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Roquan Smith

Discussion in 'Miami Dolphins Forum' started by Redwine4all, Mar 12, 2018.

  1. Redwine4all

    Redwine4all Well-Known Member

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    If what Armando said about the reason they cut Suh is correct, as much about culture as it is performance, then I think Roquan Smith is odds on favorite to be our pick at 11.

    He's a great player (reminds me very much of Deion Jones with Atlanta). But he's really good in the locker room. I am not sure if they will play him at Mike or Sam.

    But, he's the kind of player I think our FO is going to like...Rashaan Evans could be a pick if they trade back and still want a LB. With Suh gone, they could go after the DT from UF too, if they decide to trade back.

    Anyway--of course, this could all change depending on FA and official visits, but right now I like the chance of UGA#3 in Dolphins aqua.
     
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  2. thetylernator

    thetylernator You're as cold as ice, Officer Friendly.

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    Hitman will be here any minute.
     
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  3. Surfs Up 99

    Surfs Up 99 Team Flores & Team Tua

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    I am okay with a lot of guys. One guy I really like is Minkah Fitzpatrick because our 3rd down defense was so pathetic last year. I don't think we have a chance at Fitzpatrick, but maybe we can accomplish the same thing with Smith. He's supposed to be a pretty decent cover LB.
     
  4. Boomer

    Boomer Premium Member Luxury Box

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    They won't play him at MLB. Unless something dramatic happens, he'll be the SAM or even the WLB. The thing you have to remember with Smith is that, as good as he is - and he is - Miami will have to change the way they attack in the run game if he's to be a perfect fit because as it is, he's a projection to fit the Dolphins defense. Georgia frees him up to chase, and a lot of the time he's waiting for the ballcarrier to cut and go. The Dolphins are going to want their players to attack, play off of what the linemen do in the blocking scheme, and beat their blockers to the spot. Burke would probably regard a lot of the stuff that Smith does now as just waiting around to catch blocks.

    So he really isn't asked to play down hill and attack the hole much, but he is fantastic in space. Miami's biggest weakness is what their linebackers do in space. So do they nibble at their scheme or do they see a Tremaine Edmunds as a bitter fit schematically?
     
  5. Walter

    Walter Well-Known Member

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    Reports of interest in:

    Avery Williamson, ILB, Titans. Age: 26.


    Avery Williamson was a fifth-round pick in 2014, but he has evolved into a capable inside linebacker. He can stand to improve in coverage, but he's a dominant run-stuffer.

    If this happens LB at pick 11, questionable
    Would be a nice pickup, IMO

    If not focused on rebuild starting with the OL...which they aren't I'm afraid..
     
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  6. Boomer

    Boomer Premium Member Luxury Box

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    Problem with Avery Williamson is he isn't very fast and he isn't very good in coverage. And Miami's two biggest issues on defence are a lack of speed and an inability to do anything in space.
     
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  7. Surfs Up 99

    Surfs Up 99 Team Flores & Team Tua

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    Thanks for the feedback. After reading what Boomer said, why on earth would we be interested in this guy when we need guys who can cover? We have enough one dimensional guys.
     
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  8. Redwine4all

    Redwine4all Well-Known Member

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    Thank s bro. yYou're the expert on the technical aspects of the game. I was solely speaking to the team culture they are apparently trying to create.
     
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  9. hitman8

    hitman8 Well-Known Member

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    With Suh gone Smith would be an even worse fit for us now. Smith needs DTs like suh to eat up blockers and let him run free to the ball carrier. With suh not taking up double teams anymore it means smith would have to deal with and beat more blocks, something he is really bad at.

    There are other high character LBs available in the first who can take on blocks and would be a much better fit for us. Namely Tremaine Edmunds.
     
  10. hitman8

    hitman8 Well-Known Member

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    This, Smith is not at all a good fit for our current wide nine scheme.
     
