On tonight's special episode of PhinManiacs Live, we review the first round of the draft and do a quick preview of day two. Then when the draft begins, we'll provide live coverage and analyze each move as they happen.

If you want to tweet the show, do so at @PhinManiacs, or you can call in to talk on the air with the panel by dialing 1-954-376-5704.

It's no secret that head coach Adam Gase was brought in with the intention of him "fixing" quarterback Ryan Tannehill and turning him into a top ten QB in the league.

But the first step was for Gase to take a good, long look at Tannehill's tape and see what he had to work with. Now in veteran mini-camp, Gase got the chance to see what Tannehill could do live and in person, and it seems that the veteran quarterback showed something his rookie head coach could look forward to.

“I guess I’m still trying to figure out a few things; but, I guess I didn’t realize how live his arm was." Gase said on Wednesday. "The more I watch him throw, it’s effortless. That ball travels down the field pretty good and he’s hit some big plays, and then just underneath having some touch. It’s been good to kind of just get out here and see things live. When you watch it on tape, you don’t get a great feel for on tape compared to when you see a guy throw live.”

Tannehill's fate is up for grabs right now, and most critics are giving him only one more try to prove he's not a mediocre quarterback despite his individual accomplishments.

​He'll have pretty much everything a quarterback could need in 2016. They drafted a stud offensive lineman in Laremy Tunsil who many say is the best o-line prospect to come out of the draft in years, and he'll likely take the guard spot next to Branden Albert who's recovered and ready to go.

He'll also have his weapons returning from last year and a coach who knows how to get the best out of his players' individual talents rather than trying to squeeze them into a role they're uncomfortable with, which Tannehill stated he was excited about.

"I think just the mindset of Coach Gase and the way he wants to attack the field; the multitude of things we can do – whether it’s on the ball, in the huddle, moving guys around, creating matchups – he focuses a lot on that." Tannehill said. "And that’s what this game is; it’s a game of matchups. So I’m excited for that – to be able to get on the ball, work with him, get us in a good play and create those matchups where we can have an advantage.”

If things don't work out this year, if improvement - or more important, consistency - isn't shown, that it would indicate that Miami should probably try to move on from Tannehill and draft a new QB in 2017. No doubt Miami Hurricane Brad Kaaya is on the minds of many fans in Miami already.

He'll have one year to get this right with Adam Gase. If it doesn't work out, there's a significant chance Tannehill will have played his last season in aqua and orange.

This story was written by Luis Sung. Follow him on Twitter: @FLSportDebater

The 2016 NFL draft had perhaps the most unpredictable first round in recent years. Analysts both of the fan and professional variety were regularly caught off guard by the picks being made and several highly-ranked prospects dropped right out of the first round.

Fortunately for the Miami Dolphins (and unfortunately for the prospect they picked), an incident with a hacked Twitter account and a video that never should've been released to the public caught a lot of teams off guard and caused Ole Miss offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil to take a tumble from his projected draft position.

Until Miami caught him and stopped his fall.

Before the video was released, Tunsil was considered to be a top three pick in the draft, in fact some draft experts saw him as the most talented player overall. The fall cost him millions in yearly salary for his rookie contract, and now he'll have a lot to answer for as not only the video is taken into account, but soon after he was selected, his Instagram account was also hacked and showed a conversation between him and a coach from college which showed that he accepted money from the college to pay for his mother's $305 utility bill.

The issues are already well-documented, and according to the Dolphins, they didn't see that as a problem when they drafted him as he remained the second best player on their draft board.

“We had heard rumors, but we had done work." said General Manager Chris Grier. "We had known about it. The video is two years old. So, from all the information we had, we were comfortable with it. We had some information. But obviously once it happened, we called some people we know to check and just triple check and make sure. And obviously before you take anyone when a guy falls like that, we went back and we dug into the research again and just made sure.”

Everything we've heard from Laremy Tunsil thus far has suggested that he's aware of what he did and he knows it was wrong. This is a good sign. Rather than denying the incidents, he owned up to it and seems determined to show that he's learned from his mistakes.

​The real question now is what will Tunsil's role be now that he's been picked by the Miami Dolphins. The team has three very good tackles with Tunsil, Branden Albert and Ja'Wuan James. They also have former Pro Bowler Jermon Bushrod on the roster to add more depth.

Obviously Tunsil won't be riding the bench, he's too good for that. And as it's been stated numerous times already, the best five offensive linemen will be starting. Tunsil is immediately one of those five.

There are two options to consider.

1: Miami moves veteran tackle Branden Albert to guard where he played in college, potentially extending his career as it'll give him more support, but possibly raising his ire as he seems adamant about remaining at left tackle.

2: Miami bumps Tunsil inside and lets him get accustomed to the speed of the NFL while playing in-between Albert and center Mike Pouncey, while Albert can groom him to become the team's future franchise left tackle when Albert eventually moves on (which should be fairly soon).

Whichever route Miami takes, they'll now have to deal with the media putting Tunsil under a microscope for a while. He was unable to attend his introductory press conference because of an "allergic reaction" which already has many suspicious as to the true nature of his absence. He had been at the Dolphins training facility for several hours and met with team doctors.

It could be a lie, it could be the truth, it could simply be a ploy to keep Tunsil away from the media until things calm down somewhat. What's important right now is what Miami will do with him on the field. His presence will give quarterback Ryan Tannehill some real protection for the first time in his career, and give an instant upgrade to the Dolphins offense.

Now Miami just needs to provide some protection for Tunsil until things cool off, and Tunsil in return, needs to make sure he keeps himself on the straight and narrow. Miami may have temptations, but they're not so irresistible that he won't be able to keep his nose clean. With any luck, Tunsil will be able to protect Tannehill and himself at the same time.

This story was written by Luis Sung. Follow him on Twitter: @FLSportDebater

With the 13th pick the Miami Dolphins got Laremy Tunsil, the second best player on their board, in the NFL draft. Some might say that they got the guy that twelve other teams took a pass on. I say that's right. And that's a great thing for the Dolphins.

In 1998 I was a bit younger and had a bit more hair and a lot less gut. I was also a lot dumber. As I watched that draft I saw team after team take a pass on wide receiver Randy Moss. And with good reason.

Moss had gone through not one, not two, but three college programs, going from Notre Dame to Florida State to, finally, Marshall. Notre Dame I can understand but can you imagine how bad your character has to be to get you kicked out of Florida State?

If that wasn't bad enough, Moss had completely blown the pre-draft process, frequently going out of his way to ruffle the feathers of the NFL teams he visited. During his trip to Chicago to interview with the Bears, he disappeared after a night on the town the evening before. There was no answer at his hotel room the morning after and he completely missed the visit.

How bad did I think Moss was? I'm on the record as saying that Moss would be in jail before his rookie contract was up. I really believed that.

But during the draft, something happened. As team after team passed on Moss, he reportedly became visibly upset. At one point he left the spot where he was watching the draft to disappear into a bedroom, evidently to cry in his frustration. That was a turning point.

Finally, after it was estimated for months that he'd be a top five pick, Moss, a generational talent, went to the Minnesota Vikings at 21st overall. And right then, he became a virtual model citizen for the rest of his career.

Fast forward almost twenty years and its 2016. I may be older but I'm a lot smarter than I used to be. And despite the fact that Miami took a big risk on Laremy Tunsil, I'm overjoyed for Dolphins fans.

After a video of Tunsil smoking marijuana with a gas mask on surfaced on Twitter right before the draft started, the tackle that was thought to be the 1st overall pick just a month before took a free fall down the board. As pick after pick went by many saw a tragedy unfolding before their eyes on national television. And so did I. But at the same time, the farther Tunsil fell, the more I felt opportunity knocking. And, fortunately, the Miami Dolphins answered.

