2018 NFL Draft: Miami Dolphins 7-round mock
By Joe Romano
The Miami Dolphins had a disaster start of the 2017 season. They will look towards the 2018 draft to fix some issues.
When the starting quarterback of a team gets ruled out for the season before it even begins it is a bad omen. That is what happened to the Miami Dolphins and Ryan Tannehill. That kicked off a mediocre year that ended with a 6-10 record. Now they own the 11th pick in the NFL draft. Here is what may be a best case scenario for Miami.
This exercise was done using Fanspeak’s On the Clock, a fun and informative tool for all the NFL draft lovers out there.
Round 1 – Pick 11
Roquan Smith, LB, Georgia
This may be the dream pick for Miami Dolphins fans. One of the biggest holes on this defense is middle linebacker. With Lawrence Timmons and Kiko Alonzo getting older, a rangy linebacker could do wonders for this team. The team drafted Raekwon McMillan out of Ohio State in round two a year ago, Smith and McMillan gives this team a pair of young linebackers to build their defense around.
Roquan Smith of Georgia is the definition of a rangy linebacker. Some are worried about his size, but after dominating in the SEC, those should be squashed. There are individuals who cover the draft that rank Smith as the top prospect in the entire class. His position will likely drive down his value, just look at Reuben Foster a year ago. Smith has some of the same abilities as Foster and should clear the medicals that drove the current 49er down draft boards.
With Smith the Dolphins would get an every down linebacker. He is as good in space as he is attacking the line of scrimmage. The fact that he may measure closer to 6-feet should not scare teams. In a league where speed is more crucial than ever at the linebacker position, a 225 pound missile like Smith is ideal.
The choice was not as easy as it seems on paper. When the pick came up there was another prospect who may be the best in the draft available. Quinton Nelson from Notre Dame would be a heated debate in Miami’s war room. The top offensive lineman may fall a bit because guard is not a high priority position. He would fit in perfectly for this Dolphins offensive line. In this scenario, either player would be a huge grab for a Dolphins team that has holes on both sides of the ball.