Your last sentence is simply not true. If Jake Locker was available they would have pissed themselves on the way to the podium. Same for Blaine Gabbert. They would have gladly taken Ponder if available. The implicit deduction is that they weren't desperate enough at the Quarterback position to make a big reach on Dalton or a ludicrous reach on Mallett. The implicit deduction is that they were very ready to draft Henne's replacement if a sound opportunity presented itself. Passing on Dalton and Mallett- and Mallett in the late 2nd rd as well- is hardly an implicit endorsement of Henne. It's bad luck regarding the 3 QBs that they actually wanted, the cards not falling their way. Henne will get a chance to redeem himself this year, but he remains highly suspect by the fans, the media and most importantly the front office.
Really... Because Thomas is slower than Hillis right? Polite's almost a goner. We're going lots of 3 WRs, 1 TE.
I really hope he is at the top of our list and hope we are going to attempt to move up and grab an early 6th.
eh, its a little true man. I think this team liked Kaepernick and Dalton, and if they really wanted either of them, they could have found a way to trade down a little bit and still taken either of them later in the first. I mean, if they REALLY wanted either of them, they could have traded down in the first for a late 2nd or even a 3rd rounder, might not be great value but they get the guy they want plus an extra pick. I think the truth is they valued Mike Pouncey at 15 more than a fire sale trade down. We passed on Mallet twice (which im happy about). We drafted a guard to make the running game better and protect Henne. We got a new running back to make the running game better to take the pressure off of him. We drafted a 4.37 wr who can stretch the field, something Henne's big arm clearly needs. Im a Henne fan and think that with a better functioning offense, he'll be great. So IMO this indeed was an endorsement.
Appears to be a TE / FB hybrid. These guys love versatility. What did we give up for the honor of drafting him?
I strongly disagree. I don't think the Dolphins ever had any intention of taking a QB in the first round. I don't care if Gabbert, Locker or Ponder were available when they were drafting at 15. The fact is that Ireland and Sparano could not afford to draft a QB in the first round because they don't have the luxury to develop a young QB this coming season. They have to win now or they will be looking for a new job after this coming season. I think they went into the draft intending to draft Pouncey with their first pick, no matter what QB was available. None of the QB's in this years draft are ready yet to start in the NFL. So I am sure Ireland and Sparano were extremely happy that all the projected first round QB's were taken before they drafted. If one of these QB's were still on the board, Ireland and Sparano would have had to explain to fans why they passed on one of the QB's and selected Pouncey instead. As far as the Dolphins possibly wanting to draft Ponder in the first round. I just don't see it because I think he was no better than a mid-second to third round player. I think Sparano and Ireland have every intention of picking up a veteran QB once free agency begins and this veteran will be the QB of the Dolphins this coming season, once he masters the play book.
A+ now. We just became athletic dynamic on offense overnight. Gates & Clay are a tremendous 3rd day. Would've never thought either of them lasted till our picks.
This guy is underrated. You have a guy that is still developing who will be a good receiving/move TE who can improve his blocking technique, a guy who can the ball if you want that, and a guy who eventually may become a solid blocking FB. He replaces David Martin, Polite, and provides a slot threat all in one player. Think about that. D.J. Williams and Virgil Green can't run the ball. Clay can run the ball. You give him the open field he's going to produce some first downs for you on dump offs. At the goal-line he's athletic enough to quickly just pop it over. He's not some project either, he's been highly productive.
Have to give them an A-, not because I don't like the picks, I am pretty damn excited. I just would have liked a coup,e more picks given LaCanfora's statement that we can't sign UDFA
I don't think our draft could've turned out any better than it did. We nailed on every offensive need outside of COP back (which we can still get in the 7th round or FA). We got faster, more athletic athletic, better blocking, improved running, more versatile---- basically we can move guys all over the field now and make it extremely tough on teams to defend us. Total home run of a draft. Miami fans should be extremely excited. Our offense just transformed itself over night.
I feel our draft went pretty well, I think that Toddman would have been a better pick than Clay but other than that we had a pretty solid drafwt. In all honesty I don't know too much about Clay so I can't exactly knock him
Well I'll be damned TP, seems like we're more interested in building around our young QB than we are in shidt canning him. Go figure!!!
He's actually pretty fast for his size. His blocking is just not there but that can improve. Guy that can catch like a TE and run the way he does?
We dont need him to be a beast of a blocker, we can do what NE did w/ Hernandez & Gronk last year. They'd go 2-3 TEs and if you stayed in base they'd attack you with the short-intermediate game b/c no one has the players to match up. And if you go nickel, which a lot of teams did, they run it down your throat. If Clay can present matchup problems for opposing LBs and Safeties, he can create a similar set of issues that NE created. We can line him up outside and put Marshall in the slot, or put him the backfield, or at TE, wherever we think we'll get a favorable matchup. Versatility is what he brings, something we didnt have last year.
now for a veteran QB who ranked high in his draft & low for the team that acquired him, a veteran QB with an upside looking for a second chance. there are many who could be had & more that will emerge in free agency. with the acquisition of this said QB, the second shoe drops & the QB stable will be reinvigorated. competition is the elixir of success. suddenly 2012 is looking brighter. we're one move away from where we need to be to compete this year.
WR- Gates SL- Marshall SE- Hartline H-Back- Clay RB- DeAngelo Williams That would be pretty frightening.
This draft felt like the redeem yourself clip from ,well... [video=youtube;UnkefjCES-4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UnkefjCES-4[/video] Just when you trade back into the second and not pick Mallett, you go and draft Edmund Gates...and totally redeem yourself!
I agree with all of this except for the first two-thirds and very last part. Kinda like Steve Martin during "the carnival scene" in The Jerk. [video=youtube;Ag6DtzRUF5U]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ag6DtzRUF5U[/video] "you go and draft Edmund Gates". That's all I got. Good stuff.