The difference between the 6th overall pick where the Ravens too tackle Ronnie Stanley and the 13th? Over $8 million.

We don't know whether Tunsil learned the lesson that Randy Moss did on that night in 1998. But watching Tunsil's face as team after team took a pass on him, its awfully hard not to believe that he did.

Be happy, Dolphins fans. You got perhaps the best player in the 2016 NFL draft in the middle of the first round. And the bet here is that from now on, he'll be clean as a whistle.

This column was written by Tom Shannon. Follow him on Twitter: @bearingthenews
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On this week's episode of PhinManiacs Live, the crew will be giving you all live draft coverage and analysis of each pick as they're made. Your hosts for the evening will be Chad Ronnebaum (@Gofins4SB) and Ron Canniff (@FinsBroadcaster) while Luis D. Sung (@FLSportDebater) will be calling in from time to time to report live from the Dolphins draft party being held in Davie, Florida at the Don Taft University Center Arena.

Also joining in will be Doug Moore (@DMooreNFL) of Gridiron Experts and later on Matt Barbato (@RealMattbarbato) of New York Jet Fuel will call and give his thoughts on the draft as it continues.

If you want to tweet the show, tweet us at @PhinManiacs or you can call in and give your opinion on the air by dialing 1-954-376-5704. Make sure to tune in!

After concluding their veteran mini camp, and with the 2016 NFL draft just hours away, the Miami Dolphins have released five players. Those players are:

Defensive back Damarr Aultman
Wide receiver Tyler Davis
Wide receiver Robert Herron
Defensive tackle Robert Thomas II
Linebacker Terrell Manning

The most notable of the five is Davis, who was a two-way star in the German League, earning MVP honors with 94 catches for 1,733 yards, and snagging six interceptions as a defensive back as well. But at  5’-10”and 178 pounds, Davis was a long shot to make the Dolphins, as they have three solid starters in Jarvis Landry, DeVante Parker, and Kenny Stills. Barring the draft, Matt Hazel and Griff Whalen are expected to fill out the 4th and 5th wide receiver spots.

The rest of the released players were reserve/futures players. Herron was signed as a wide receiver, but the Dolphins attempted to move him to defensive back. Thomas has spent time on four NFL team practice squads in the past two years, while Manning has bounced around to NFL teams in his four years in the league.

This story was written by Eldon Jenson. Follow him on Twitter @EJFootball

It's been speculated over the past couple of months that one of Miami's biggest needs on the roster is at running back, and the front office has been exploring every possibility to fill the void left by the departure of Lamar Miller.

But the need may be growing smaller as second-year running back Jay Ajayi has started to show Adam Gase what he can do, and the rookie head coach seemed very impressed with what he saw in the first day of mini-camp.

“When I watched him coming out of college and then now I see him in person, I guess I never realized how shifty he was, and today was a great example." he said. "Just seeing him stick his foot in the ground and change direction, you didn’t see him do that a lot in college. Just being able to see him move around, it was very impressive for me to see him in person. The way he cut in some of the run game schemes … I mean I’m really excited to see what we can do going forward.”

Now on the second day of camp, Ajayi continued to impress Gase, and possibly even make a case that he deserves to be the starter, and according to Gase, Ajayi appears unfazed by the idea that Miami may draft a running back in the first round.

"I don’t think he’s worried about it. I think he’s focused on what he’s trying to do right now. I mean he looks out there right now and he knows he’s a starter." Gase said. "We’re going out there (and) he’s getting better every day. He’s showing me a lot of great things. I like his skill set. I liked him coming out (of college). He’s impressed me more both days, from the first day to the second day. We’ll just keep learning and we’ll just keep giving him opportunities.”

Ajayi himself echoed those sentiments.

“I’m not worried about that stuff." he said. "That’s out of my control. I can only control my mentality every day and my work ethic. And that’s what I’m going to do.”

The former Boise State running back stated that he'd like to lose some weight this offseason to add some extra speed to his game, and he's not concerned about losing any strength because he's losing weight through eating better and cutting out junk.

"I’m working with (Team Nutritionist) Mary Ellen (Bingham) on nutrition and all that. Really, it was just cutting out a lot of the junk food and (about) trying to eat (well), cook more at home to (the point) where I feel healthier." Ajayi said. "I’m still working out really strong with the physical training coaches – (Head Strength and Conditioning) Coach (Dave) Puloka and all of them. So, I feel strong. I don’t feel like I’m losing any strength. So, that was really (about) cutting out the bad diet in my dieting.

“I know that I can be a powerful runner (who) prides himself on breaking tackles and stuff. But I wanted to add another arsenal to my game of being quick, being able to make those quick cuts, getting that one cut and getting down the field fast. That’s kind of through my training in the offseason. That’s what I was working on: to try and be a little bit shiftier so I can make more people miss and also break tackles as well to create more yards on the field."

Tackle breaking is something that Dolphins fans have been wanting from their running backs since the days of Ricky Williams, and Ajayi showed the potential to be that kind of runner during his rookie year. If he can add extra speed to that strength, then he could become one of the better runners in the league, and he's very excited to take advantage of the opportunity.

“I’ve been excited since I found out that Lamar (Miller) was going to be moving on and that the position would be available. I’ve just been pushing myself through this offseason to prepare myself to have a great sophomore season." Ajayi said. "I was able to get a lot of opportunities last year when I finally started playing, and I felt comfortable. Now, I’m ready to elevate my game to a new level this season.”

This story was written by Luis Sung. Follow him on Twitter: @FLSportDebater

It is no secret that Miami has struggled to field a solid linebacker corps for many seasons.  Free agent after free agent has failed to pan out as hoped. This year the front office took a different approach and acquired Kiko Alonso via trade. That moves comes with risk as Alonso has dealt with knee injuries the last two seasons.

Unfortunately, his knees have not allowed him to be on the field to display his Pro Bowl level talent. It is way too early to know anything after a day of voluntary practice, which new head coach Adam Gase pointed out.

“I would say it’s tough for me to predict anything." he said. "I mean, it’s been one day. We’ve had eight meetings. Time will tell. We have a long ways to go and we’ll see how it goes for the rest of the offseason.”

With that being said, many eyes will be on Kiko Alonso during training camp wondering if the team finally has the answer for its woes at linebacker. After the first voluntary practice, Kiko was available to answer some questions and give a few updates.

After two injury plagued seasons, a lot of attention will be placed on Alonso’s health. When he was asked if he feels he can go full speed with no limitations, his answer was a confident “Absolutely.” Similarly he was asked if he has physically regained everything from before his injury and his answer was simply “yeah.” 

It is quickly becoming clear that Alonso is a man that does his talking on the field. One question on people’s minds is if he felt that he was not 100 percent back from his injury last season. Alonso made no excuses.

“I don’t like to fall back on that. I just didn’t have a good year, and that’s just how it was. I just have to get better.”

Alonso, like all the other players, are now going to be playing for new coaching staff.  Many people are wondering how the players will respond to such a young head coach. Alonso had an interesting perspective on what stood out to him about coach Gase.

“Just his desire to try and get better (and) try to find ways to get better.” 

Alonso is expected to play middle linebacker in new defensive coordinator Vance Joesph’s scheme, and he described Joseph’s scheme as aggressive. He is not the first player to echo these sentiments so I think you can expect the scheme to involve some more high risk, high reward calls during the games this year. 

One thing important with a veteran player is that they know how to pick up the scheme. This will be vital for Alonso since he will be calling the defensive plays on the field.  This was not a concern for him however, in fact he said he seemed rather lax about the prospect.

“I’ve been calling (plays) my whole football career.”

