KD's NFL Draft Grades - Miami Dolphins

My beloved Miami Dolphins had the 15th pick in the Draft, so forgive me if I embellish a little here. I'd like to feel a little more confident in Miami going into 2011 as they finished with the 6th ranked defense and beat the Super Bowl Champs in Lambeau Field. However, Miami was 30th in the NFL in points scored last year, and parted ways with the ancient Dan Henning at offensive coordinator. They responded by hiring Brian Daboll from Cleveland, who fielded one of only two offense that scored less than Miami last year. Great. Miami's the 3rd youngest team in the league and has a lot of talent, but a deteriorating running game and subpar play from Chad Henne kept them from making a playoff run. They selected Florida C Mike Pouncey to fill the void there, but had things shaken out a little differently on Draft night, he wouldn't have been the pick. Here's why.

1st round, 15th overall) Mike Pouncey - C - Florida
On my Dolphins forum on Draft night we learned that Miami's draft board for the first round went in order as follows: Jake Locker, Christian Ponder, Robert Quinn, and they graded Mike Pouncey and Gabe Carimi the same. All I have to say is yikes, and thanks to the Titans and Vikings for keeping Miami away from one of the quarterbacks as I feel like they'd be destined to fail in Miami. Miami suffered through long bouts of bad play in the middle last year from C Joe Berger. Reserve Cory Proctor broke his leg minutes into his first start against Chicago and things went downhill from there as Miami list 4 of its last 6 games. Enter Mike Pouncey to fix things.

How he fits in: Pouncey will be given every opportunity to be the starting C right off the bat, and I'm perfectly fine with that. His younger twin brother, Maurkice, left early and if not for Ndamukong Suh would've been the best rookie in the league last year for the Steelers. Mike joins fellow first rounders Vernon Carey, one of the few survivors from the dreaded Dave Wannstedt era draft of 2004, and Jake Long, who'll be named the top lineman in the NFL this weekend on NFL Networks Top 100 players, falling somewhere between 21st - 30th overall; congrats Jake! Miami will have to add a free agent guard to start opposite Richie Incognito or John Jerry, with Pouncey in the middle. Mike's not quite as technically sound as his twin Maurkice was, but he's still a good player, but has only one year of experience at C. He brings good size at 6'5" and 303lbs, and is excellent in space, an attribute that will be helpful as Daboll will use zone schemes in the running game.

Outlook: Overall, I love the Pouncey pick, as I wanted either him or Alabama's Mark Ingram if Miami was unable to trade down. I think he'll fit in nicely as a C, and in a worse-case scenario, they can play him at guard and move Richie Incognito to C. So, that's a fallback scenario I'm okay with. It stings slightly that they didn't take a chance on Ryan Mallett here, but idiotic owner Stephen Ross, in one of the few moves of his I've actually liked, has basically laid it out that if Miami doesn't make the playoffs this year, Tony Sparano is a goner. GM Jeff Ireland might be safe, and next year's QB crop could be the best one since the 1983 class if certain players declare; so I'm glad he saved some picks and didn't trade up for Locker or Ponder. Pouncey made their Draft for me.

2nd round, 62nd overall) Daniel Thomas - RB - Kansas State
After a run on running backs in round 2, Jeff Ireland made a move back up into the 2nd round to acquire Thomas. Miami didn't have a 2nd round pick due to the Brandon Marshall trade in 2010, so they gave up a 3rd, a 5th, and a 7th round pick to Washington to move back up. Thomas is a big back at 6'0" 230lbs and has sweet feet for a big back to go along with his stellar vision. However, he's not fast, and goes down more easily than a big back should. A former JUCO QB, Thomas only has two years experience as a running back, but we saw what Brian Daboll did with Peyton Hillis in Cleveland last year. I like the pick, but Miami could've waited until the 3rd round and still got a quality back. They also options in free agency and have been linked to DeAngelo Williams (who I think ends up in Denver reuniting with John Fox) and Ahmad Bradshaw, who wouldn't be a free agent if the CBA reverts back to the 2010 league rules. Personally, I'd prefer Bradshaw as he's more of a homerun hitter and can do some more things than Thomas will be able to initially.

4th round, 111th overall) Edmond Gates - WR - Abilene Christian
One of the most glaring weaknesses on Miami's offense last year was that while they're big and physical, they're very slow. Brandon Marshall is fine as a #1 option, but he doesn't have elite speed. Brian Hartline is their fastest guy, but he ended up on IR to close out the year. Davone Bess is an outstanding slot guy and can play outside, but like Marshall, doesn't have elite speed. Undrafted rookies Marlon Moore and Roberto Wallace didn't add much. Enter Gates, who was the fastest receiver at the Combine running a 4.37 40. He comes from Abilene Christian, and dominated at that level hauling in 66 passes for 1,182 yards, good for a 17.9 ypc, and 13 TDs. However, he got by on physical talent and being the fastest player on the field at that level. He's 5'11" 193lbs and is pretty similar to Pittsburgh's Mike Wallace, though he's not quite that fast. He should give Miami a shot in the arm as a #4 receiver and kick returner, but he'll have to take his time learning the route tree at the NFL level. Fortunately for Miami, they won't need him to do much more than run fast as a rookie.

6th round, 174th overall) Charles Clay - TE - Tulsa
Miami needed a second TE to compliment Anthony Fasano, whose a fantastic all-around player, but isn't a downfield threat as a receiver. Clay's 6'3" 245lbs and played FB, QB, WR, and TE for the Golden Hurricane. He's a jack of all trades, master of none. During his career he had 179 carries for 911 yards and 10 TDs and caught 176 passes for 2,225 yards and 21 TDs. He's very versatile, but isn't a great blocker as a TE, and didn't do enough in-line blocking as a FB. It'll be interesting to see how they use Clay, but I had to ask, why not take a chance on Virgil Green at this juncture?

