N/S: Chris Long (DE/LB, Virginia) going to be #1 overall? (1 Viewer)

[meily]

Its either Long or Ryan...or they trade that pick to the Cowboys...Dorsey's knee injury may of kept him from being the number 1 overall pick, which will push him back and hopefully closer to us (either him or Ellis)

 

[CHI-TOWNSAINT]

Is Long really that good? He plays the same position as Suggs and Ware....is he on their level? Both of those players were taken in the 8-12 range. Seems kind of high to take a DE/LB to me.

 

[RJ in Lafayette]

Chris Long seems a good, safe, solid, conservative pick--but not at one where he will expect number one money. He has the type of talent you expect to see in someone going from 7 to 13, not in the first three picks of the draft. His best position seeems end in a 3-4, and most 3-4 ends are guys who tie up blockers and let the linebackers make plays. In a 4-3 defense, he is not big enough to play tackle and seems to lack the explosiveness to be a special pass rusher.

Miami will try to trade out of the one pick unless it believes Matt Ryan has Eli Manning or Philip Rivers talent.

 

[IceHot]

The Dolphins are in a similar situation IMO to those 9ers... Looking back, man, that '05 1st round was pretty LOUSY... especially the top 10.

Hey DWD,

Actually I think the top 10 had some decent picks relatively speaking.

2 Ronnie Brown - not a bad pick possibly the best of the class when healthy
3 Braylon Edwards - turned it on big time last season
5 Carnell "Cadillac" Williams - solid if only he could stay healthy as well
8 Antrel Rolle - a starter
9 Carlos Rogers - apparently good enough that they could let Champ go. My friend and Redskins fan says he is the best Corner on their squad.
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11 Demarcus Ware - pretty darn good
12 Shawne Merriman - real good
13 Jammal Brown - Pro Bowler
21 Matt Jones - not bad
28 Luis Castillo - solid
29 Marlin Jackson - Colts starting corner
30 Heath Miller Tight - pretty darn good
32 Logan Mankins - One of the best lineman on a superior team.

 

[Dave]

Dolphin moves could mean it'll be a Long draft

On Monday, Miami's new regime began what is the first of what is expected to be many waves of turning current Dolphins into former ones. In doing so, the team might have tipped off what it's thinking entering April's NFL draft. It appears that former offensive lineman and new head coach Tony Sparano isn't going to waste time molding a line in his image, and Michigan offensive tackle Jake Long might want to start looking for real estate in South Florida.

Four tackles were shown the door Monday by Miami general manager Jeff Ireland, including three who either played significant roles in 2007 or figured into the team's long-term plans during the recent past.

...For a management team that hasn't firmly stated a whole lot about what its agenda is in trying to resurrect the franchise, the release of Shelton -- along with two guys who could've stepped in for him -- by Ireland and Sparano is the most telling move yet. Shelton was in the middle of a four-year, $15 million deal signed in March of 2006. For the next two seasons, he could've held the right tackle position, giving Ireland time to find and Sparano time to coach up someone potentially better. Miami has elected to go in a different direction.
http://www.realfootball365.com/nfl/articles/21266.html

 

[Dave]

Peter King:Miami has set itself up for big offseason

The Miami Dolphins are very quietly setting themselves up to be an offseason power in the NFL. The waiving of quarterback Trent Green, wide receiver Marty Booker and offensive tackle L.J. Shelton this week added $9.9 million in savings to the 2008 salary-cap total, and helped boost the Dolphins' cap number from $29 million to $40 million.

The Dolphins are now positioned to make a run at one of a number of in-their-prime free agents -- linebacker Lance Briggs (27 next opening day), cornerback Asante Samuel (27) or safety Gibril Wilson (26) -- as well as having plenty of room to be mobile on draft day. The Dolphins can sit with the No. 1 pick and take a quarterback of the future, such as Boston College's Matt Ryan,or a defensive cornerstone, such as lineman Chris Long of Virginia, or they can trade down for multiple picks.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writers/peter_king/02/12/mmqb.tuesday/