One interesting side aspect of Alonso is he attended the University of Oregon with Dion Jordan. They are still friends that stay in contact. When asked how Jordan is doing and if he thinks Jordan will be back, Alonso didn't say much.

“We’ll see. That’s not up to me. I’d love for him to be here. He’s a great football player.”

Other than that he wisely wanted to stay away from talking about his old college teammate. He was asked if he Jordan will apply for reinstatement to which he responded,

“That’s between you guys and Dion Jordan.”

In today’s NFL teams are going away from one dimensional linebackers. Teams want versatile linebackers that can do it all, which is likely why the Dolphins had interest in Alonso. He clearly seems up for the task when he mentioned that he fit that mold.

“I like to think at the linebacker position that I can do it all. I think to be a great linebacker now – in this day and age – you have to do it all. You have to be able to stop the run. You have to be able to play in coverage. You have to be able to play man-to-man.”

Kiko Alonso is certainly focused on getting better. When asked what he thought about his career in league so far all he had to say was this:

“That’s a good question. I don’t know. I think it is yet to be said. All I’m worried about is getting better and using this time to get better and learn the defense.”

That is exactly the attitude coaches love to see from the players this time of year. Alonso is a man of few words, but they're oozing with confidence, and that's the kind of attitude that has been missing from the team for some time. Hopefully it takes form on the field.

This story was written by Chad Ronnebaum. Follow him on Twitter: @Gofins4SB

Cornerback is currently one of the biggest needs on the Dolphins roster, and unless Miami invests a first-round pick in the upcoming draft into that position, that doesn't appear likely to change anytime soon.

But while Miami looks just about everywhere for a possible solution at corner from the outside, a certain young player has been working towards possibly becoming the answer the Dolphins have been looking for, and right in their own backyard. This player's name is Tony Lippett.

Lippett, who was drafted by the Dolphins out of Michigan State in the fifth-round of the 2015 NFL draft, spent his rookie year not only fighting through the normal transition period that comes from making the jump from college to the pros, but he also had to make the transition from being a full-time wide receiver to a full-time corner.

“I feel more comfortable with the position,” Lippett said after the first day of veteran's mini-camp. “Going through what I went through last year as far as learning some coaches and the players who were on the team and just going through practicing, basically just trying to get better every day. I feel like now I’m just going to continue to do that and just continue to grind the days out and at the end of the day just work on the little things I need to work on.”

Lippett showed excellent promise in his rookie year, appearing in nine games where he made 13 tackles and deflected a pass. Standing at 6'2" and 200 pounds, Lippett also fits the mold of cornerback that Miami appears to be trying to utilize: bigger, longer and rangier than in years past.

Naturally, his making a position change means he's still a raw prospect, and he was drafted by the Dolphins with the presumed intention of making him a long-term project. But during Tuesday's mini-camp, the young Michigan State alumni found himself lining up opposite cornerback Byron Maxwell, who by default is currently Miami's number one boundary man.

That made Lippett - at least for that practice period - the number two corner.

“I feel like it’s a good thing,” Lippett said, “But I’ve got to continue to grind and continue to learn the system, grow within the system, grow within the team and just try to make plays the best way I can.”

He'll have a new system to learn now that Vance Joseph is the defensive coordinator as opposed to Kevin Coyle or Lou Anarumo, and he's going to have competition as there six other corners on the team who'll be fighting for the other starting spot alongside Maxwell. Lippett is looking forward to that battle.

“Competition is good,” he said. “Competition brings the best out of each and every player. We’re all going to compete against each other in there, but we’re all going to help each other out as well. I feel like it’s always good having competition. You can never go wrong with competing."

One of those competitors will be former second-round draft pick Jamar Taylor, who has struggled in years past and will be looking to redeem himself in a new scheme with a new coaching staff. According to head coach Adam Gase, Taylor - along with every other player on the roster - will be getting a chance to do just that.

“He’s no different than every other guy." Gase said of Taylor. "When we had our first team meeting, the statement was, ‘It didn’t matter who you were before this.’ You’re getting a fresh start. Everybody’s walking in the building (with a) clean slate. So if you were lazy and didn’t try hard last year, you could be the hardest-working guy walking through the door and I won’t know any different. We’re encouraging guys to just come out here and give us everything they have and see how it shakes out for them."

With everyone getting a fresh start, that also means everyone is on equal footing as the offseason programs begin. There are very few instant favorites, there are no biases towards certain players, and that means Lippett will get a good chance to show that he's learned what it means to be an NFL cornerback, and it may even translate to a starting job if he can show what he's learned on the field.

“I feel like I had a decent offseason where I could focus on corner and not focus on wide receiver, if I’m going to play wide receiver, if I’m going to play corner." Lippett said. "I feel like I got to pay a little bit more attention to the corner scheme and the corner technique and things like that. I feel like I’m a step ahead of where I was last year in that department. 

“What I’m trying to do is just control what I can control and just trying to make plays to the best of my ability and just continue to learn the system, the ins and outs of playing corner.”

Obviously the expectations shouldn't be placed too high for the young receiver turned corner, but if he keeps grinding away, and learning the position he's been placed at, he may just become the successful project that the Dolphins have been aiming for.

So far, everything seems to be going well.

This story was written by Luis Sung. Follow him on Twitter: @FLSportDebater

The Miami Dolphins began their voluntary veteran's mini-camp on Tuesday, and four of the Dolphins defensive players were absent. Linebacker Koa Misi was reported ill, defensive end Mario Williams had a personal matter to handle, defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh was off doing his own thing...and safety Reshad Jones wants a new contract.

Jones, who was invited to his first Pro Bowl last season as an alternate, may be planning to sit out the Dolphins' offseason programs until an extension is reached and he's looking for a contract that will pay him $10-11 million a year, similar to the deals that safeties Eric Berry and Earl Thomas received, according to the Miami Herald's Adam Beasley.

The 28-year old safety had a career year in 2015, setting career records in tackles with 135, interceptions with 5, and defensive touchdowns with 2, as well as tying his career record in sacks with 2. As of now, Jones is in the third year of a 4-year, $28 million contract, which would pay him a base salary of $7.225 million for 2016 and $7.06 million for 2017.

Jones is already the highest paid strong safety in the NFL, now he's looking to be one of the highest paid safeties overall and he seems willing to sit out the entire offseason program to have a stare down with the organization until he gets the money he wants. Head coach Adam Gase seems unconcerned about missing out at this point in time.

“It’s voluntary. Every day I’m coming in this thing and when guys show up, we’re going to help them and we’re going to help them get better. But right now it’s a voluntary camp." Gase said. "It’s a voluntary program, so guys can come and go as they please.”

Of course, that won't necessarily be the case come June, when camps become mandatory and players can be fined for sitting out. Gase says he'll wait until then to address things if the issue remains.

“I’m not going to get upset about anything right now. It’s the first day of voluntary vet mini-camp. So we’ll see how everything goes once we get to June.”

Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald pointed out that taking this stance now was a savvy veteran business move on Jones' part. With the team's lack of depth at the safety position, it becomes even more clear that the Dolphins need Jones, and with the performances he's put out on the field, he wants to be paid like the players whom he calls his peers and he has the leverage to get it.

This situation has an enormous effect on not just the short-term status of the Dolphins, but the long-term as well. Jones is one of the team's best players and he is one of the league's best safeties. If the Dolphins play hardball with Jones, he may want to go elsewhere, and there's sure to be a large market for a player of his caliber.

Miami could force Jones to play out the last two seasons of his contract and then let him go, or they could lock him up long-term and give in to his demands. General Manager Chris Grier will have to treat this as his first real test at his new position, as the decision he makes could have a huge impact on the future of the Dolphins defense.