7th round, 231st overall) Frank Kearse - NT - Alabama A&M
Miami GM Jeff Ireland's found a few late round and undrafted gems in RB Lex Hilliard, WR Davone Bess, and K Dan Carpenter, but more often than not, his late round picks are throwaways, and that's how I feel here. Miami's defense has some budding stars in NT Paul Soliai, DE Kendall Langford, OLB Cameron Wake, and CBs Vontae Davis and Sean Smith. Karlos Dansby's well established, and 2010 rookie Koa Misi did a pretty solid job, however, Miami could've really used a 3rd OLB for pass-rushing situations, and with several guys on the board, they passed and opted for a backup NT. Paul Soliai became the richest defensive player in the history of the Dolphins this offseason, which is saying something as they've had some studes throughout the past 15 years. He won't be going anywhere, and has absolutely abused Nick Mangold, the league's best C in 3 straight games against the Jets. Kearse comes from the SWAC and is the first player drafted from the entire conference since 2004. He's 6'4" and 315lbs and was looked at by a few teams, namely Pittsburgh and New England, so I'll trust Miami taking a chance on him. However, Miami already has Chris Baker, a pet project of Mike Nolan from Denver, ahead of him on the roster, and I think Kearse is destined for the practice squad.

7th round, 235th overall) Jimmy Wilson - CB/S - Montana
Late round picks rarely have stories as interesting as Jimmy Wilson, who spent two years in jail on trial for murder after playing three seasons at CB for the Montana Grizzlies. Wilson got into an argument with his aunt's boyfriend, who was drunk at the time and pulled a rifle on Wilson. Wilson and the boyfriend got into a physical altercation and the gun went off, killing the boyfriend. The New York Times covers the aftermath significantly better than I can, so I'll let you read the story on your own time. Wilson also got into trouble while at Montana for biting his girlfiend in the leg, and was suspsended for a game in 2010. At this time, I'd just like to find it ironic that Miami questioned Dez Bryant about his mother's prostitution and Ryan Mallett's off field activities and removed both from their draft boards, yet they take a chance on Jimmy Wilson. Go figure. Wilson played CB for three seasons and came back as a S after two years in prison. He's undersized for an NFL S at 5'11" 185lbs, but is a fierce hitter and Ireland says he'll start there and have to make a mark on special teams to stick.

Overall Grade: B-
Mike Pouncey and Daniel Thomas really make the draft for Miami. The Dolphins needed significant help in the middle of their O-line, and they got it in Mike Pouncey. If they add a mobile LG (they tried to trade for New England's Logan Mankins last year when he came back from his holdout, so keep an eye on that move if he leaves New England, which is doubtful), they're O-line could be really good. Thomas should be the starter, and if they're successful in luring a talented free agent RB in, they'll have a a nice backfield. Gates will add some speed and will help open things up for Brandon Marshall, Brian Hartline, and Davone Bess, but he's got a lot to learn before he can make a significant contribution to the offense. Clay is a mystery man for now, and I still contend Virgil Green would've helped them more. Kearse and Wilson were throwaway picks and Miami could've used help at OLB and S, and there were plenty of picks still on the board at those spots at the time. However, I believe that Miami filled some big needs, and they managed to keep all their picks for next year. I think Brian Daboll's passing scheme, which he learned in New England, that empasizes quick throws could, and I'm purposefully emphasizing could here, help out Chad Henne some. However, if he doesn't take the next step, both Henne and Tony Sparano will both be gone in 2012. And I like the fact Jeff Ireland stuck to his guns and kept his picks as they'll have a full arsenal to use to trade up for a QB if needed. If you haven't figured it out by now, I love Andrew Luck and I'd be fine with Miami giving up a slew of picks to get him in 2012, but that's a long way off for now. Overall, Pouncey and Thomas will make this class and whatever Gates and Clay add to it will be a nice bonus.

Draft Day Trade Rumors Galore!

Well, I'm like a kid on Christmas morning today. Considering everything that's gone on this offseason in the NFL - the lockout, federal mediation, litigation, and now the lockout being "enjoined" - it's almost kind of a relief just to get the Draft here. I expect a pretty interesting one as most GMs try to fill the major needs (holes in the roster) via free agency and trades, and add the smaller pieces through draft, generally by taking the best player available (BPA) approach.

However, Judge Susan Richard Nelson denied the NFL's request to freeze the lockout via a stay, so the NFL will now file an appeal to the US 8th Circuit Court in St. Louis. This ruling calls for the "league year" to be open - which typically means free agents and trades of players to be allowed. To comply, NFL teams are now opening their facility doors for players to workout and receive medical treatment. The NFL had not prepared for this possibility, so it's widely assumed that the league will not allow player trades or free agents to occur until after the Draft. The NFL would go back to the 2010 league rules (i.e. no salary cap in place) and those hundreds of free agents would be tendered as restricted free agents - meaning any team wishing to sign one of those players would have to give compensation in the form of draft picks.

My guess is that the teams won't sign free agents yet, as this could subject them to fines and forfeiture of future draft picks if they make any moves before the league gives teams official word on the "league year" rules. Al Davis, I'm talking to you. Don't do anything. All signs point to the NFL waiting until the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals processes the NFL's appeal, which according to ESPN's Andrew Brandt could take 1 to 5 days. Something could change in the next 12 hours before the draft, but as I type this on 9:07am Thursday, all transactions - trades and free agent signings - are forbidden until the league gives its own ruling on how to proceed. So, all anyone can really do is stay tuned. I'll try to give an update today if something does happen.

