After watching him absolutely dismantle Michigan, I'd be stunned if Gholston is there at 32. Jenkins is probably a goner by then, too, but stranger things have happened.

For me, I'd take Dorsey, and the best available WR. I don't know if he'll come out, but I like Mario Manningham a lot. Maybe I'm a homer that way, though.

 

Ok i hate to sound like i know nothing, but why does NE clinching the division mean that we get their first round draft pick? Maybe i'm just confused.

 

Glenn Dorsey absolutely should be the #1 overall pick. I think he's a lock for that position.

If at all possible, I'd like to trade Jason Taylor for, at best, a 2nd and 3rd round pick. That gives us 3 2nd round picks, and 2 3rd round picks. If that trade can be pulled off, then we're in a good position to trade back up into the middle of the first round to select Dan Connor, the true heir to Zach Thomas. A big obstacle here is New England: they're almost certainly going to select a linebacker with San Francisco's first round pick, and they may pluck Connor and never look back.

But let's say we don't trade Taylor and don't trade up... at #32, we're in a good positon to pick a DE, perhaps Calais Campbell if we believe he won't take plays off the way he does at UM. LB is still a high priority, so if there's a good linebacker who's falling down, we should pick him here. Lastly, corner is an outside possibility, though I think the CB crop this draft is deep enough that we can wait until later in the 2nd, and possibly the 3rd, to get a good reliable CB.

Also, TE or WR on the first day should be a priority. I'd go for DJ Hall in the 3rd.

 

They loose their pick no matter what for the cheating scandal... ours would not be a first rounder technically, it would be a 2nd rounder but since new englands pick has been eliminated, then our pick would be no. 32 overall... therefore a first rounder in a normal year.

 

Damn I thought Campbell was in the running for #1 overall . . . I know he hasn't performed like it, but we have a shot at him at #32? Damn!! That would be amazing

 

Campbell is going at least top 20 if not 10

 

I Worry a little about Dorsey, He would be a great addition but he seems to be injury prone. I would consider taking McFadden. He's exceptional and it would keep him out of NewEngland. Miami could use two good backs. If available I like Alex Boone at 32 if not a cb.

 

They said the same thing about Alan Branch. He went #33 overall after Arizona traded up for him.

Campbell is a clear 2nd rounder, IMO.

 

McFadden and a Fred Okam.

 

As much as I like McFadden, I think we really need to address the issues we have in our Defense. Dorsey looks like the guy right now, I guess we'll know more as the draft approaches.

 

Dorsey's the pick, IMO. He's one of the best prospects in a long while at a position of need.

I was a little concerned at first about fitting the defense, but Capers has run a defense with a 3-technique instead of true 3-4 end in Gary Walker, and Dorsey has shown that he can make plays lined up over the tackle in LSU's nickel and dime packages.

 

Listing names doesn't show they are talented Finsavior, Gado was a late season pick up, LBook has yet to do a thing and has been active for 2 games on an 0-11 team and Ronnie averages missing 4 games a season for us in his time here.

McFadden can be scoring TD's for us for a long time for the same money as Dorsey would sign for, and he can play instantly as who knows how long it will take Ronnie to heal?

Take Okam to be the run plugger and we have to muck around for a pass rushing DE and a Safety I should think...

 

I agree 100%. Sometimes Dorsey can be a great player. But at other times it seems as if he gets no push. He was suffering from a back inhury last week and it cost LSU big time (they couldn't stop the run).
McFadden is a game breaker. He can throw and run. We could use him like Bush/McCallister in NO. Ronnie Brown can catch the ball which adds another dimension if we have Brown/McFadden.
Also, Alex Boone is one heck of a football player. He's a fighter and seems to never give up.

 

Didn't SF trade this years 1st round pick for one of their lineman last year? the way SF is playing they are looking at a top 5 pick, so technically NE still does have a 1st round pick.

 

I saw Kiper have Mike Jenkins as the 9th player on his Big Board at one point. If he's fallen some, then great, but that's what I based that statement on.