This story was written by Luis Sung. Follow him on Twitter: @FLSportDebater

The Miami Dolphins have been in full-offseason mode for weeks now, with strength and conditioning programs in place, and they have even had some informal on-field work. But today is the start of the veteran mini-camp, which will involve a lot more on-field work, and the chance for new head coach Adam Gase to introduce his playbook with live ammunition for the first time this year.

Although attendance for these first mini-camps are voluntary, every healthy player is expected to attend, since skipping a practice isn’t the best career move for a player with a new head coach, staff and playbook.

Players such as quarterback Ryan Tannehill have been working with teammates already this offseason, but they haven’t officially been able to talk with the coaching staff, see the playbook, or implement new plays. This will be a chance for all the players (and fans) to find out if the 2016 Dolphins offense will resemble the Denver Broncos or Chicago Bears (where Gase spent three years as offensive coordinator), or most likely, a hybrid of both with a few new wrinkles mixed in. The defense, under the tutelage of Vance Joseph, may take on a look similar to the Cincinnati Bengals, or schemes may be simplified to take advantage of the personnel at Joseph’s disposal.

These mini-camps will also be the first chance for newcomers such as cornerback Byron Maxwell, linebacker Kiko Alonso, and offensive lineman Jermon Bushrod to get to know their new teammates. And although the NFL draft isn’t until Thursday night, there will be a chance to see the glaring needs the team has at certain positions, most notably cornerback, linebacker, and the interior of the offensive line.

The camps continue for three days, ending Thursday afternoon.

This story was written by Eldon Jenson. Follow him on Twitter @EJFootball.

Just when you thought it was over, it comes back stronger than ever.

After U.S. District Judge Richard Berman ruled back in September 2015 that Patriots QB Tom Brady would not have to serve his four-game suspension for the infamous DeflateGate scandal, a federal appeals court has decided to overturn that ruling and give the victory to the NFL in its battle against the Players Association.

"We hold that the Commissioner properly exercised his broad discretion under the collective bargaining agreement and that his procedural rulings were properly grounded in that agreement and did not deprive Brady of fundamental fairness," the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Monday in a 2-1 decision in New York.

Once again DeflateGate has come to the forefront, and the discussion as to whether or not Tom Brady was guilty in tampering with the PSI of the footballs used in the playoff game against the Indianapolis Colts in January 2015 has again been reignited.

"Our role is not to determine for ourselves whether Brady participated in a scheme to deflate footballs or whether the suspension imposed by the Commissioner should have been for three games or five games or none at all. Nor is it our role to second-guess the arbitrator's procedural rulings," Judge Barrington D. Parker wrote in the majority opinion. "Our obligation is limited to determining whether the arbitration proceedings and award met the minimum legal standards established by the Labor Management Relations Act."

Now Roger Goodell has been given a huge victory, and his "especially broad" scope of power in the league has been validated once more...but only for now, as ESPN's Andrew Brandt has mentioned that Brady and his legal team now have two options available to them.

Regardless of what the chances are, there's no doubt that Brady will be fighting to get this suspension overturned all over again. His most recent contract with the Patriots lowered his salary from $9 million to $1 million, which lowers the loss he would've suffered over losing four games worth of pay from over $2 million to over $200,000. But the money is the least of Brady's worries, he'll want those games back.

The NFL released a statement regarding the ruling.

"We are pleased the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit ruled today that the Commissioner properly exercised his authority under the collective bargaining agreement to act in cases involving the integrity of the game," the NFL said in a statement. "That authority has been recognized by many courts and has been expressly incorporated into every collective bargaining agreement between the NFL and NFLPA for the past 40 years."

Now what - if anything - does this suspension mean for Miami? Obviously, it could mean a lot, if it's upheld of course. Miami is set to visit Foxborough during Week 2 of the regular season, which means that the Dolphins would only have to deal with Jimmy Garoppolo at QB rather than the future Hall of Famer.

Of course, tight end Rob Gronkowski will still be there, along with new TE acquisition Martellus Bennett and the usually tough New England defense. By no means should the game be expected to be easy now, but the loss of Brady certainly helps Miami's odds of leaving New England with a "W" on their schedule rather than the "L" that was previously expected.

Dolphins fans are obviously happy that this is happening, but at the same time I imagine there's also the thought that hopefully this all ends soon. DeflateGate happened two seasons ago, and it's time for the battle to end. Hopefully, it goes away quickly this time and we can all move on to different things.

This story was written by Luis Sung. Follow him on Twitter: @FLSportDebater

Miami Dolphins safety Michael Thomas on Friday, April 22, teamed with SunTrust Bank’s South Florida President & CEO Margaret Callihan to teach 11th and 12th grade students at Norland Senior High School about the importance of making good financial decisions.

​As part of Financial Literacy month, Callihan and Thomas lead the students through three topical discussions: setting financial goals, renting vs. buying and the pros and cons of homeownership. The one-hour exercise concluded with a game to challenge the students and a raffle for a Michael Thomas autographed Miami Dolphins helmet.
 
“Having Michael Thomas and SunTrust visit today really made an impact on the students and the way they learn and view finance,” Miami Norland High School Principal Reginald E. Lee said. “The Dolphins and SunTrust have and continue to be great community partners in our school, and we’re always delighted to have them around the students shaping their future.” 
 
The event took place in April in celebration of Financial Literacy Month to teach Americans how to establish and maintain healthy financial habits. Early education about how to properly manage finances can lead to stability and confidence and reduce overall financial stresses. 

I have been on Twitter lately and have seen some outrageous tweets coming from Dolphins fans. I have heard we need to trade up to and get Ezekiel Elliott. Trade up? I am not dogging anyone’s opinion and everyone has the right to say what they want. I know it comes from love for the team, but trading up for anyone is risky enough and moving up for a running back is poor draft strategy.

I have reservations already about drafting a running at pick 13, if you would like to read why I would hesitate on picking a running back in the first they are in my Ezekiel Elliott article. I am saying to these ZEKEHEADS, there are guys that can be good enough in this draft at the running back position. C.J. Prosise is one of these guys that are good enough and will be available on the second day of the draft.

There is a lot to like about C.J. Prosise. He has great size for a running back, 6'0" ft. 225 lbs. He also has great ability to be a three down running back. As a former wide receiver, Prosise has positional versatility which head coach Adam Gase really likes. I am extremely impressed with Prosise and have been banging on the table for him since Miami lost Lamar Miller.

My plan was always Jay Ajayi, a cheap but effective veteran, and Prosise. One of the most intriguing parts about Prosise is his ability on special teams. In 2014, Procise led Notre Dame in special teams tackles, and was named the team Special Teams Player of the Year.

​Prosise can run with enough power to break tackles. On this play Prosise breaks three tackles to get a first down before getting tackled. 