With no free agency or trades as of yet - I'm assuming they'll get here sooner rather than later with the way things have been going - GMs must try to fill their respective needs through the draft. And while everyone's been bantering about Cam Newton's iconic statement(s), Ryan Mallett's character (non-)issues, and fawning over Andy Dalton out of nowhere, people seem to forget that no QB is the best player in this draft, and none would even be top 10 picks had Stanford's Andrew Luck entered the draft. In fact, Blaine Gabbert left Missouri early this year only because Luck stayed in Palo Alto for another year.

With that in mind, the top of the draft looks pretty set, assuming the Panthers don't pull a massive shocker and select someone other than Cam Newton. They could try and trade out of the 1st overall spot - which they're still open to doing. Despite not being allowed to complete other transactions involving players, teams are allowed to trade current and future draft picks during the draft. With that in mind, there should be plenty of draft picks flying as many teams are rumored to want to move up (towards the first pick) or down (further from the first pick) to get a player they specifically target. Right now teams are not allowed to start signing those undrafted college free agents either as they normally do immediately after the Draft concludes. So I'm guessing the NFL, if it makes a ruling today, will include all information on signing free agents, tendering restricted free agents, trading players, and signing college free agents.

Since teams still possess the ability to trade draft picks, here's a look at some of the rumors that have been floated in the past 36 hours that have a lot of "weight" behind them. These have been coming in in no particular order, so I'll work from the juiciest ones at the top of round one on down to the end. Here we go:

1) The biggest one of all, and probably one that is most likely to have some truth behind it, is the Houston Texans wanting to move into the top 5 of the Draft to select either LSU's Patrick Peterson or Texas A&M's Von Miller. Houston doesn't stand a chance to get either of them at the 11th overall spot, and I think they'd rather have a surer bet than getting Aldon Smith.

2) To couple with that story, the Bengals - who hardly ever trade - are rumored to want Auburn DT Nick Fairley. Bengals D-line coach Jay Hayes paid him a visit Wednesday. However, Cincinnati will need more ammo to make a deal, presumably getting another 2nd round pick to move back up to take a QB if there's a run on them early, which is very possible. These two scenarios seem to marry themselves together pretty nicely. However, it's hard for me to see the Bengals moving, so Denver and Cleveland, both teams who have been known to wheel and deal, could be other possible targets for Houston - especially if Houston wants Von Miller who's projected to go to Buffalo with the 3rd overall pick.

3) Atlanta wants to move up. This one is a hot one from Wednesday afternoon. Presumably, they don't like their spot in round one or the projected players that are going to be there. The rumor is that they really want local product A.J. Green or Alabama's Julio Jones (another weapon for QB Matt Ryan would be nice). That'd require a move into the top 5, but I think they may really be targeting one of the defensive ends at the top of the draft - Robert Quinn, Aldon Smith, or even Da'Quan Bowers. Nothing solid for you in the way of a potential trade partner though.

4) Allegedly, Miami and Dallas have an agreement to swap picks in the first round if a certain player drops past the Tennessee Titans at the eighth spot. The player in question here is Missouri QB Blaine Gabbert, who had a private workout with the Miami brass despite Miami not being anywhere in contention to select him. Dolphins GM Jeff Ireland came over with Bill Parcells from Dallas in 1998 and the teams have a history of signing each other's players. They also made a trade in 2008 that sent TE Anthony Fasano and NT Jason Ferguson to Miami for a 4th round selection. There's history here, but Gabbert would have to fall past QB hungry Arizona, San Francisco, and Tennesse for this deal to go off. I'm betting it doesn't because...

5) ...Washington really likes Blaine Gabbert and is willing to move up to get him. Again, no real potential suitor here. If the rumor about Cincinnati is true, I could see the Bengals getting their man in Nick Fairley at 10 and Washington getting Gabbert at 4, but as I mentioned, the Bengals hardly ever move draft picks.

6) Philadelphia's been rumored to want to move into the range of 10-20 for some reason, though there's really not a specific target linked to that rumor. They've been hot on the trail of CB Jimmy Smith, but after the AP report citing that he's failed 3 drug tests (one for codiene - did he buy it from the Packers Johnny Jolly?), paid for 2 separate women to have abortions, and had 2 separate alcohol incidents, I think it's pretty safe to say Philly could land him with their 23rd overall selection despite Smith having top 15 talent. But as they say, where there's smoke, there's fire. Stay tuned on this one as Philly is often one of the major movers come draft day.

7) Miami and San Diego may be in the works for a draft day trade again this year. Miami wants to somehow recoup a 2nd round pick they gave up to get Brandon Marshall (which was a win-win deal assuming Marshall avoids all sharp kitchen objects in the near future). San Diego, a 3-4 team, needs to upgrade it's talent on the D-line. In a D-line heavy draft, the Chargers sit after Washington, Houston, Miami, Jacksonville and New England. It's doubtful Miami would have interest in a 3-4 DE at this juncture, so the rumor is that Miami may swap their first rounder (15th overall) in exchange for San Diego's 1st rounder (18th overall) and San Diego's 2nd or 3rd round selections to allow the Chargers to leapfrog the Jaguars and Patriots. The rumored target for San Diego is either Cal's Cameron Jordan or Wisconsin's J.J. Watt. This one carries a decent amount of weight, though I could see San Diego not wanting to part with a late 2nd rounder to move up just three spots.

8) Tampa Bay wants to move up for one of the DE propsects, presumably Robert Quinn of North Carolina. No real trade partner has been established, so I'm guessing they'll try and trade with just about anyone from the Browns at six to New England's at 17 to try and get a better DE than they could at the 20th spot. My guess is they'll have to at least jump over the St. Louis Rams to have an outside shot at Quinn, or whomever their primary target might be.