McFadden is, without a doubt, the best player in this draft. However, I think we've got bigger needs. If we trade down a spot or two and get Dorsey, that would be fine, or if we could trade Brown, then McFadden makes sense. But two superstar running backs on a team that has so many other gaping holes doesn't make sense to me.

I don't even think the Bush/McAllister thing makes sense. Remember that Bush is used as much as a receiver as a runner in that offense. Brown has good hands, but not enough that I'd put him in the slot or H-back or anything like that to put him on the field with McFadden.

 

But remember, our GM was the one who drafted McAllister #1 a year or two after Dikta traded away all of his draft picks for Ricky Williams - Mueller will pick the best player with the first pick and not go on need. (This is assuming that they can't trade down and stockpile picks - which they need to do).

 

I totally agree with Mueller on that one.

First off, Brown has a knee injury which could make him return like McGahee did OR most likely like Jamal Anderson etc. etc.

If we cant get out of that first pick, we need to pick the top player of the draft regardless of need and then address the needs later on with the 32nd pick etc. etc.

I would trade Brown in a second if the right deal came around. Brown finally started to come on this year but after this knee injury it might take a while for him to get back up to speed. Not to mention, he wasnt exactly living up to his 2nd pick of the entire draft status until recently.

All in all, I am pretty sure we'll trade the pick as someone will gush over Darren and hand us a good deal, but if not, you've got to pick the best player available with such a pick....if thats McFadden, so be it.

 

i think brown will be fine. it's not like his game depended on razor-like cuts or pure speed. as long as ronnie can pump his legs, he will play.

besides...with a stable of even just ricky, chatman, cobbs, booker and possibly gado - not even counting ronnie - what sense would it make for a team that needs EVERYTHING BUT A RB and a qb to take another rb?

and god, i'm sick of the either/or attitude about need vs. bpa - THERE IS A MIDDLE GROUND!

we're lucky :huh: enough to need almost everything - so what makes sense as bpa will probably make sense as need, and vice-versa.

sheep don't make draft picks, people do. and people have brains. and it's for a reason. and that reason isn't to pick a 4th starting-caliber running back on a 0-11 team!!!

 

In an NFL climate where teams and analysts are starting to realize that RB is a position that teams don't need to fill with superstars, as evidenced by pretty much every SB winner since the Rams, it would be just like the Dolphins to blow the number one overall pick on a worn down collegiate runner three years after drafting another number two overall. Cedric Benson, Cadillac Williams, William Green, Reggie Bush, these guys have all been pretty disappointing. Even Ronnie Brown wasn't outstanding until this year, while many rookie running backs are taken in the later rounds, or at least later in the first, who do just as much, if not more, then the guys I already mentioned. Running backs just aren't worth the money that other positions are because they break down so easily and production can be had without tremendous investment.

 

My thinking is this...

Browns injury is nothing like Willis McGahee's....not even close (I think..someone who knows more about knee injuries could back this up)...I think most everyone I have seen is very confident that he will have no problem coming back at full strength.

I know...I KNOW....we need help on the D Line....and without question..Dorsey immediatley upgrades an area that needs help....fast.

There is no way we draft McFadden when in all likely hood Ronnie will be ok. If, however, his medical situation is worse than is being let on...or his rehabbing takes a turn for the worse...that situation changes obviously. Then I cant see us passing on McFadden.

By the way...does anyone know what kind of reciever McFadden is out of the backfield...and how well does he block as well?

 

From what I've been able to see of the Dolphins this year, we need to bolster both our offensive and defensive lines...we need to start dominating the line of scrimmage, particularly on defense to free up the linebackers to make plays. I also think the secondary needs alot of help since we lost alot of our star corners and safeties.

I'm not sure how much we need to address new players for the offensive line through the draft. Hudson Houck bolstered San Diego's offensive line in which the results were quite obvious with the performances of LT and Drew Brees, but either way, we need to dominate the line of scrimmage.