Prosise has more than enough speed to be a home run hitter. This clip displays his breakaway speed; once Prosise sees a crease he puts the after burners on and runs for pay dirt.
​

Prosise can pass block enough to give his QB a clean pocket. On this play Prosise picks up a blitzing linebacker. He actually shows a lot of willingness and good skills for pass blocking.
​

Prosise shows more than enough ability to catch the ball. Prosise’s ability to catch the ball may stem from him being a former wide receiver. On this play Prosise leaks out of the backfield and runs a route to the flanks. The quarterback doesn’t throw the most accurate pass but Prosise adjusts to make a secure catch then has the ability to fluidly run up field with the ball.
​

On this play, Prosise shows enough ability to run outside. He sets a defender up well with a false step inside that holds the defender in the gap then bounces outside with a burst.
​ 

Prosise was used in jet sweeps a number of times against Navy. You may say anyone can run a jet sweep but this isn’t true. You need an athlete with vision, speed and quickness. Prosise shows all three attributes on this play.
​

Prosise shows enough patience on this play. Prosise is on an outside run, he shows a good steady pace until he sees his hole and explodes, which results in a touchdown.
​

Prosise has pretty good vision and cutback ability. On this play Prosise is running to the outside, he sees a hole open up. That is when Prosise plants his outside foot and bursts through the hole.
​

Prosise has shown some problems with fumbles, having five for the 2015 season. This is a problem that I am ok with my running backs having because it is fixable. On this play the defender hits the ball perfectly but Prosise should have two hands on the ball especially because he can see the defender coming.
​

​This film review was done by Matthew Knowles. Follow him on Twitter: @blueflamespcl

Every year a new squad makes its way onto the field to cheer on the Miami Dolphins, and on Saturday, fifty candidates were chosen to participate in the finals and see if they have what it takes to be the next group of Miami Dolphins cheerleaders.

"As a cheerleader, we're not only on the field cheering the game, but we also do things with the community," said Estefania, who had been on the squad for three years. "We visit hospitals, schools, and we also do military tours which is amazing because they do so much for us."

The point is always made that there's more to being a Dolphins cheerleader than just doing high-kicks on the field or the sidelines and looking pretty, there's also a responsibility to represent the organization.

Together, the squad has built friendships with each other as they go out and show the world what it really means to be a cheerleader, and a lot of girls were looking forward to that camaraderie, and perhaps even aim for a leadership role with the squad.

"I'm hoping that I'll gain leadership experience because I've had the experience in the past," said Avia, who was a former cheerleader for the Cincinnati Bengals before coming to audition for the Dolphins. "I'm hoping that I can maybe get to a captain or leadership position, just to be around the girls that want the same thing as I do."

And there were many candidates who did indeed share Avia's ambition. Some - like her - had been cheerleaders on other teams' squads beforehand, some had family members who had once been Dolphins cheerleaders themselves and felt that being one was in their blood and they wanted to continue that legacy.

Then there were some like Maggie, who had auditioned once before many years ago and was taking another shot at making the squad as it had been something she'd wanted to do for a long time.

"All my life," Maggie said. "I was one (a cheerleader) in high school, I love dance, I love football and I love the energy. It's all involved, it's all intertwined. I can only pray and if not I still had a great time, met a lot of great people, and if not I'll try again next year."

Nearly 300 registrants with varying cultural backgrounds huddled into the practice bubble at the Dolphins practice facility in Davie, and only fifty chosen ladies will move on to the finals where they'll compete with returning Dolphins cheerleaders and the twenty finalists from the international auditions that took place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Buenos Aires, Argentina, Mexico City. Mexico and Bogota, Colombia to see who will make the final squad.

It isn't easy to do this job, but most who have gotten to be cheerleaders have said that the experience was more than worth it. If there was one message that Estefania could send to the participants, she said it would be this:

"Give it your all, always have fun, always smile and they've made it so far and just be confident with yourself."

And confidence is something the participants will need going into the finals which take place on May 1st. It will be held at the Miniaci Theater at Nova Southeastern University and it will be open to the public. The next squad will be revealed soon, and there's no doubt that these ladies will be giving it their all to make their dreams come true.

This story was written by Luis Sung. Follow him on Twitter: @FLSportDebater

​Header Photo Credit: Miami Dolphins

Shaq Lawson needs to be at or near the top of the Miami Dolphins' draft board. Lawson’s ceiling is very high in my opinion because he has a ton of tools to work with as a pass rusher. Lawson’s floor is also very high because at the very least he can be a run stuffing defensive end that can give you clean up sacks with his relentlessness.

I am certain if he stays healthy he will be a perennial Pro Bowler due to his relentlessness, quick burst, strength, technique, and many tools he has to rush the passer.

Lawson is a creator. He has great hand technique that prevents offensive tackles from putting their hands on him and controlling him. He has enough quickness to win on an outside pass rush; which makes offensive tackles have to respect the outside pass rush. 

Lawson makes offensive tackles pay for over committing with a plethora of counter moves. Lawson can counter with a quick side step, a spin move, and a bull rush.

Lawson is the only confirmed Force Player in this draft class. Justis Mosqueda, the brain trust behind Force Players, describes Force Players as, “an athletic threshold based off of combine performances of pass-rushers that I’ve been working on since 2011… It works as a healthy risk analysis based on a sample of the 2005 through 2015 draft classes… It’s heavily based around the three-cone drill and both the vertical and broad jumps. The short shuttle and the 10-yard split from the 40-yard dash are weighted more than the 40-yard dash itself.”

Some of the Force Players are J.J. Watt, Von Miller, Clay Matthews, DeMarcus Ware, Khalil Mack, Ziggy Ansah, Mario Williams, and etc. The list is filled with impressive players, and can be seenhere, also Draft twitter fans need to follow Justis Mosqueda. Mosqueda is a bright rising star in the draft community.

​Lawson is one of the best prospects in this draft at playing the run. He has great strength in his punch. This play demonstrates Lawson’s awesome punch when he tosses the blocker out of the way to make a tackle for loss. 

Lawson racked up 12 sacks in the 2015-16 season, but I feel like he could have gotten more. In my opinion, scheme limited Lawson’s sack production. He was asked to stay home a lot, this means to not rush the QB and let things come to him, especially when playing option teams in college. This play demonstrates exactly what I am talking about.
​

The thing I love about Lawson is he has moves on moves. Lawson on this play tries to get past the left tackle’s outside shoulder. The left tackle matches him step for step, so Lawson does a vicious spin move. Luckily for the left tackle, his left guard comes to assist and obstructs Lawson’s inside path to the QB.

Lawson does not give up. He finds his balance and runs past the left tackle’s outside path again. Lawson was able to get a hand on the QB but he lost his balance and fell to the floor.
​

Lawson has a really high motor as shown on this play. Lawson gets stopped for attempt to get to the pass rusher but keeps working towards the sack. Lawson doesn’t give up on the play which leads him to getting the sack.
​

Lawson doesn’t have the best first step nor is he a natural bender, he does however have great hand technique and an inside power rush game. This sets up Lawson’s ability to win the edge. Lawson keeps moving and doesn’t allow the left tackle to get his hands on him. Here is an example.
​

It is strange with Lawson because even though he doesn’t have an incredible first step off the snap, he does have a great sudden burst. This clip shows his freaky sudden quickness.
​

On this play, Lawson shows what happens when he gets his hands into the blocker’s chest. He has violent relentless hands and is able to push back the left tackle.
​

Lawson has a great hand swipe. It is on display in this clip. Lawson swipes the hands of the left tackle which takes away the left tackle's ability to get a hand on Lawson and control him.
​

Lawson has a great counter game. Lawson has enough speed to make the left tackle respect him getting to the edge, which makes the left tackle overcompensate. Lawson makes the left tackle pay for this overcompensation with his counter step to the inside, and is rewarded with an unobstructed path to the QB.
​

Lawson again counters his outside move but this time with a bull rush. He doesn’t get the sack but he affects the throw.
​

Lawson shows another way of countering his outside edge rush with an incredibly crisp spin move. He may have started this play lining up offsides but his spin move is still very impressive. Lawson gets the offensive tackle to over commit to his outside. That’s when Lawson spins back inside for a clear path to the QB.
​

Lawson also possesses versatility. A defensive coordinator could push him inside as a 3-tech, he can rush the pass rusher with his hand in the dirt, or standing up. He could also drop into zone. On this play, Lawson demonstrates his ability to drop in zone. The receiver does catch the ball but Lawson is able to put a crushing blow on the receiver.
​

It is one thing to be put inside and not really do anything but it is another thing to be put inside and make an impact. Lawson shows his impact on this play. I believe the coach put him inside on this play to make sure the QB doesn’t escape the pocket. He is able to maintain his ground while watching the QB. Once Lawson is in striking range, he dispatches his blocker and makes the play on the QB which results in a fumble.