9) New Orleans moving up for...anybody really. It's been not so secretly mentioned that the Saints want to move up in the first round. For who? For what? No one seems to know, but that's the rumor. I'd have to think they might want to leapfrog the Chiefs to potentially select one of the following D-linemen: Phil Taylor, Adrian Clayborn, Da'Quan Bowers, or even Cameron Jordan or J.J. Watt if they fell there.

10) New England's looking to shop picks. I guess this is more fact than rumor, but with two first round picks and a total of five in the first three round, they've got an absolute ton of trade ammo. I've seen rumors that they want to move up, I've seen rumors that they want to move down, and I've seen rumors that the 28th and 33rd picks could be hot zones for teams that pass on a QB in the early part of round one. Teams want to move up for someone like Jake Locker, Christian Ponder, or even Andy Dalton and snag them before Buffalo and Cincinnati, who are lurking at picks 34 and 35. Maybe the Pats shock us and just hold their ground to get 3 really solid players. I doubt it, but who really knows when it comes to the man underneath the hoodie.

11) Seattle wants to move down from the 25th pick. The Seahawks have a bottom heavy draft with a 1st, 2nd, 4th, two 5ths, a 6th, and two 7ths. My guess is they want to gain a 2nd and a 3rd round pick - there's a lot of "meat and potatoes" in that area, if you will - as opposed to just getting two guys in the top 64 picks. I'm sure a QB-hungry team would be willing to make a move here and give the Seahawks some more ammo. Pete Carroll's first draft was pretty solid, and I think he'd like the opportunity to continue to upgrade his roster in the 2011 Draft.

12) The final one, though I'm not sure how believable this one is, is that Pittsburgh Steelers' Coach Mike Tomlin issued an edict for the Steelers to move up and select Florida G/C Mike Pouncey - brother of current Steelers C Maurkice Pouncey - if Mike makes it past the Dolphins pick at 15. This would reunite the Pouncey twins, and the Steelers could plug Mike in at his natural RG position, or even shift over Chris Kemoeatu and put Pouncey at LG where his adept pulling skills would be put to great use. Either way, this one sounds more like soap-opera drama than substance to me, but you never know. The Patriots 17th pick would be a prime landing spots, as the Giants at 19 are rumored to be heavily interested in Pouncey as well.

Kkeep in mind that these are just rumors, and that NFL teams spread misinformation like they're handing out candy as the draft approaches. Some blatantly lie, so please, take these rumors with a few grains of salt. The only truth I can give you about tonight is that I'll be on my couch with some wings from BW's, some cold beer, and Jack 'n Coke throughout the night with several of my football buddies. I don't imagine going into a fit of rage on par with the meltdown I had when Miami drafted Ted Ginn and passed on Patrick Willis (okay, I'll admit, I wanted Brady Quinn). But if Jason LaCanfora's bold prediction of Miami taking Nevada's Colin Kaepernick or Peter King's pick of Andy Dalton at 15 come true, I'll probably be in the market of a new HD TV soon. I hope you enjoy the draft and that your team doesn't get Belichecked tonight.

The Daily Rant 4/23: Miami Vice(s) of BMarsh & the Fins

Last year on my way to work I received a text message from a friend, JM, saying congratulations on the trade. Just the night before I had been talking to another friend saying that the Broncos were going to trade troubled WR Brandon Marshall, most likely to Seattle, and potentially, my own Miami Dolphins. I texted my friend back asking what trade, and he told me that my Dolphins had acquired Brandon Marshall for two 2nd round picks. This was their biggest trade since they gave up two 1st round picks for Ricky Williams in 2002.

Despite Dan Henning's archaic offense and atrocious playcalling, and missing two games due to a hamstring injury, Marshall turned in a 1,000+ season. I've got a feeling he'll better those numbers in 2011, barring serious injury.

Well, things almost got serious Friday night as Marshall, who had played good soldier since coming to Miami, was stabbed by his wife in a domestic dispute. Omar Kelly of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported that Marshall's wife was arrested for aggravated battery with a deadly weapon.

As much as I've liked the addition of Brandon Marshall - he's the first legitimate receiving threat in Miami since well, O.J. McDuffie in the twilight of Dan Marino's career, this isn't the first time he's been involved in an off-field incident. Miami knew what they were getting into. My message with the Daily Rant today goes out to my favorite team, the Miami Dolphins, and it is this: Stop trying to be like the Cincinnati Bengals.

Often criticized for their penchant for crime and becoming the butt of jokes, the Bengals might have relinquished that title to Miami for now.

Here's a look at some of the charges Dolphins players have faced the past few seasons:

Brandon Marshall: He was arrested multiple times between 2006 and 2009 for repeated domestic violence incidents with his ex-girlfriend. He was arrested for drunken driving charge while with the Broncos. He was suspsended for the entire preseason for punting a football and swatting passes in practice his last year in Denver. And now this. While he appears to have reformed and has become a team leader for the Dolphins, it does raise some eyebrows.

Phillip Merling: The reserve DE with a penchant for making big plays was arrested for hitting his pregnant girlfriend. No team action was taken as Merling tore his achillies tendon a few weeks after the incident and he missed most of the 2010 season.

Randy Starks: The Pro Bowl DE was acquitted of charges of attempting to run over a police officer on South Beach with one of these.

Will Allen: A former starting CB who missed all of the 2010 season, and was supplanted by Vontae Davis in early 2009 due to injury, was arrested for a DUI and was investigated by Police for allegedly pulling a gun on a bookie to whom he owed money. Allen restructured his deal with Miami earlier this offseason. Wonder why? Also, if you've never seen the Last Boy Scout, give it a look see. Decent flick. The opening scene is the video clip in this story.