  11. Redwine4all

    Redwine4all Well-Known Member

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    I disagree...and I guess we'll see if the draft him.
     
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  12. Boomer

    Boomer Premium Member Luxury Box

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    He's a great kid for sure, my man.
     
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  13. PHINANALYST

    PHINANALYST Well-Known Member

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    Boom is exactly right, about a lot of things .... but 1 thing in particular - this team needs speed on BOTH sides of the ball!

    We got some of that back at WR with our signings .... now we need more, especially on D!!

    I don’t know about Mayfield, but Edmunds, Payne and James all help here ... we will have something to choose from @11 .... Vea isn’t fast, but for me it would be hard to pass him up (acknowledging he isn’t a true fit in our D) .... those are all special talents!!
     
  14. Ophinerated

    Ophinerated Preposterous!

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    I have been on board the Edmunds train for a couple months now... however I have a bad feeling that if he is available at 10 then the Raiders are going to snatch him. Their need for his skill set is similar to ours.
     
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  15. Pandarilla

    Pandarilla Purist Emeritus

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    I'm dreading the prospect of Roquan at 11. He can't shed a block and he's only 6 feet tall. So even if he is in position to defend a pass, good luck against NFL TE's. Strictly WLB in NFL.

    If Edmunds isn't available, then I'd rather drop and take Evans, if we're hell bent on a LB. Still though, these 6'3" 230+ LB's were going 2nd rd last year like Cunningham out of Vandy.

    Either way we gotta add speed at the LB position.
     
  16. Hoops

    Hoops Well-Known Member

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    Agreed. Poa and fill is not a strength. Will miami overlook it for run and chase and speed?

    I kinda doubt it. He gets washed out at the 2nd level also when reached. Play speed though in terms of once he sees it and he fires that gun is rediculous.

    Wolb in our scheme id say. And I think they plan to play with Kiko. $10 mil cap hit hes a plan a something imo it’s gonna be weak. So for me Edmunds strong base nickel mike or James to offset lb range and cover ideal scenario at 11
     
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  17. Carmen Cygni

    Carmen Cygni Well-Known Member

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    The analysis on Smith is a shame to hear. I'd love those traits for a Will (Alonso doesn't cut it for me vs the run nor pass), especially in Nickel, but the POA gap fill is a must for our run D.
     
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  18. djphinfan

    djphinfan Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    In on Smith and Evans, seriously in on Griffin in the 2nd...out on Edmunds..

    Edmunds is a risky pick with 11 man..Let someone else take that risk, we simply cannot afford to take a player with highly questionable instincts..

    The draft is not about hitting home runs, it’s about being right more than the other guys.
     
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  19. djphinfan

    djphinfan Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    id make my plan to take Griffin in the 2nd, he reps the best value imo, allowing me to go somewhere else in the first..
     
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  20. Boomer

    Boomer Premium Member Luxury Box

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    Question is, with Suh gone, perhaps the mentality changes to keep the LB's clean because God knows, we didn't do it for the longest team. As good as Suh was - and he was - he was very much an upfield guy, who didn't always have great lane discipline, in part because he was so destructive.
     
  21. Hoops

    Hoops Well-Known Member

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    I’m deathly afraid that if Miami misses or passes on lb at 11 that we are gonna end up plucking the Texas kid at 42. Given the way he tested that seems to be his wheelhouse. He’s a north south missile but his feel for the position is very stephone Anthony like

    I’m a hard pass.

    And vander esch isn’t gonna get there on upside and frame alone nor is Rashaan Evans.


    Best draft asset value at lb I see is Josey jewell. His 3 cone shows off high level quickness and change of direction which helps offset his low 4.8 speed. He has good short area quickness too. His feel for the position and instincts are the best in the class again another speed offset and with that timed speed you can probably get him at 73. Dollars to donuts he has a better career than some of the lbs that will be drafted ahead of him. Comes from good stock too Iowa pumps out lbs that outplay their draft position.

