WR TED GINN Jr, a college junior, will provide the answer to the return specialist questions that came with trading Wes Welker for the 2nd round pick that resulted in Samson Satele. Ginn has limited upside as a wide receiver. He is small and could be too fragile for NFL hitting. On the plus side, Ginn was very durable at OSU. He saved his only serious injury for the national championship game where he severely sprained sprained his left ankle celebrating his 93 yard game opening kickoff touchdown return. No question he will be an exciting player in the mold of KC’s Dante Hall, but will he be pressed to death as a wide receiver? A huge reach at #9 overall.
QB JOHN BECK was another big reach. He projects to a second stringer. A 25 year old rookie. He is only 6’2″, plus he releases the ball low, resulting in a lot of balls being batted down. Not a deep threat arm. Quite a surprise in the 2nd round. The release of Daunte Culpepper does little to improve Beck’s chances to ever be a starter.
C/G SAMSON SATELE provides versatility and durability. He may end up at guard, where he started in 2005. Needs to work on run blocking. Didn’t allow a sack in 2006. Could prove to be a solid starter. At worst, he should be a dependable swingman. I rated him in the early 3rd round.
RB LORENZO BOOKER lacks size, but he is fast and strong. A good all-purpose back who can compliment Ronnie Brown. I had him fitting better in the 4th round, though I figured he would be taken in the late 3rd to late 4th.
NT PAUL SOLIAI is a raw run plugger with good upside. Great size and strength. Made move from offensive tackle to nose tackle in ’05. Still learning. Provides immediate depth. Good pick for the long-term. The first Miami choice that wasn’t at least a partial reach.
FB REAGAN MAVIN is a 6′, 270# Samoan bull. Entered Hawaii as a junior defensive lineman before moving to fullback. Very raw. A surprise 6th round pick.
C DREW MORMINO is a tough guy who could catch on as a backup at center or guard. Nice pick.
ILB KELVIN SMITH covers the middle well versus the run. Has a nose for the ball. Made his share of big plays at Syracuse. Not a great athlete, but gets by on brains. I had him going as early as the late 5th round, as late as the mid 7th round. A good late pick.
P BRANDON FIELDS is a powerful kicker with good directional ability. Needs to speed up the release of his kicks. Though he kicks the ball deep, he needs to get more elevation. With Donnie Jones signing with the Rams, Fields has the first shot at winning the punting job. For that reason he has to be considered a potential steal. It wouldn’t surprise me to see the Dolphins pick up a veteran punter by the final cut.
OLB ABRAHAM WRIGHT was a 242# college defensive end who will try to make it as a NFL linebacker. A long shot to find a spot on special teams.
G Tala Esera is a college tackle who will likely have to move inside to guard. Great body and super strong. Has good footwork. Nice intangibles for the guard position. Needs to be motivated. Needs work on run blocking. A good sign.
T Julius Wilson is probably the best of the undrafted tackles. At worst, he should be a productive backup at guard. Big and strong. Reliable and nasty. Has good pass defense techniques, but misses some blitzes. Not a quick learner. I had him going as high as the late 4th round. A great pick-up.
DE Mkristo Bruce has some supporters after a fine Combine performance. Still a long shot, but worth keeping an eye on.
CB Geoffrey Pope is a project with great speed. Could be a practice squad candidate where he can refine his defensive coverage abilities.
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SUMMARY
A pitiful draft. With 4 out of the top 100 picks, the Dolphins will be lucky to have snagged two starters. It’s not that Ginn is a bad player. But how Miami could invest a top 10 pick on a return specialist who may never be more than a slot receiver is beyond me. Beck would have been a reach in the 3rd round. And keep in mind that the Satele pick came at the cost of steady WR/RS Wes Welker. Not much to show for 10 overall picks, though in fairness, half the picks came in the final two rounds. Maybe they know something down in Miami. But the Culpepper fiasco doesn’t provide much confidence in that possibility.