This film review was done by Matthew Knowles. Follow him on Twitter: @blueflamespcl

The NFL has a problem, and it's one that the Dolphins and their fans are intimately familiar with.

It's draft season and, as all fans who are paying attention know, that means mock draft season. The one that we did for the PhinManiacs podcast was a particularly good one and our own Matthew Knowles made some interesting choices in his that are worth thinking about.

I've participated in three mock drafts in the last couple weeks, myself, and though each taught me something, none was more interesting than the one I did for the Next Fan Up podcast where fellow PhinManiacs writer Ron Canniff represented the Dolphins.

When the draft rolled around to pick 13 Ron found himself in a bind. There were no cornerbacks or linebackers worthy of the pick and it was far too soon to pick top offensive guard Cody Whitehair. So he chose what he thought was the next best option. He took Jack Conklin, a tackle out of Michigan State who was at the top of his board (and mine) at that point.

Why would Ron take an offensive tackle for the Dolphins? They already have Ja'Wuan James still on his rookie deal at right tackle and Branden Albert isn't going anywhere this year on the left.

The reason is because Ron didn't look at Conklin as a tackle. He saw him as a guard. The Dolphins are arguably in need of not just one, but two players at the position. And they're not alone.

21 of the 32 NFL teams need offensive line help going into the draft. At least 11 of those need a guard and in some cases two. The position has been becoming more and more valuable over the last decade as teams have worked harder to make sure that their quarterbacks have a clean pocket to step up into.

I know that there's a thought that you can pick up linemen late in the draft, particularly guards. But if you think there are at least 11 starters buried in this year's selection process, the odds are good you aren't breathing pure air. This is about to become a serious problem all over the league. No position will be more over-drafted next week except quarterback and tight end. And that's debatable.

And that's why Ron's choice is so interesting.

There was a time in the not too distant past when teams selected tackles in the NFL draft knowing that if the player busted out, they could always move him to guard. Classic examples include Mike Williams (Buffalo) and Robert Gallery (Oakland). But it seems the tables have turned as teams move to fill a desperate need at the spot with talent that just isn't there.

So what's a team drafting at 13 to do? You hope for a miracle and that a guy like Ezekiel Elliott falls. You hope for a top cornerback or that you love a pass rusher that no one else seems to value that high. You hope that you don't have to make the tough choice.

​But in the end even the tough choice is no choice at all. You take the offensive lineman at the top of your board and you call him a guard. This year you definitely won't be alone.

This column was written by Tom Shannon. Follow him on Twitter: @bearingthenews

After watching Vigil I can say he is definitely in the second tier group of inside linebackers. Let me start this statement by saying personally do not think Vigil is better than Reggie Ragland, but I could see teams that like him better than Ragland because Vigil is more athletic. Vigil has all the tools to be successful in the NFL.

His awareness is really good, and he is really good at keeping blockers off of him with his hands. Vigil can blitz effectively, and shoot correct gaps. He also shows the athleticism to run sideline to sideline.

Nick Vigil checks a lot of boxes, if not all the boxes to be considered a top middle linebacker prospect for the Miami Dolphins. The most impressive box that he checks is his athletic profile. Below is his MockDraftable.com spider web. He has above average speed with his 40 yard dash, but more importantly he has elite 3 cone and 20 yard shuffle times.

These two exercises are important for a linebacker because they translate to the athlete being quick twitch. If you match a mind that is able to quickly diagnosis and a body that is able quickly get to areas then you have a very good linebacker. His arm length is average for a linebacker but his hand size is at the higher percentile. This to me translates to why he is so good at slipping tackles.

​Vigil’s film displays a player that plays heads up football. Here Vigil sees a bubble screen almost before the ball is snapped. Vigil runs to disrupt the receiver as the ball is getting to him. He does not make that tackle but does enough to stall the receiver.
​

Vigil showed a great feel for blitzing. He is sent from the edge on this play. Vigil times it right and hits the QB before he is able to get a pass off, this hit resulted in a fumble.
​

Vigil shows the ability to diagnose and shoot the gap on this play. Once Vigil sees the play develop in front of him he fires through the hole and trips up the ball carrier on this play.
​

Boise State runs a jet sweep flea flicker to the wide receiver throw. Vigil correctly steps up to defend the jet sweep. He is aware enough to see that the throw is going to the jet sweep receiver. Vigil starts running with the receiver and does a phenomenal job of showing his athleticism by keeping up with the receiver.
​

Vigil showed that he has the ability to be highly effective dropping back in zone on this play. Vigil drops back in a curls zone. The receiver catches the ball but Vigil is immediately on him to make a sure tackle.
​

Even though this play resulted in a touchdown for Boise State it does demonstrate Vigil’s ability to go sideline to sideline. Vigil does a good job of working through traffic and makes the running back pay for a touchdown.
​

Vigil showed the ability to find blockers with his hands and keep blockers off of him play after play. On this play Vigil has a blocker coming at him. Vigil keeps the blocker off of him by finding him with his hands. Then Vigil slides past the blocker and shoots the gap to make a play on the running back.
​

​This film review was done by Matthew Knowles. Follow him on Twitter: @blueflamespcl

For people who have a problem of some sort, the first step towards making things better is admitting they have a problem to begin with. The same applies for sports franchises, and the Miami Dolphins have tried in past years to give the impression that there is no problem.

This year however, the Dolphins finally seem to be grounded in reality.

In past seasons, the Dolphins have tried to play off the idea of the team rebuilding, saying things like how a certain player or coach would push them over the edge and get them to the playoffs, which presumably has been their goal since Stephen Ross took ownership of the team.

But this season, the Dolphins have taken a different approach to the offseason in general, being frugal with their spending and making sure to keep from losing draft picks, and on Friday's pre-draft press conference, Vice President of Football Operations Mike Tannenbaum spoke up and said what might be the most sobering thing that's been said by the franchise in years.

"We just came off a 6-10 season, we're not one player away."

It's always said that the first step to fixing the problem is admitting you have a problem in the first place, and it seemed that the only ones who were unaware that they had a problem were the Dolphins themselves. Now that seems to have stopped, as Miami seems to be truly embracing the fact that they are not a team that will be competing for the playoffs anytime soon.

As a result of this, the Dolphins have shown that they aren't honing in on any one position in the draft, which means that despite arguably being the biggest need on the roster, cornerback isn't a first round guarantee.

"I would say really, you just have to trust your process and working through the board and how you rank them." said General Manager Chris Grier. "The story I always tell is that my dad was in Houston with the Texans, and a defensive end wasn’t a great need but they took DE J.J. Watt. They got booed mercilessly (for taking him). But would you pass on J.J. Watt if he was there, knowing that it was maybe a need that people perceived? We are confident that we can go out and play with who we have on our roster right now. I would just say our board will dictate who we’ll take at that pick.”

Naturally Miami will be open to every possibility. They've discussed trading up, trading down, or just standing pat and seeing who falls to them. But no matter what route they take, it's somewhat refreshing and even sobering that the front office realizes that they won't be able to just pick one position and say they're good to go. All positions need upgrading, and their approach this offseason and leading up to the draft reflects that very philosophy.

When Tannenbaum was asked how many "players away" the team was, rather than try to put a number on it, he laughed a bit and discussed the future and the players already on the team.