    But an add like that still needs range and carry cover at lb or an offset. regardless he improves the unit and is a better 2 deep option than allen at mike or anything else in the building

    And I found out this last season that the only thing I hate worse than bad lb play especially at the mike is bad qb play.
     
    Last edited: Mar 16, 2018
  22. Wilkimania

    Wilkimania Well-Known Member

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    I'm not a big fan of the 40 yard dash time just because there aren't many plays where a player will be asked to go 40 yards. I often find myself looking at the 10 yard split to see how they match up. Any idea what his split was?
     
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  23. djphinfan

    djphinfan Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    Id take Griffin over Malik Jefferson, one waits for plays to happens, the other makes plays..
     
  24. Hoops

    Hoops Well-Known Member

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    I don’t but I care more about 10 yard split with edge rushers. Lbs have to cover a lot of ground but provided the athlete isn’t a liability I will always value instincts at lb over anything else.

    Low 4.8s about as far as I can go with lbs. Charles Harris 4.84 shows up at the 2nd level when in pursuit on nfl tape. Unable to close. But his get off when his ears are pinned in that 10 yard box as a rusher is a plus.

    For example I’m sure the Texas kid dropped a high level 10 yard cause he’s explosive on tape but it doesn’t much matter to me cause unless I’m using him as a primary blitz lb be it gap or overload the off the los lb ask part of it looks missing
     
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  25. Carmen Cygni

    Carmen Cygni Well-Known Member

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    With the staff we brought in, along with Burke having only known one defense is entire career, I don't see us getting away from the attacking 4-3.
     
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  26. Puka-head

    Puka-head My2nd Fav team:___vs Jets Club Member

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    I'm asking for Vita Vea right now. If I got to pick just based on my personal criteria, IE best football player I would be ecstatic with Roquan Smith. May take a couple years to develop NFL vision, but that kid plays a style that translates well to any scheme. He knows his job and he plays fast and he is proactive more than reactive. I saw him get burnt a couple times by guessing wrong, but I'd take him on my team in a minute, at any pick.

    One of the two should be there I think. We win either way.
     
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  27. Puka-head

    Puka-head My2nd Fav team:___vs Jets Club Member

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    I did seem like some of the better OL we faced were able to redirect him away from the point of attack, backfired plenty too.
     
  28. Redwine4all

    Redwine4all Well-Known Member

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    I like D. Payne over Vea but agree with strategy. RS was a better college player than Deion Jones (Falcons). DJ is an outstanding NFL football player.
     
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  29. Fin D

    Fin D Sigh

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    If you have a strong conviction about a player, take them earlier than the draft charts have him slotted. Either believe in your own analysis of the players or just follow the consensus. Doing both screws up the draft for that team, IMO.
     
  30. Hoops

    Hoops Well-Known Member

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    I tell ya one thing vita veas tape is damn good. I didn’t look at dts earlier cause we had suh and I knew they liked their youth at the position. But with Phillips as a 1 shade it would seem to me miami needs another 3 tech.

    My experience with 330 plus lb dts is to validate top 10 grades they need to run in the 4.9s via at 5.1 didn’t do that but boy is that tape good.

    He looks like more than just a 2 gap plugger to me. Upfield penetrating 1 gap type talent at a whopping 340 plus lbs

    As long as miami doesn’t have that other needed dt rotational piece I don’t see how via can be ruled out. However if teams can work away from ndamakung suh schematically they can work away from via too

    I’d bet all the money in my wallet that he will be there at 11 too.
     
    Last edited: Mar 17, 2018
  31. Carmen Cygni

    Carmen Cygni Well-Known Member

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    I get the principles of this attacking D, but we need more discipline on the edge. The 3 tech is the main cog for many aspects of our defense, and it's the job of the DE/overhangs to funnel everything back to the 3 as he rallies to the ball. Too often our DE/overhangs flew too quickly upfield creating creases and allowing the ballcarrier to escape off the edge. Coupled w/ our incompetence at LB, we failed to capitalize on his talent.
     
