Let me start this off by saying that I think it would be a huge mistake if the Dolphins drafted Alabama RB Mark Ingram with their 15th overall pick. I know that Ingram will be a really good running back and I have heard the Emmitt Smith comparisons, but Miami needs to focus on getting a franchise quarterback instead. There are free agent running backs that should be able to fill in well enough.
But what do I think the Dolphins will do in the draft?
I am betting that they will trade down. Not having a second round pick is a problem, and because of that I expect Miami to trade their 15th overall pick for a later first round pick and a second rounder just like last year. My guess is that they will trade with a team like Seattle, who is stuck with the 25th overall pick because they were in a really bad division and made the playoffs with a losing record.
With the later first pick, I expect the Dolphins to take Ingram if he is on the board, but he likely won't be so I expect them to take the best available QB. Ryan Mallett would probably be their first choice, but I don't think he will be available either because I think Seattle will take him instead.
That leaves Miami to decide between either Jake Locker or Christian Ponder.
This is an extremely hard pick to predict, because Locker is really athletic and can make some really good throws, but he is still an inconsistent passer. Ponder had an extremely good NFL Combine, and many analysts are predicting him to be taken late first round. He also struggles with his touch on longer passes, but he is very accurate on shorter range passes.
I believe that the Dolphins would take Ponder here, but this one could easily go either way.
With the second round pick, I expect the Dolphins to take an offensive lineman. I will just assume that their pick will be Seattle's second round pick at 25. At that point, a lot of the very best offensive linemen prospects will be gone, but two guards that I think would be available are Orlando Franklin of Miami and Marcus Cannon of TCU. Both are really, really good run blockers, and their pass blocking is almost as good.
I see Franklin as the better guard prospect, though, and I think the Dolphins will get him with their pick. In the case that he has already been taken I would expect the Dolphins to take Cannon. Both players would fill a huge need on Miami's interior line and would help to improve last year's terrible run blocking.
That is what I think Miami will end up doing. What I actually want them to do is another thing. I would personally rather that they take Arkansas QB Ryan Mallett with the 15th pick and then worry about the O-line with later picks.
I promise every single one of you that Mallett is the best QB in the draft, and he will be the most successful QB of all of this year's prospects as long as he doesn't go to a team like the Raiders. He has the arm, the passion, and the intensity that all great quarterbacks have. He has some character questions, but it will be worth taking a risk on those questions because of how good of a passer he is.
On a little side note, I think Miami could potentially be halfway set at running back with Kory Sheets. You guys may have forgotten about Sheets(I did until Riverdog reminded me), but he is actually a very good running back who injured his Achilles tendon during Miami's preseason last year.. Sheets is very fast and has great hands, and he could end up doing really well next year if the Dolphins keep him.
That is all I have for now. Thanks for reading, and let me know what you think about my predictions. I would like to know if you guys agree or disagree with me.
