Tag: Miami Dolphins (Page 13 of 32)

2010 NFL Mock Draft Version 2.0

With the Redskins’ acquisition of Donovan McNabb, it’s a perfect time to update my mock draft. In my first mock, I had the Redskins taking Jimmy Clausen at No. 4, but with their need at quarterback being filled with the trade for McNabb, the dynamics in the top 10 have changed.

Here’s my second crack at predicting the first round of the 2010 NFL Draft.

(Side note: If I have the team selecting the same player as I did in my first mock, then my explanation of the pick will be the same in most occasions.)

1. St. Louis Rams: Sam Bradford, QB, Oklahoma
I have Nebraska’s Ndamukong Suh rated as the unquestioned best player in this year’s draft. (Well, I don’t have an official ranking per se, but in my head he’s No. 1.) But that doesn’t mean I think the Rams will take him. Teams usually get quirky about the No. 1 overall pick. They feel as though they have to match the contract with the position in order to justify the player they’re taking, which is completely backwards when you think about it. A team should mostly be concerned with taking the right player that matches their scheme. But I digress. Bradford is the top rated quarterback and the Rams have a major need at the position now that the ultra-brutal Marc Bulger has been released. The Rams feel as though they need to breathe some excitement into their dull franchise and taking Bradford should do the trick. Is he the right player? That’s debatable.

2. Detroit Lions: Ndamukong Suh, DT, Nebraska
Their trade for DT Corey Williams kind of throws me off a little, but I still think that if Suh is available the Lions won’t pass on him. Jim Schwartz built one hell of a defense in Tennessee centered around Albert Haynesworth and he could view Suh the same way. He’s a difference-maker up front and regardless of whether or not he and Williams play the same position, if Suh is as good as I think he is then Schwartz will find a way to utilize him. Offensive tackle Russell Okung has been mentioned at this pick but again, if Suh is available I can’t see the Lions leaving him on the board.

3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Gerald McCoy, DT, Oklahoma
If the Rams wind up taking Bradford with the top pick, you might be able to hear the sounds of screams and jubilation coming from Tampa. That’s because the Bucs would love to land one of the two stud defensive tackles in this draft and if Bradford goes No. 1, then either Suh or McCoy would slip to Tampa here. Some people are down on McCoy after he only benched 225 pounds 23 times at the combine, but that’s not a justifiable reason for his stock to slip. A lot of defensive tackles are forced to shed weight for the combine and when they do, they lose strength in the process. Besides, not taking a player because of how he performed on the bench at the combine is ridiculous notion anyway. McCoy would be a great fit for the Bucs.

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Dolphins’ interest in Dez Bryant heating up

After dealing with Keyshawn Johnson and Terrell Owens at separate times throughout his coaching career, one would think that Bill Parcells would pass on taking another receiver with diva potential. But the Dolphins’ interest for Oklahoma State wideout Dez Bryant continues to grow.

The South Florida Sun-Sentinel is reporting that Bryant is in Miami for a visit with Parcells, after he was already wined and dined by head coach Tony Sparano and GM Jeff Ireland. Granted, the visit could wind up being a smokescreen by the Dolphins, but why would Parcells go as far as to meet with him if the team wasn’t truly interested?

Many draft pundits believe that Bryant will still be on the board when the Dolphins select at No. 12. But there’s a possibility that the Jaguars (No. 10) and the Broncos (No. 11) could snag him before he reaches Miami, as could the Raiders at No. 8 if Al Davis is feeling frisky again for a receiver.

That said, if Bryant is there at No. 12, there’s no doubt the Dolphins could use a receiver with No. 1 potential. Miami has all but completely given up on Ted Ginn Jr. and while the team did draft USC’s Patrick Turner and Ohio State’s Brian Hartline last year, neither is expected to develop into a true No. 1 for quarterback Chad Henne.

We’ll continue to track the Bryant-Dolphins connection leading up to the draft.


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Dolphins’ Ronnie Brown arrested on DUI charge

According to a report by the Miami Herald, Dolphins’ running back Ronnie Brown was arrested in Atlanta late Friday night on suspicion of DUI.

Brown, who has no previous arrest record, was arrested after an officer pulled him over for making a lane change without signaling, sources said.