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  32. Hoops

    Hoops Well-Known Member

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    Agreed but we got a bunch of upfield first types on the edge and a marginal in branch. Harris and Quinn upfield wake upfield only run defender is Hayes coming off a back injury and age. And of course we got branch who i see as more a pile jumper than anything else.

    That’s why I want some thump at lb behind these upfield at all cost pretty much edge rushers at de.

    Edmunds behind the left side de or a poa and fill monster

    What do you think of vias ideal fit for us? 3 tech 1 tech what?

    It doesn’t look 2 gap which is rare for a 340 lber
     
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  33. Carmen Cygni

    Carmen Cygni Well-Known Member

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    I could easily see Via at the 3, playing a similar role as Suh. That said, and though he's an exceptional talent, I could see more impact for our D with a LB like Edmunds. If we're going to model our scheme after Schwartz (I don't think there is any question that is Burke's intentions), we've got to find some physical presence at the 2nd level. Bradham was an integral part of the Eagles D, especially their top ranked run defense.

    Get a a force on the 2nd level, then bring me a FS that allows our CBs to play more consistently aggressive in press, and I believe we'll have found more profound answers in rectifying our defense than adding another DT to the already somewhat strong group of Phillips, Godchaux, and Taylor who showed good potential before going down with an injury.
     
  34. Hoops

    Hoops Well-Known Member

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    I agree Edmunds yep. I’m just saying if Miami gets “stuck” via at 11 isn’t a bad way to have to go with it. That tapes top 15 worthy all day long

    And I think we both know miami more than beat the odds at dt in terms of impact as rookies with those 2 day 3 picks last year.

    Frankly though my friend I don’t think Edmunds is getting past 8 thru 10

    I’d like to see miami get that dt with a veteran add. We playing with a lot of youth at a mission critical position right now
     
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  35. Boomer

    Boomer Premium Member Luxury Box

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    I think Vea is becoming front and centre for our pick at 11.
     
  36. Boomer

    Boomer Premium Member Luxury Box

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    Three technique or as a one gap penetrator. Don't put him in a 1T or two gap role.
     
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  37. adamprez2003

    adamprez2003 Senior Member

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    The guy that's grown on me is DT Taven Bryan. I liked him all year and then he had a really good combine. If Tremaine Edmunds isn' there when we pick I would take Bryan over Vea and Payne. I think he can play the run and pass and has a better chance of racking up sacks then the other two. Plus it seems he' athletic enough where we could move him up and down the line. If we get Edmunds I would look at RJ McIntosh in the 3rd.
     
    Last edited: Mar 18, 2018
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  38. Hoops

    Hoops Well-Known Member

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    I can see it. what Miami has to be weighing here is vias tape is better than any lb in this classes. guys like Edmunds and vander esch for example the tapes good but you are betting on the ridiculous rare frame fluidity and speed combo as the primary and eventually actual lb on field play catching up with it. more an upside thing although edmunds offset is that rediculous poa play for his age. 19 year old guys don't fill gaps and put out that poa level play very often.

    what separates guys like vea from payne or bryan for instance is that while they all exhibit high level 3 tech or 1 gap penetrator skill set and ability via does it at a ridiculous 340 lbs...it's more rare
     
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  39. Unlucky 13

    Unlucky 13 Team Raheem Club Member

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    I like Smith a ton, and the comparrisons to Atlanta's Jones excite me. I would absolutely love to add a player of that type to our team, and if he and a healthy Raekwon McMillan could line up to one another for years, that would be amazing.
     
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  40. Puka-head

    Puka-head My2nd Fav team:___vs Jets Club Member

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    I've seen every one of Vita Vea's games. He's an upgrade from Suh. Vince Wilfork Early Albert, not Fat Albert. Richard Seymour kinda good, maybe better. FOOTBALL PLAYER!!! And a good man by all reports.
     

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