“We’ll answer that a week from Monday." he said. "Look, every team is (players) away. You can start with Denver. They’re the defending champions. For us, I think it’s a tireless commitment to constantly improve the team. Again, the part that’s exciting for us is we’re going to add a whole bunch of players next week, and hopefully they’re going to help. But a lot of the improvement on our team in 2016 is going to come from within.

"To me, that’s always the most invigorating part of the process, because you get to see the (Head Strength and Conditioning Coach) Dave Pulokas and the (Sports Performance Director) Wayne Diesels impact our players as much as our position coaches. We’ll have to go prove it in the fall, but I think we’re all very optimistic about where we’re headed, and I couldn’t put a number on how many players we need.”

With a new coach comes a new staff and a new philosophy, and it will take time for it to be fully inserted into the franchise. The players already on the roster will get a new chance to show what they can do, but it's healthy to realize that it will take some time before they'll be competing for playoff spots or Super Bowls. No position is safe, and no position is off-limits in this draft. Talent is talent, and Miami knows they need an infusion.

"We’re going to take the best player for the Miami Dolphins." said Grier. "There are a lot of good players in this draft. A lot of prospects will be there. We’re picking 13th, so we will just follow our board and let the process play out."

They've admitted they have a problem. Let the healing begin.

This story was written by Luis Sung. Follow him on Twitter: @FLSportDebater

The Rams mortgaged their future for either Wentz or Jared Goff. Even though I personally prefer Goff over Wentz, I think the Rams want to make a splash. Wentz definitely has more upside with his athleticism, but Goff is more NFL ready right now. Both QBs are not worth trading the farm for.

​The Eagles spent a lot of picks in order to get to the number two spot. The Eagles have said they
have Goff and Wentz rated equally, but in my opinion Goff fits more with what the Eagles want to
do on offense. He has great anticipation and makes quick decisions to the point where it seems
he knows where he is going with the ball before the ball is snapped. Goff is not mobile but
​neither is Brady or Manning. 

​The Chargers were sitting pretty at three a week ago but are really sitting pretty once the Rams and Eagles took picks one and two. The Chargers will have their pick of the litter and I think they will choose the best playmaker on defense with Jalen Ramsey.

Some of you are asking why not Laremy Tunsil here since Philip Rivers was on the ground a bunch last year. The answer is there is a lot of money invested in the offensive line in San Diego. The problem was last year everyone was injured.  

​At 32 years old with a 52 year old athletic profile even I could gain 1,000 yards behind that
offensive line, so why would you burn a pick at a position that can be easily addressed later in
the draft? The answer is Elliott is elite, and when Dez Bryant went down last year there wasn’t
another elite player on the offense. The Cowboys are in a win now mindset and Elliott gives
​them the best chance. 

​Jacksonville has built a formidable defense the last couple of years, but outside of Telvin Smith their linebacker unit is still lacking another playmaker. Jack and Smith will be good and athletic linebackers for a good long time. 

​Once again Ozzie Newsome does nothing but sit still and luck falls in his lap. He once again
looks like a genius for just being there. The Ravens grab arguably the best offensive player in
this draft without having to move up. Tunsil is an elite offensive tackle prospect that will be the
​league’s standard for the next ten years. 

​We all know how much Chip Kelly loves Oregon guys. Buckner will reunite with Erik Armstead to form a strong front seven for the 49ers future. Buckner offers unique size and strength with some quickness. 

​The Browns are in desperate need for an edge rusher. So Lawson or Joey Bosa are the two top
options at edge in this draft. I picked Lawson here because he is a better 3-4 edge linebacker
since he has more experience dropping back in zone. Lawson is one of my favorite players in
this draft and I wish he would fall to the Miami Dolphins, but I do not see this happening in any
​scenario. 

​The slight slide for Bosa stops here at the Bucs. I believe the Bucs will send the fastest player on their team to hand in the card in this scenario. Bosa will finally give the Buccaneers the legitimate long term edge rusher they have been seeking for years now.

I know the Giants spent a high draft pick on an offensive tackle last year, but I have seen Eric
Flowers play, and it isn’t pretty. Flowers may be better suited for the right side of the offensive
​line.  Stanley is a true left tackle that glides when he protects the blind side. 

​Hargreaves will improve a growing defense. He is not my number one pure cornerback prospect but he is the most NFL ready right now. Plus Hargreaves has the highest floor of all the CB prospects in this draft.  

​You could put up a board with a picture of all the top defensive prospects and throw a dart at the
board. You will get a player that will be a good option for the New Orleans Saints. Their defense
is a dumpster fire and all eleven positions could use an upgrade. Alexander is my top rated
corner in this draft because to me he has the best shot at becoming a true shutdown cornerback.
​His confident play style will give the Saints defense a brash identity. 

Jackson may seem like a reach at thirteen but there aren’t many non-reaches in this draft at thirteen. Jackson is a scheme fit with major upside. He has length, speed, and impressive ball skills. I would like to see him gain ten pounds of muscle and he needs to work on his tackling technique but he does show willingness to tackle.

The Oakland Raiders are a team on the rise. They have made some smart moves in the past
couple of drafts and have made good improvements in free agency. They can use a versatile
​defensive tackle that has top 5 potential.

Nkemdiche has some off the field red flags, but if a team in the first round can look past the red
flags and take him, they will have the fastest first step defensive tackle in this draft. Nkemdiche destroyed top offensive lines in college. If you pair Nkemdiche with Mack, Edwards, and now Bruce Irvin you will have a devastating pass rush. 

The Titans did the right thing and traded back for a king’s ransom. They could have had Tunsil at
one but I heard Mularkey didn’t like Tunsil’s demeanor. He prefers a road grader with a nasty
streak over a finesse pass protecting tackle. Conklin embodies the qualities that Mularkey
desires from his offensive linemen. Plus the Titans have a LT in Taylor Lewan who is very good.
​Conklin can play tackle and guard. 

Detroit has lost Calvin Johnson, and Treadwell is nowhere close to being on the same level as
him, but Treadwell is a very solid receiver that will provide the Lions with a large framed red zone
threat. I know his 40-yard dash was extremely slow but he will not have to be a deep threat in
​Detroit. Treadwell wins with going up and getting the ball ability and having a huge catch radius. 

​Darron Lee will supply the Atlanta Falcons with that athletic linebacker that Quinn was
accustomed to in Seattle. Lee is extremely versatile and athletic, and offers a huge upgrade to
​the middle of the Falcons defense.   

Spence is probably the edge player with the quickest first step in this draft. The Colts defense
has been atrocious in recent history. Spence offers a much needed pass rush for Indianapolis.
Spence has had some off the field drug issues but he has not failed a drug test in two years, so
​hopefully for his sake his drug issues are behind him.  

​Doctson will supply the Bills with a competent complement to Sammy Watkins. Doctson is a big bodied wide receiver that has amazing body control and also has a good athletic profile to go with his big frame. He will provide another good option to prove if Tyrod Taylor is the future at QB. 

The talks between Ryan Fitzpatrick and the Jets are at a standstill. As much as I would love for it
to happen, the Jets cannot leave the first day of the draft without an answer as to who their future
QB will be. Lynch is the best value here of all the first round QB picks. He has mobility and a
rocket for an arm, and the Jets didn’t have to give up their future to get him. Even if Fitzpatrick
​signs with the Jets he is not their answer at quarterback for the future.    

​Ragland is a perfect fit for the Redskins. He will be a tough run stopping linebacker for the next ten years. Washington’s improving defense will take their next step towards becoming a formidable defense. 

​The Texans spent a ton of money on QB Brock Osweiler, I don’t get it but whatever. Since
Houston paid that amount of money and they have a few other holes let’s give the new QB the
​most electrifying wide receiver in the draft. Coleman is a perfect pairing to DeAndre Hopkins. 