The Dolphins are aware of the situation, and they are continuing to monitor the legal process. They are not believed to be overly upset with Brown because of his impeccable past as a player and a citizen.

Brown is distraught over the arrest, and he has hired an attorney to help defend him in the case, the sources said. He did not perform well during the field-sobriety test, which contributed to the officer’s decision to arrest Brown, sources said. It remains possible the charges soon could be reduced to a traffic violation in the coming days. The arresting officer’s detailed version of the arrest has not yet been obtained because it occurred during the weekend. Brown’s agent, Todd France, did not return messages Sunday to comment on the arrest.

Is it just me or does Atlanta seem like the hotspot for NFL players to get into trouble off the field? Ben Roethlisberger, Ray Lewis, Brandon Marshall and now Brown all have had issues in the city and while I’m not positive, I’m sure Pacman Jones has gotten into trouble there too. I just don’t have time to go through his rap sheet right now.

It’s interesting that Brown hired a lawyer to defend him in this case. Does that mean that he feels that the DUI was bogus and the police officer had it in for him? Or does he know the DUI is legit and he’s just trying to get a lighter penalty? He had no prior incidents before the arrest and he was originally pulled over for making an improper lane change, so who knows. All the report says is that “he did not perform well during the field-sobriety test.” Does that mean he was over the legal limit? I guess we’ll find out soon.


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Chad Henne: Tim Tebow is not an NFL quarterback

Dolphins quarterback Chad Henne apparently isn’t a big fan of Tim Tebow.

From USA Today:

Dolphins QB Chad Henne is not among those impressed by Tim Tebow’s performance at his pro day on Wednesday.

Tebow, showing off his overhauled throwing motion to NFL talent evaluators for the first time, drew positive reviews. NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock called Tebow’s improvement “ridiculous.”

But Henne remains skeptical of the 2007 Heisman Trophy winner.
He told WQAM radio in Miami:

“My judgment is that he’s not an NFL quarterback. I’ll leave it at that.”

Last time I checked, Tebow won a Heisman Trophy and a couple of National Championships while at Florida and Henne won roughly about nothing. Well, I take that back. He did beat Tebow’s Gators in the 2008 Capital One Bowl and was the game’s MVP. So…there.

I have my own doubts about whether or not Tebow will become a quarterback at the next level. And I know that Henne showed promise last year with the Dolphins, but just because he’s won seven games in the NFL doesn’t make him a pro scout.


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2010 NFL Mock Draft Version 1.0

The full mock is finally completed!

I waited a lot longer than I normally do to compile my first mock draft of the year. Normally I whip up my first batch of mock draft right after the scouting combine, but this year I wanted to see what happened at the start of free agency before I even remotely considered whom teams would select in April.

I get as excited as any true draftnik about mock drafts, but how could anyone venture a guess at what player a team will select without knowing what big free agents signed where? It’s like taking a long road trip to a place you’ve never been before without your GPS. (Wow, have the times changed. A couple of years ago, I would have ended that sentence with “without your map” but that damn technology continues to track us down like a bear preying on an injured deer.)

Below is my first crack at predicting the first round of the 2010 NFL Draft. As usual, feel free to argue my picks as much as you like but please, debate with some dignity. Don’t be the doucher that ruins the fun of mock drafts by spewing venom in the comments section of a sports blog. There may not be anything more pathetic.

1. St. Louis Rams: Sam Bradford, QB, Oklahoma
I have Nebraska’s Ndamukong Suh rated as the unquestioned best player in this year’s draft. (Well, I don’t have an official ranking per se, but in my head he’s No. 1.) But that doesn’t mean I think the Rams will take him. Teams usually get funny about the No. 1 overall pick. They feel as though they have to match the contract with the position in order to justify the player they’re taking, which is completely backwards when you think about it. A team should be most concerned with taking the right player that matches their scheme. But I digress. Bradford is the top rated quarterback and the Rams have a major need at the position with Marc Bulger proving over the past two years that he’s better suited to run the scout team offense in practice and then the first unit on Sundays. The Rams feel as though they need to breathe some excitement into their dull franchise and taking Bradford should do the trick. Is he the right player? That’s debatable.

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