The Miami Dolphins entered the 2014 Draft with a strategy and it clearly paid off. General Manager Dennis Hickey entered the draft with seven picks and ended the draft with eight. The Dolphins draft was a really quiet draft class in terms of star appeal, but the Dolphins did a very solid job of hitting their biggest needs.
The Dolphins clearly saw potential in players from smaller schools as five out of the eight players drafted were from non-traditional power house schools. The Dolphins needed to strengthen their offensive line and they did just that by drafting two offensive lineman with two of their first three picks helping prevent their star quarterback from getting sacked as much as he was last year. This incoming draft class will give the Dolphins a chance to win an AFC East division title in a decade dominated by the New England Patriots. Now let’s take a look and see who they drafted.
Miami Dolphins Draft Picks
1st Round, 19th Overall – Ja’Wuan James, OT, Tennessee
2nd Round, 63rd Overall – Jarvis Landry, WR, LSU
3rd Round, 67th Overall – Billy Turner, OG, North Dakota St
4th Round, 125th Overall – Walt Aikens, CB, Liberty
5th Round, 155th Overall – Arthur Lynch, TE, Georgia
5th Round, 171th Overall – Jordan Tripp, OLB, Montana
6th Round, 190th Overall – Matt Hazel, WR, Coastal Carolina
7th Round, 234th Overall – Terrence Fede, DE, Marist
2014 Dolphins Draft Grade: 8.5/10
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Dolphins Draft Review
The Best Player: Ja’Wuan James, the offensive tackle out of Tennessee was drafted as the Dolphins first overall pick. The 6’6, 311 pound right tackle, to some NFL analysts, this pick seemed to be a stretch, but the Dolphins needed an upgrade at right tackle and they certainly got that in James. Ja’Wuan is a long-armed, athletic player and he seems to fit the criteria for the Dolphins’ zone blocking scheme.
James has exhibited very strong pass blocking skills as he faced off against some of the top collegiate pass rushers such as Jadeveon Clowney and Dee Ford. Expect the Dolphins running game to get a boost as well, as James showed upside throughout his career as the strong side run blocker. James will be expected to start immediately and since he started forty-nine consecutive games at Tennessee, he should be ready when called upon, which will be immediately to fill the Dolphins need at right tackle. Ja’Wuan powerful and competitive play has knocked defenders off the ball while continuing downfield to dominate one-on-one battles. James has the mental and physical toughness to be effective in the NFL and this was, in my opinion, an excellent pick by the Dolphins because they needed to help bolster their offensive line and protect Ryan Tannehill.
Best Value Pick: The Third round pick, Billy Turner; the offensive guard out of the North Dakota State University seems the ideal fit at right guard for the zone-blocking scheme. Turner brings the type of quickness and strength that allow him to reach the second level of blockers with ease and there’s little doubt that Turner will be able to start for the Dolphins this year. He moved to left tackle as a sophomore in 2011 where he started 44 straight contests for back-to-back-to-back FCS National Title teams as well as receiving two-time First-team All-MVC and FCS All-American honors (2012-13).
Turner has NFL size, length and athleticism, staying light on his feet with natural body control. He needs to learn to consistently sink his hips and not bend so much at the waist, but he has the on-field demeanor and mean attitude to do damage in the NFL. Turner can play tackle if needed, but he seems best suited to work inside and with technique development; he has Pro Bowl potential down the road.
Turner has helped the Dolphins by adding even more strength to their offensive line and he will more than likely compete and start at guard for the Dolphins in 2014. Billy seems to possess the leadership and work ethic that all NFL coaches look for. Billy Turner was an A+ pick for the Dolphins and when you combine that with him being drafted in the third round, it is easy to see that Dennis Hickey scored big with this athlete.
Surprise Pick: Terrence Fede is a 6’3, 276 lb defensive end that physically fits the profile of an NFL defensive end. The reason I labeled him as a surprise pick, is because Fede will be competing for playing time on a defensive line that is loaded with quality veterans who have more experience and credibility. Fede registered impressive physical benchmarks at his pro day and since the Dolphins are utilizing more analytics under Dennis Hickey’s leadership, it is likely that the Dolphins like the way Fede tested.