Ronnie Brown: Currently a free agent, the former Pro Bowl RB was arrested for a DUI driving in his home state of Georgia.

As a life-long Dolphins fan, please, clean up your act Miami.

KD AND CHIZZY'S ALTERNATING MOCK DRAFT

Alright ladies and gentleman, here's what you all have been waiting for: two guys actually talking about sports. That's right, we have an alternating mock draft here, with KD and I doing the picks. KD's bringing the rational insight and knowledge; I'm bringing the idiotic comments and picks that resemble Detroit Lions GM Matt Millen's drafts from 2002 to 2006. Before we get started here, there's two ground rules: 1. No trading picks. Teams are stuck where they are. 2. We aren't picking based on what we think teams are GOING to do, we're picking based on what we think teams SHOULD do. Because it's more fun that way. We're going to release the first half today; second half of the first round picks come out tomorrow. Now, as Michael Buffer likes to say... "LET'S GET READY TO RUMBLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!" KD, you're on the clock with the Carolina Panthers.

1. CAROLINA PANTHERS. Cam Newton, QB, Auburn. Welcome everybody, happy to be here. With the first pick of the 2011 NFL Draft, the Carolina Panthers select Cam Newton. The Panthers swing for the fences with this one. Newton will get the opportunity to play behind Jimmy Clausen at first while he learns th

e nuances of the pro game. Once he does, the sky is the limit for him if he can master an NFL offense - easier said than done. Newton's got prototypical size, good athleticism and has shown surprising accuracy. Coming from Auburn coach Gus Malzahn's offense will be a big transition, but all things considered, he's the best move for this franchise. The Denver Broncos are now on the clock.

2. DENVER BRONCOS. Nick Fairley, DT, Auburn. Phew. If you didn't take Newton, I was going to pick him just so I could imagine what it would be like to have bad boy Cam Newton, religious guru Tim Tebow, and party animal Kyle Orton fighting it out for a starting QB job. Could you imagine the things we could do with that race?

I really considered taking a QB anyway, but really, I like Kyle Orton there. He works well in the system and I don't understand for the life of me why they messed with the passing game, the only thing that clicked in Denver last year. Denver's probably going to take Marcel Dareus because they need a defensive tackle like whoa, but to boost a defense that thought it was playing two-hand touch last year, the Denver Broncos are going to select DT Nick Fairley from Auburn. I'm taking Fairley based on what I saw this season. Fairley dominated college football on the defensive front, impressed at the combine, and excelled at Auburn's pro day. Sure, he has character issues, but who doesn't? Fairley plays with an edge and destroyed the toughest conference in football last year. He's my guy.

3. BUFFALO BILLS. Marcel Dareus, DT, Alabama. The Bills throw a bit of a curveball taking Marcel Dareus here. At OLB they saw James Moats emerge; they have Chris Kelsay who is solid, and they'll get Shawne Merriman back from injury so they pass on Von Miller. They lost Marcus Stroud and really could use a 3-4 DE to help Kyle Williams up front. Dareus is the best front 7 player and the Bills play it safe after misusing RB C.J. Spiller last year.

4. CINCINNATI BENGALS. Blaine Gabbert, QB, Missouri. Because we're doing this by what teams SHOULD do, not what they WILL do, the Bengals are taking a QB1 here. Mike Brown is calling Carson Palmer's bluff by saying he's not taking a QB with the fourth pick, but I don't think Palmer's bluffing. He's as good as gone, which once again proves that Mike Brown needs to be fired (wish that could happen) as the owner of the Bengals. This team's support has jumped off a cliff after last year; expect many empty seats in Paul Brown Stadium. And Jordan Palmer isn't exactly Big Brother's caliber; when your potential starting QB’s greatest professional achievement is the establishment of www.runpee.com, you’ve got issues. As much as I would love the Bengals take recently admitted party animal Ryan Mallett here to fit the team's profile, the Bengals take Gabbert. He's a solid prospect at 6'4" and 235, and has very good arm strength. He needs to work on his deep ball over the next year, but I think the concerns are a result of the lackluster weapons he had at Missouri. I don't love the pick, but he's clearly the second-best QB prospect on the board and needs to be taken here by the Bungles.

5. ARIZONA CARDINALS. Von Miller, OLB, Texas A&M. The Cardinals are reeling a bit as they fully expected the Bengals to take Ryan Mallett and leave them with Blaine Gabbert. After all, Mallett fits the Bengals MO. While the Cardinals are fully expected to sign Marc Bulger, who by all accounts was just as good as Joe Flacco in practice last year, the Cardinals have to take a long, hard look at Ryan Mallett. But after much deliberation, and being force-fed restraints from the conservative Bidwell family, the Cardinals take Texas A&M OLB Von Miller. Miller, the best pass-rusher in the draft, had triangle numbers (size, speed, strength) on par with DeMarcus Ware. Joey Porter can't run anything but his mouth, and the Cards don't have much else with Chike Okeafor, Will Davis, and O'Bryan Schofield (who is coming of a torn ACL). With Arizona's system, they'll take their chances of getting a guy like Ponder or Dalton in the 2nd round rather than get burned again by a QB in the first...ala Matt Leinart.