 

Cause they got penalized for the sign stealing. Dont feel bad they have a 1st rd pick they got from SF, currently #5 or 6 I believe. How about that for irony, they are the most dominant team and get a top ten pick!

 

:faint:Thanks for reminding me, i completely forgot about that. thanks

 

slow down people, we haven't clinched that number 1 spot yet... we still have 5 games to play

 

An ACL injury is not what it used to be. The only instances in which it kills careers anymore are players who didnt have much of one to begin with. Players come back, usually have a season playing about 80% their full capacity, then are fine.

Willis McGahee is not a reasonable example. McGahee had tore three of the four major ligaments in his knee. He couldnt walk. Ronnie Brown walked off the field and didnt seem like he was in much pain, and as far as we know was just an ACL injury.

Off the top of my head, the major runningbacks suffering ACL injuries over the past couple years were Jamal Lewis and Duece McAllister.

Jamal Lewis suffered an ACL injury in 2001, and posted an almost statistically identical season as he did upon his return as he did the year before his injury. A year later, of course, he went on to have a 2000 yard season.

Deuce McAllister, before his current popped ACL, also popped his right one in 2005. On his return the next year, he rushed for 4.3 YPC, his career average.

 

After seeing this past draft class, I have faith in Mueller picking the right guy. That's what he gets paid for. If it was up to me, I would go with Dorsey because our defense's age has finally caught up with them, but on the other hand, we could use McFadden right away or use him as a bargaining chip and draft him to get more picks. Whatever we do, we are a few years away, so draft picks for the future are just as important as draft picks for 2008.

 

The Jets would probably snatch up McFadden with their top pick if we don't.

Maybe we could switch spots with NE and get back Welker in the trade. :)

 

We are not "A few years away". Any team can compete and win in this league any given season. My God, almost all of our games this season have been winnable even with half the team on IR.

Next year depends mostly on how Beck develops. Get another weapon at WR, get everyone healthy and get some good pickups on defense with our draft picks and free agency and we'll be right back in the mix next season. Bank on it.

 

I agree with you that competing at a high level is possible by next season.

I don't think there is a great shot of it but if we have a stellar draft where at least 2 or 3 guys can step up immediately, contribute while making some intelligent FA pickups, and having some of these young guys like Beck, Ginn, Mormino, Solail, J. Allen, etc. develop then it's certainly possible.

A lot needs to happen. That's just on the personnel side.
There are some of us that have valid concerns about coaching as well.
The effectiveness of Cameron is certainly still up in the air and Capers is certainly on the hot seat as well with his tweaking of a defense that was working quite well last year and his questionable use of J. Porter.

A lot of parts that are in question all have to work out by next year for us to be truly competetive. That's asking alot for an organization that has made a number of horrid decisions and has had nothing but bad luck over the past decade.

Like you said though, it's not at all impossible.

 

I don't care if McFadden is the most talented player in the draft, he's not enough value for us. We have Ronnie Brown, our need is for a backup who can spell him and add good depth. I can see us using a mid round pick on a 2nd RB or picking up a guy like Turner or Fargas in FA, but not with the #1 overall pick in the draft. Not when we need DL bad and the best DT prospect to come out in years is sitting there waiting for us.

 

Mueller is the one person in this organization's structure that I'm 100% convinced can do a top job. I believe the guy can rebuild this roster without a doubt.

I'm still not convinced Dorsey is worth such a high spot nor that he'll be that good a player to justify such a high pick on a DT. JMO.

I firmly believe that DE Chris Long is that dominant play breaking talent if we went DL so early.

 

I will tell you who is going to be making that argument very strenuously, the player's agent who we get with that pick.:d-day:

 

I wouldn't say clear at this point. A lot of mocks have him recently going into the top 10. Sure it changes a hell of a lot between now and then, but that's what I'm seeing right now.

And Branch slid into the 2nd cause of the injury concern with him. There were rumors that he might miss a good chunk of the season.