The seventh-round of the draft usually never is weighed heavily, as it is usually where teams take chances on guys that end up on a practice squad. The good news for Terrence Fede is that he signed a deal with the Dolphins giving an opportunity to play in the NFL. Terrence, in time, has the potential to be a good defensive end for the Dolphins as he will be able to learn from stars such as Cameron Wake, Paul Soliai and Randy Starks. One additional reason this was a surprise pick for me, was the missed opportunity for the Dolphins to select a top rated quarterback here, as they need a backup to replace Pat Devlin.
Head Scratcher: There was not a single pick, out of the eight that the Dolphin had in the draft that was a head scratching one for me. Each of their picks seemed to have been of appropriate value or were a steal.
The Steal: Jordan Tripp was the Dolphins steal of the draft. Tripp was the star linebacker from the University of Montana. Tripp is tough, intense and very physical player who brings a ferocious attitude on every play and yet is one of the most mature individuals you will have the pleasure to meet. Maturity and leadership are two qualities that the new Dolphins GM, Dennis Hickey, is looking to install as a core value of his players after the Richie Incognito and Jonathon Martin situation marred the Dolphins reputation.
Tripp’s versatility allows him to play both inside and outside backer while also acting as an emergency long-snapper on special teams and a little known fact is that he started all four seasons as his college team’s long-snapper. Tripp will likely compete with LB Jason Trusnik for the backup middle linebacker position and for Trusnik’s role on special teams. While I love what Trusnik brings to the table, he is a very expendable player and Tripp offers a bit more ability in terms of versatility and athleticism.
The Miami Dolphins have been known for their ability to stop the run over the past five to seven seasons, however that was not the case last season. The Dolphins had to sign LBs Dannell Ellerbe and Philip Wheeler to replace Karlos Dansby and Kevin Burnett. Ellerbe and Wheeler have failed miserably, while Burnett and Dansby continued to play well for their new teams. Jordan Tripp has a legitimate chance to challenge Philip Wheeler for his spot at linebacker and watch his progress as he brings a ton of potential for the Dolphins organization.
Most Likely to Make an Impact in 2014: The offensive lineman duo of Ja’Wuan James and Billy Turner as well star wide receiver Jarvis Landry. James will immediately have an impact with his big body and quickness as he will be placed at the right tackle position to help protect Ryan Tannehill and can be mentored by experienced LT Branden Albert. James is a very good pass protector and will help give a boost to the Dolphins running game because of his underrated ability of being a very powerful run blocker. The Dolphins surrendered, a league leading, 58 total sacks last season and Ja’Wuan and Billy Turner, look to lower that number significantly, which I am sure Tannehill and the Dolphins will appreciate.
The Wide Receiver they chose in the second round, Jarvis Landry, will also have an impact because of his extraordinary hands and route running ability. Landry will give Tannehill another reliable wide receiver option to throw to along with the other wide receivers, Brian Hartline and Mike Wallace.
Most Likely to Turn Heads in Camp: The fourth round selection of Walt Aikens will, with a doubt, be the player, most likely to turn heads in training camp this season. The Dolphins, by taking this 6’0, 205lb speedster, have grabbed one of the top cornerbacks available from the 2014 draft; Aiken has added a new dimension to the defensive back group. His size that will allow him to match up with any NFL receiver and given his 4.42 40-yard dash speed, this helps validate that point. Hickey continues to fill holes on the roster with great efficiency, as the defensive backfield is now loaded with talent. Aikens has all of the physical tools needed to become a very good starting, boundary cornerback, as while he will need some technique work and will have to adjust to the speed of the NFL, but he seems to fit the Dolphins zone scheme extraordinarily well.
The Bottom Line:
The Miami Dolphins & new general manager, Dennis Hickey, executed their 2014 draft game plan very well and came out a winner. The Dolphins did so many things right as opposed to last year. The Dolphins seemed to draft for what they needed instead of who was the best available player. In 2014, it seemed like they successfully achieved both goals.
The Dolphins added depth to their offensive line with Ja’Wuan James, and Billy Turner. The Dolphins added great, on field talent, as well as leadership and class in the Dolphins locker room.
Overall, the Dolphins did exactly what they needed to do, help Ryan Tannehill get sacked less and put themselves in a position to be a contender in the AFC East this season. Dennis Hickey, deserves a ton of credit here as he didn’t choose the best player remaining on the board, he chose those players that would help fill their needs and I tip my hat to him and the entire Dolphins organization.
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