6. CLEVELAND BROWNS. AJ Green, WR, Georgia. The Brownies are torn here between selecting a solid DE or DT to bolster their 27th ranked run defense, or select a game changing WR with All-Pro potential. Considering that this is one of the deepest D-line drafts in years, I look for the Browns to select Georgia WR AJ Green over Alabama WR Julio Jones in a tough decision. I mean, name one successful Browns WR over the last 10 years. Braylon Edwards you say? He needed stick ‘em to catch the ball and ran his mouth better than he ran routes. Josh Cribbs you say? Hello! He's a kick returner, and not much else. Anyone else? Anyone? Bueller? Bueller? Sure, AJ Green has some character issues, as he sold his bowl jersey for $1,000 and sat out the first four games of last season. But if I'm an NFL GM, who cares now? He can sell whatever the hell wants as a professional! I want a 6'4", 210 lb physical reciever who played in the SEC and over 8 games averaged 7+ receptions and 100+ yards/game with 9 touchdowns.

7. SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS. Patrick Peterson, CB, LSU. Jim Harbaugh practically pisses himself as he has his minions turn in the card that reads Patrick Peterson. What, no quarterback you say? You don't need a quarterback when you can play defense the entire game. Realistically, I think Alex Smith might turn a few heads in Harbaugh's offense (NOTE: Chizzy laughed at this comment), and if you don't think they'll pony up every pick possible to get Andrew Luck next year, you're crazy. Having said that, Peterson is probably the most talented player at any position in the draft. Peterson gives the 49ers a lock-down corner opposite Nate Clements, or he could potentially be the next Sean Taylor by replacing Dashon Goldson at free safety. Either way, a defense with Patrick Willis and Patrick Peterson in its back seven is going to be a force to be reckoned with. Peterson's a freak in the mold of Oakland's Nnamdi Asomugha, and Nate Clements certainly still has some good game left in him. If the 49ers can find a pass-rush later in the draft, watch out for that defense.

8. TENNESSEE TITANS. Robert Quinn, DE, North Carolina. With Mr. AWOL Vince Young out the door at QB and the stache-man himself Jeff Fisher out at coach, the Titans need to make a solid pick here as a new era begins in Nashville. Ideally, the Titans should trade down as I don't really like anyone for them here, but that's not how we play this game. The Titans need a QB bad, but not bad enough to pick Christian Ponder, Jake Locker, or Ryan Mallett at the 8 slot. To me, this came down to these options: a DE, a DT, or WR Julio Jones. There's no DT here worth taking, and I think the Titans are ok with Kenny "I wasn't driving that Porsche" Britt and Nate Washington. So in a bold move, the Titans select North Carolina DE Robert Quinn, who hasn't played football since the 2009 season, over Da'Quan Bowers, who has injury concerns. Quinn looked good at the Combine, was a beast the two years he played, and fits the Titans mold as a pass-rushing savant. The Dallas Cowgirls are now on the clock.

9. DALLAS COWBOYS. Tyron Smith, OT, Southern Cal. I feel dirty just for having to select the Cowboys pick. If there's a team that really needs to step up their draft efforts it's the Cowboys. They haven't found many quality players since Bill Parcells left town. For a team that's as bad as Dallas is, there's not too many glaring needs. OT, CB, and DE are the three main concerns. I'm not going to just throw J.J. Watt in there in this draft, so it comes down to taking an offensive tackle or taking Prince Amukamara. The Cowboys have drafted a lot of depth at CB over the years to go with Terrance Newman with mixed results (Mike Jenkins, Orlando Scandrick, DeAngelo Smith, and Mike Mickens). Tony Romo getting blasted last season sent a message to Jerry Jones that he ignored for years: your QB is only as good as the blockers in front of him. Andre Gurode is the only starting caliber OL on the Cowboys roster, and despite his infamous tweet, I think the 9th overall pick is too early for C/G Mike Pouncey. Jerry Jones is always one for flash, so USC's Tyron Smith is the pick, and the Cowboys will move him to LT as opposed to the RT spot he played out at USC. Smith is athletic, strong, and the left side will be a transition, Romo's mobility should help him out. The same thing happened with Jay Cutler in Denver in Ryan Clady's rookie year. My guess is Chizzy will feel just like dirty money making the pick for the Skins.

10. WASHINGTON REDSKINS. Julio Jones, WR, Alabama. I drink hate for the Pinkskins, (Lil')Giants, and Cowgirls on a daily basis, so you're damn right I feel dirty for picking for D.C. When was the last time this team was relevant? 1989? But when looking at this pick, I began to love it, because I realized that the Skins have more holes than a wheel of swiss cheese. Where do I start? DE? DT? RB? QB? WR? But I feel like only one glaring need can be fixed here. The Skins have lacked a playmaker on offense for years. I don't think McNabb is washed up, I just think he needs a big time receiver to throw the ball to. Santana Moss is a possession receiver (and he's lost a step), Anthony Armstrong is a C+ version of DeSean Jackson, and Joey Galloway is older than My Boy Blue!!! That's where Alabama WR Julio Jones comes in. He's fast as hell, has great hands, even better range, and can make short catches on third down or go for the deep bomb. Plus, he's tough. The guy ran a 4.34 40 at the combine on a broken foot. I want him on my team, and he'll make NFC East D's cry for years to come (take your time on the next pick while I go bang my head against the wall a few times).

