by committee, and we can afford to pass on an elite corner (even though I wouldn't mind adding another one).
Why? Scorpios are good peeps..... unless it's late Nov, then I'm not sure what the heck he is. Carry on.
Trade down shouldn't be an option in the poll. Trading down is almost ALWAYS ideal, especially outside of the top 10 picks. This isn't true all the time but typically the guys you get in the 11-20 range don't grade out all that much better than the guys taken in the 20-32 range, so yes, trading down is always the smarter route since guys taken later cost less. It's just bad business NOT to trade down if you can pull it off. I voted for Ingram. Our running game needs new blood, and if we could get that going again, that would change the whole dynamic of our offense. (you know, instead of just plain sucking)
With all due respect CS, I disagree. Picking a coveted player vs. trading down out of the #15 spot is a valid option. This isn't a typical mock from that perspective. Having said that, the assumption is we can make a deal with another team leading up to, or at the time of the selection. Which is not a given, I fully understand. Anyway, carry on gentlemen. This is an interesting little experiment, and I'm enjoying seeing the results accumulate.
I'm not worried about it. He'll give you ten, or eleven years regardless. Me too but its probably not going to happen because Belichick would be foolish to trade Mankins within the division and Belichick probably wouldn't take the 15th overall pick unless he knew he could deal down (again). He is hell bent on saving money.
My main focus right now if I was GM, trying to figure if it could be possible to trade down, pick up the 2nd and still draft Mark Ingram...I think if we can figure out the mystery as to whether or not New England will select him at 17 theres a good possibility he could drop because of the teams needs after the patriot selection..
I don't think they can afford to take a defensive lineman this year, and when I say afford, I mean sell any tickets whatsoever. The revolt would be insane.
Call me crazy, but I'd be willing to bet we could trade down into the mid 20's and get either Ingram or Mallet. If that were to happen, I'm guessing many here would be very happy.
With what we have on the Dline, the players, the diversity of those players, why do think we will take a Dlineman that early?
You know what sucks? With those players off the board, the best remaining players are mostly defensive ends: Cameron Jordan, J.J. Watt, Adrian Clayborn, and Cameron Heyward. And we just drafted Jared Odrick last year.
Great point BR. Which is in part why I included the "best defensive player available" choice. In other words, if you have to select (meaning you can't make a deal to trade down), and the highest rated player on your board is a defensive player (specifically a Dlineman), do you go ahead and take that player? Or, do you put need over BPA, and draft a lower rated prospect at a position of greater need?
Trading down and not selecting a QB - unless it's in the later rounds (6 or 7) just to bring someone and see what he has and see if he has the potential to be a quality back up type QB (no, we're not gonna land the next Brady). **I'd like to see us explore a trade for Carson Palmer**. If we trade down and still have around a 20-22 pick in the first round and Ingram is still there, we should take him. If not, take Williams if he is there. I keep hearing a lot of people calling out for Ponder. The guy is not going to be a quality pro. Every QB the Fins have brought in: Feeley, Culpepper, and all the other QBs that people have thrown themselves at that Miami brought in, I was always right about them. I'd just sit back and wait. I knew Penny would do a good job for us if he stayed healthy. But he didn't. If we can't get a veteran this year (Palmer) we need to give Henne one more crack. There are no QBs in this year's draft that are going to be franchise QBs. We can't be impatient at this position and throw away a pick out of some blind desperation. Next year's QB crop will be much better, and if Henne fails, we will likely be in the running for one of the top-tier QBs in next year's draft. No knee jerk picks for a QB with this crop, unless one falls into the 3rd round, then in would make more sense to take a shot at him. The rest of our picks -after RB - should be best player available. Defensively, we really don't have any GLARING weaknesses. Offensively, we need some help - particularly guard to guard, but I would certainly not reach for one at any stage of the draft. Best player available all the way. Make this team's depth and core strong and build from there.