Breaking down the Miami Dolphins' 2018 draft class.
Round 1, No. 11 overall: Minkah Fitzpatrick, DB, Alabama
My take: The Dolphins needed help all over their defense, whether it was at linebacker or safety, and Fitzpatrick was one of the top back-end playmakers available. He can play safety or cornerback, an important flexibility given the presence of Reshad Jones and T.J. McDonald on the roster. Tight ends crushed the Dolphins' defense last season, catching a league-high 94 passes against them in 16 games. Opposing quarterbacks completed 70 percent of the passes on which they targeted tight ends. Fitzpatrick should provide immediate help in stopping that trend.
QB or nah? We'll never know for sure how badly the Dolphins wanted a high-end replacement for Ryan Tannehill. They put in deep work on all of the top prospects, but the Buffalo Bills and Arizona Cardinals traded ahead of them to take Josh Allen and Josh Rosen, respectively. Would the Dolphins have taken Rosen if he had been available at No. 11? The Cardinals must have thought so. Dolphins general manager Chris Grier said the team remains committed to Tannehill. But if nothing else, the Dolphins deeply explored their options before confirming that commitment.
Playmaker: The last time the Dolphins took a defensive back in the first round was cornerback Vontae Davis in 2009. Fitzpatrick will help against tight ends, but from a broader perspective, he should be a playmaker, as well. He returned four interceptions for touchdowns in three years with Alabama, culminating in winning both the Bednarik and Thorpe awards. They are given to the player considered the best defensive player and the best defensive back, respectively, in college football.
Round 2, No. 42 overall: Mike Gesicki, TE, Penn State
My take: If you want your tight end to catch whatever is thrown his way, and you don't care if he can block, then Gesicki is your man. In essence, the Dolphins drafted a really big and athletic slot receiver. Gesicki overcame drop problems early in his career at Penn State to become the most prolific receiving tight end in school history. He has a crazy vertical leap -- a former volleyball player, he jumped 41.5 inches at the scouting combine -- and will be a mismatch for many defenses.
What it means: The Dolphins have given quarterback Ryan Tannehill a big target and weapon he can utilize in the red zone. That's what they hoped to get from veteran Julius Thomas last season, but he managed only three touchdowns in 14 games. Gesicki also will help cover for the loss of former slot receiver Jarvis Landry, who caught a combined 206 passes in Adam Gase's offense during the past two seasons.
Round 3, No. 73 overall: Jerome Baker, LB, Ohio State
My take: The Dolphins had an absolute need for an outside linebacker, especially one who is as fast and can cover pass-catchers as well as Baker. Along with safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, Baker will help increase the Dolphins' team speed. He'll also give them another option in coverage against opposing tight ends, who crushed them for a league-high 94 receptions in 2017.
What it means: The Dolphins have made no secret about addressing their needs, rather than drafting the best available player. They targeted speedy defensive players for their back seven, and both Baker and Fitzpatrick fit. They also targeted tight ends, taking their shot in the second round with Penn State's Mike Gesicki. Some teams claim they simply go by their board, but in the Dolphins' case, the board was skewed toward particular roster holes.
Round 4, No. 123 overall: Durham Smythe, TE, Notre Dame
My take: The Dolphins doubled up on one of their top needs after also selecting Penn State tight end Mike Gesicki in the second round. Gesicki's limitations as a blocker help justify using a pick on Smythe. From a larger sense, the Dolphins are in no way pretending to follow a position-agnostic draft board this weekend. They're targeting and grabbing players to address specific roster holes.
How he fits: Smythe is a really good blocker and will give the Dolphins to use as an in-line tight end, or perhaps even in the backfield, to free up Gesicki as a receiver. The contributions of such players are not always recognized externally, but they are vital to ensuring an offense works on a play-to-play basis.
Round 4, No. 131 overall: Kalen Ballage, RB, Arizona State
My take: The Dolphins can check the box of another need. Ballage is an intriguing physical prospect -- he is 6-foot-2 and 222 pounds, with 4.46 speed -- who nevertheless was never the full-time runner at ASU. (He split time with Demario Richard and never rushed for more than 700 yards in a season.) But at this point in the draft, he was a worthwhile selection.
How he fits: Running back has been an area of need since last year's decision to trade away Jay Ajayi. The Dolphins signed Frank Gore as a free agent, but he will be 35 when the season begins and can't be considered an every-down player. Ballage could push third-year running back Kenyan Drake for carries by the end of the season.
Round 6, No. 209 overall: Cornell Armstrong, CB, Southern Mississippi
My take: Once again, the Dolphins have doubled down on a position of need. Their first five picks included two defensive backs and two tight ends. Armstrong joins first-round pick Minkah Fitzpatrick as back-end defenders the Dolphins targeted to elevate their big-play capabilities. Some teams might prefer a greater variety of roster enhancement, but the Dolphins are staying true to their plan.
How he fits: The Dolphins brought Armstrong to their facility for a pre-draft interview and believe he can play both outside and in the nickel. He fits the profile the Dolphins created for the defensive players they wanted to draft. He runs the 40 in 4.45 seconds and will bring speed to their practices, special teams and perhaps their sub defenses as well.
Round 7, No. 227 overall: Quentin Poling, LB, Ohio
My take: In the seventh round, you're just looking for a player with a chance. Poling has some pretty impressive testing numbers for a player selected this low. As a linebacker, he runs the 40-yard dash in 4.58 seconds and has a 38-inch vertical jump. Most importantly, he once again fits the Dolphins' pre-draft profile targeting back-end speed for their defense and special teams.
How he fits: A player with these skills should be an excellent candidate for special teams. At 6-feet and 238 pounds, it's difficult to imagine him as a future starter. But he's the type of player that could provide depth at multiple positions while focusing on covering kicks.
Round 7, No. 229 overall: Jason Sanders, PK, New Mexico
My take: Drafting a kicker historically brings mixed results; the NFL has plenty of undrafted kickers on its rosters. But at this point in the draft, using a pick this low is preferable to competing for an undrafted player who figured to compel interest from multiple teams.
How he fits: Cody Parkey kicked for the Dolphins last season but signed with the Chicago Bears during free agency. Heading into the draft, in fact, the Dolphins didn't have a kicker on their roster. They will probably sign some form of competition for Sanders, but his status as a draft pick -- even in the seventh round -- gives him the edge.