11. HOUSTON TEXANS. Aldon Smith, DE, Missouri. The Houston Texans have a ridiculous offense. Andre Johnson is an absolute weapon, and their system just works. However, their defense has been awful...and their answer was to add Wade Phillips as defensive coordinator and switch to a 3-4. They have Mario Williams to play one of the end spots, and that have two studs in the middle with DeMeco Ryans and Brian Cushing. What they don't have are a NT, pass-rushers, and a cornerback. Their pass defense was historically bad last season. So I think it comes down to Prince Amukamara or a pass-rusher as there's really not a good value at NT here. That being said, the Texans shock the world and go with Missouri DE Aldon Smith. Smith will switch to OLB in the Texans 3-4 scheme. He's got absolutely violent hands, the best I've seen in long while, and if the Texans allow him to move forward a lot a la DeMarcus Ware in Dallas (where Wade Phillips was last seen) as opposed to dropping him in coverage. Just for reference, the Steelers are consistently the best defense in the NFL with their 3-4 defense. Quick, name one of their CBs. It's okay I'll wait for you to Google it. If you can get to the QB, you can improve your defense, and that's what Aldon Smith will do for the Texans defense. I think Smith could be a Defensive Rookie of the Year candidate in Phillips' system.

12. MINNESOTA VIKINGS. Prince Amukamura, CB, Nebraska. In what could potentially be their last draft ever in the Great State up North, the Minnesota Vikings are on the clock. The Vikings have a lot of holes to fill, and it came down to three options: (1) one of the QB's; (2) CB Prince Amukamura; (3) DE Da'Quan Bowers. My thoughts are that any QB at this point will not be a starter right off the bat, so the Vikings hope Andy Dalton or Ricky Stanzi is sitting there in the later rounds. The Vikes will have either Joe Webb, Patrick Ramsey or Tavaris Jackson behind center (gulp). The Vikings need a pass-rusher to complement Jared Allen, and a shutdown CB of the future as Antoine Winfield is 34 years old. I think the Vikings look at Da'Quan's injury risks and decide to get the best player available and a name we’ve tossed around a lot so far, CB Prince Amukamura from Nebraska. Prince will immediately make an impact, taking over the other side of the field from Asher Allen and Lito Sheppard, who listed his favorite hobby as "letting WR's blow right by me while I stand there looking like a lost puppy." Amukamura is so good that Big 12 offenses haven't even thrown at him the last two years. He immediately upgrades the secondary and the Vikings take a QB and DT/DE in the later rounds. Besides, Prince in purple seems like a legitimate fit doesn’t it? The perennial NFL whipping boy, the Detroit Lions, are on the clock.

13. DETROIT LIONS. Da’Quan Bowers, DE, Clemson. Detroit fans are so disappointed about not being able to select Prince, well...I'm not sure what they'll do. My buddy Sean, a lifelong Lions fan, once threatened to burn down a BDubs (during the Calvin Johnson non-touchdown against the Bears) with me inside as the Dolphins game was still going on. Yikes.

Anyways, Detroit has a ton of needs. While conventional wisdom says they need a CB, none are worth of being selected here. They've got some talent on offense, but they need to keep Matthew Stafford alive long enough to use said talent. They also need a replacement for Kyle Vanden Bosch at defensive end. Cliff Avril is a pretty underrated player on the other side, but he needs help. While I'm not sold on Colorado's Nate Solder or Boston College's Anthony Castonzo, I am sold on Clemson's Da'Quan Bowers. Bowers is a physical specimen who’s played both DE spots, and can even stand up and play some OLB much like how the Cardinals have used Chike Okeafor and the Bengals have used Michael Johnson. Not sure if that's Jim Schwartz's style, but we know this: his job prior to Detroit was as the Defensive Coordinator for the Tennessee Titans, who year in and year out have one of the most consistent D-lines in the game. Bowers probably steals a starting job from either Vanden Bosch or Avirl, much to the chagrin of Rams fans awaiting the next pick. Detroit must now pray to the football gods that an offensive tackle like Derrick Sherrod, Orlando Franklin, or Will Rackley is available when they're on the clock again.

14. ST. LOUIS RAMS. Corey Liuget, DT, Illinois. I was trying to foil your Fins pick here, KD, but I have no idea who you think they'll take. The Rams are one of the most impressive teams over the last few years, even if they will always play second fiddle in St. Louis to the Redbirds (everyone like my obligatory Cardinals reference? Because I do). Their selections of franchise QB Sam Bradford, DE Chris Long, LB James Laurianitis, and OL Jason Smith and Roger Saffold the last two years has helped to bring this team back to relevance for the first time since "The Greatest Show on Turf." The Rams need a WR or TE, but with none on the board worth taking at this point I think they look to bolster their defense, which seems to be a player or two away from becoming a top tier unit. What this team needs is a disruptive player on the other side of the unit to draw some attention away from DE Chris Long. Since he can play either tackle position, the Rams select Illinois DT Corey Liuget. He's a freight train when trying to bust through the line, and has the athleticism to work around more adept O-lineman. Solid pick here for the blue and gold. KD, your 'Fins are on the clock.

15. MIAMI DOLPHINS. Ryan Mallett, QB, Arkansas. As this draft process has wound down, the Dolphins have 3 main targets if they can't trade out of the 15th spot (since that's against the rules, the pick is one of these): Florida C Mike Pouncey, Arkansas QB Ryan Mallett, and Alabama RB Mark Ingram. Having followed the Dolphins religiously, their last three first round picks have met with Miami one time prior to the draft - Jake Long, Vontae Davis, and Jared Odrick. If that logic prevails, then the pick is Mike Pouncey. However, after learning about new OC Brian Daboll role-playing as Brandon Marshall during a meet with TCU QB Andy Dalton (yes, Miami is embarrasing. This a year after asking about Dez Bryant's mother's street life as a prostitute), I've grown tired of mustached head coach Tony Sparano and I wish he'd go the way of the fishes. But I like Jeff Ireland and think he'll be around for the long haul. He wanted to trade the 32nd pick of the 2008 draft to move back into the 1st round to select Joe Flacco. Needless to say, a combo of Jake Long and Joe Flacco would've been gravy. Bill Parcells overruled Ireland then, but Parcells is gone now. And if there's one QB in this draft that most similarly resembles Joe Flacco, it's Arkansas Ryan Mallett. Drug issues aside (it's college, who doesn’t party a little...or every day in UD's case), he's the most talented QB in the draft, so the Dolphins take Ryan Mallett. As to who will coach him up...good question. Sparano's an idiot. His QB Coach is former UCLA Head Coach Karl Dorrell - who has been Miami's WR coach since he arrived in 2008 and has no prior experience at any level - high school through the NFL - coaching QBs. Good luck Mr. Mallett.

16. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS. Jimmy Smith, CB, Colorado. Ryan Mallet? In Miami? Have you been to Miami? You want him going to your team, in a city that inspired this article? That's a bold move, Cotton. Anyway, let's tackle the Jags draft situation. Like many teams, Jacksonville is in dire need of a QB. Speaking of drugs, David Garrard is a fantasy football addict's worst nightmare: 4 TDs and 280 yards passing one week; 0 TD's, 2 INTs, and 140 yards passing the next. But the only QB in this draft I see fitting in this spot is Christian Ponder, and frankly, I don't like his pro prospects. If I was an NFL GM, I wouldn't draft Ponder if you said I could have Super Bowl and Masters tickets for life (who am I kidding, yes I would). So like many other teams, I think Jacksonville waits to draft a QB. Since this is the third team I’m saying this for, yes, I believe there will be a run of QB's taken on Day 2. So I look to bolster the Jags 28th ranked pass defense, and to do that they make quite a reach and take shutdown CB Jimmy Smith out of Colorado. He's a big, physical corner than can frustrate opposing WR's at the line of scrimmage, an important trait for facing timing QB's Peyton Manning and Matt Schaub four times a year. Smith immediately takes the starting job opposite Rashied Mathis. Jacksonville fans b*#(% and moan for another year as the Jags refuse to take a QB. Hold on, what's that you say? There are no

CLICK HERE FOR PART II.

The Daily Rant: Hindsight Isn't Always 20/20

Keeping up with Chizzy's Daily Rant on the NFL Draft yesterday, I've got a bone to pick with seemingly every TV Draftnik out there. Former Dolphins football czar Bill Parcells (who was Vice President and Director of Football Operations for the Dolphins from December 2007 to some point in 2010; I think he cleaned out during the Week 5 bye and is now officially gone) is doing an NFL Draft special with ESPN's Mike Tirico.

The Miami Herald's Armando Salguero took a look at Parcell's status having departed from Miami. (Please keep in mind that I lotahe Armando Salguero as he's stolen people's work, generally discredits the Dolphins, is known for the infamous "High Five Gate", and is generally subpar in his writing, but this piece is good for him).

For all Parcells and GM Jeff Ireland (who actually had pick authority unless overidden by Parcells) have done, the Parcells era can be considered pretty good. Jake Long is unbiasedly the best left tackle in the NFL; they've turned the 32nd ranked run defense under Cam Cameron in 2007 into a top 7 unit, and they have incredible depth there. They unearthed CFL transfer Cameron Wake (14 sacks last year); drafted two starting CBs (Vontae Davis & Sean Smith); and managed to bring in a bunch of talent defensively. They also added Brandon Marshall - the best offensive weapon they've had since Ricky Williams circa 2002. The one issue that remains unsolved is quarterback...

And pretty much everybody says they should've drafted Matt Ryan 1st overall in 2008.

Enough of this. There's no way that Matt Ryan would have near the success he's had in Atlanta if he had landed in Miami. Let's get one thing straight, Jake Long was a beast at Michigan, and he's on pace for a Hall of Fame career...but he could do this anywhere had Miami not drafted him. Looking at the rest of that top class, which includes: Chris Long, Matt Ryan, Darren McFadden, Glenn Dorsey, Vernon Gholston, Sedrick Ellis, Derrick Harvey, Keith Rivers, and Jerod Mayo, ask yourself, which one's had the most success? Answer: Jake Long
Which one has made 3 Pro Bowls?: Jake Long
Which one has made an All-Pro team: Jake Long (okay, somehow Jerod Mayo made it this year...you'll have to explain to me how he made it over Ray Lewis and Brian Urlacher).

Miami simply picked the best player, which is what your supposed to do when you have the 1st overall pick (Al Davis, take notes).

Matt Ryan was blessed to come into Atlanta with Roddy White, Michael Jenkins, Michael Turner, and he got Tony Gonzalez a year later - a very nice core of weapons there, and he had a decent enough offensive line. Atlanta also drafted USC left tackle Sam Baker in the first round of 2008.

What was Matt Ryan going to do with Ronnie Brown (coming off a torn ACL in 2007), Ricky Williams (coming off a whopping 6 plays in 2007), Greg Camarillo, Ted Ginn, and David Martin as his weapons? I'll wait...
Miami did acquire TE Anthony Fasano in a draft day trade, and found a gem of an undrafted receiver in Davone Bess, but please, spare me, Matt Ryan wouldn't have helped Miami go 11-5 that season the way Chad Pennington did.

And that should be the end of the story. Miami took the best player, then took a QB later on. While Miami's coaching staff has been horrific in coaching most of their offensive players, Chad Henne included, they were a couple of bounces and a blown call against the Steelers away from making the postseason with Henne at the helm. Last I saw Matt Ryan is 0-2 in the postseaon. While one can make the argument that Miami needs a QB upgrade, how much better would Matt Ryan have been in Miami? Not much. Ireland made the right call taking Jake Long. He also tried to trade back into the first round to draft QB Joe Flacco, only to be overruled by Parcells and ended up drafting Phillip Merling, a reserve DE with that pick. Go figure.