​The Vikings are in desperate need for a play making option on the outside. They have Stefon Diggs who is a talented WR, but they need a bigger body possession WR. Thomas is a fast riser in this draft and will provide Teddy Bridgewater with a great option on the outside.  

​Shepard is a perfect fit in the Bengals offense. He can play outside, he can play inside. Shepard
can and will destroy number two CBs with his technical route running. He is incredibly quick and
​the best route runner in the draft. He is the most NFL ready WR in this draft. 

​This is my dark horse pick. Joseph is a playmaking, versatile safety. The last time the Steelers defense was dominant was when they had a versatile playmaking safety in Troy Polamalu. Joseph can play single high with great range, and also deliver vicious hits while playing in the box. Joseph is a great cover safety as well.    

​Seattle seriously needs some offensive line help. Seattle is a big proponent of SPARQ testing,
which is an athletic trait analysis formula. This tells me that the Seahawks value athleticism over
everything else in football players. Spriggs is the best tested athlete at offensive tackle with the
​highest draft grade in this year’s draft. 

Jones is one of the most intriguing talents in this draft. There are plays where he looks like a surefire top 5 pick, and then there are plays where he looks lost. It will be Dom Capers' job to make the dominant plays more consistent. If he can be a consistent player he will be the steal of the draft.  

Cody Whitehair would be a top 3 pick if he was 6’6" and 310 lbs. Luckily for the Chiefs he is not.
Whitehair is a technically sound, versatile offensive lineman that could step in and play all five
​positions on the offensive line. 

​Apple has a lot of tools, size and speed that is very appealing to NFL teams. The only thing he is lacking is experience. This is a perfect fit for Apple. He doesn’t have to produce right away and can learn from one of the best in Patrick Peterson. 

​The Panthers went to the Super Bowl with a patch work offensive line, but the Denver Broncos
shined light on the struggles of the offensive line. Decker shows promise by improving every
​year at Ohio State. He also has great size.  

I know a lot of mocks have the Broncos taking a quarterback, but A. Any quarterback here is a reach.

B. There isn’t a huge difference with the second tier quarterbacks.

C. Kaepernick could still be in the works.

I think the Broncos wait for their future quarterback and address another area of need. This would be offensive line and Ryan Kelly is the best option on the offensive line at this point. He is dominant at his position.

This mock draft was done by Matthew Knowles. Follow him on Twitter: @blueflamespcl

I donned my extra-rosy-colored glasses and came up with the most optimistic look at the upcoming Miami Dolphins 2016 schedule that anyone could dare to think about. Read on – and take nothing at face value, because I’m really a pragmatic realist at heart, and this drivel just ain’t gonna hold water. And yes, I am very well aware that this was written on 4/20, why do you ask? But forget all that, because in my dreams, it all goes down like this:

Week 1 – At Seattle Seahawks
We’re gonna lose this one. There’s absolutely no hope, as the Dolphins have to travel the farthest point-to-point itinerary in the league to even get to this town, traffic sucks up there, and then they play at… oh wait, they play the late game? Huh. And it’s the first game of the season, plenty of time to travel and prepare for this one. So maybe jet lag isn’t an issue, and Pete Carroll has no idea what rookie head coach Adam Gase might pull out of his playbook hat. So we have a chance…

...in Hell. Nope, we’ll play tougher than expected, but in a Qwest Field home opener, we start off:

0-1.

​Week 2 – At New England Patriots
The Stinkin’ Pats are the team we have to beat if we ever want to lay claim to another AFC East title. And we get to face them in the Upper-Right Coast just one week after suffering a humiliating loss on the Left Coast. The football scheduling gods hate us, right?

Yes, they do. But here’s the shocker of the season: Dolphins win against a Cheating Tom Brady-less Stinkin’ Pats team that may also very well be coming off a humiliating loss of their own (they open at Arizona week 1).

Woohoo – we’re 1-1.

Week 3 – Cleveland Browns
The Browns entered 2016 with a Manziel-sized hangover, and although they seem to have made strides in righting that sinking ship, they still aren’t up to par on the football field. Dolphins get the win in their home opener in the newly minted Canopy Colosseum (okay, yeah that name ain’t happening), and we’re flying high at 2-1.

And we're 2-1.

Week 4 - At Cincinnati Bengals
Defensive coordinator Vance Joseph returns to his stomping grounds, and after surveying his former troops in the Bengals defensive backfield, he tells Gase to hit ‘em deep, hit ‘em hard, and hit ‘em often. A shootout ensues, albeit a sloppy one with both teams playing on a short week, and in the end, the aggressive passing game (heard that one before, can’t seem to place where…) keeps Cincinnati off-balance juuuuust enough and…

...we’re sitting pretty at 3-1.

Week 5 – Tennessee Titans
The Dolphins lost wide receiver Rishard Matthews to the Titans in free agency, and I’d fully expect him to have a great game against his former team. But hey, it’s the Titans, the worst team in the league last year, and a team we beat 380-10 last year in Dan Campbell’s first game as a head coach. Oh, it was only 38-10? Huh, I swear it was more than that. Anyhoo…

…we’re 4-1 and talkin’ Super Bowl!

Week 6 – Pittsburgh Steelers
And then we meet an actual Super Bowl contender this year, a team with arguably the most potent offense in the entire NFL. Their defense is still a bit rusty, which means Ryan Tannehill and Company will get their chances, but we ain’t out-shooting Big Ben’s Bad Boys.

4-2.

Week 7 – Buffalo Bills
The Dolphins historically play like crap every time they visit Buffalo. Might be because even the locals hate that town. I dunno, maybe it’s a nice place and all, but why can’t we beat those guys?

But oh hey, this one’s not in Buffalo - it’s in Miami. And with the stands stuffed full (get it?) with Rex and Rob Ryan look-alikes, the Dolphins notch their 5th win.

5-2.

Week 8 – Bye
Hey Dolphins fans, I guarantee your team won’t lose this week. Well okay, your fantasy team might lose.

Week 9 – New York Jets
The Dolphins round up their first round of AFC East games with Jets Week, a rite of passage every season when the venom flies from Dolphins fans everywhere. As much as fans hate the Patriots, it’s the Jets that suffer the most wrath from the potty-mouths among us. And unlike in recent years, I expect Gase to have his troops very well prepared coming off the bye.

Could the Dolphins really start their season 6-2? Maybe (probably not), but this is my (temporary) world, and you’re just living it for the moment.

Yup, 6-2.

Week 10 – At San Diego Chargers
Remember last year? Okay, I know, dumb thing to ask, since we’ve all gone far out of our way to try not to remember anything from that debacle. But according to the internet, last year the Dolphins donned their super nifty throwback uniforms on Monday Night to valiantly lose to the Giants, only to be whisked off to sunny San Diego, where on a short week, they found themselves checking out the views of the beach more than the playbook. The result? A 30-14 drubbing.

This time around, Gase keeps the focus where it needs to be, and by staying out on the Left Coast in between games, the team will have all next week to ogle the bikinis on Venice beach.

7-2.

Week 11 – At Los Angeles Rams
Los Angeles Rams? What decade are we in? The Rams moved in hopes of rekindling images of their glorious past, but in their first year there, they’re more prone to suffer an Earth-Wake and the accompanying Suh-nami instead.

Yup, Dolphins are 8-2 and talkin’ Super Bowl again.

Week 12 – San Francisco 49ers
Speaking of Super Bowls, the last time we were in one, Joe Montana and the 49ers trounced our butts 38-16. Won’t exactly be a payback game, since almost no one on this team was even alive when that game happened. But the Dolphins prevail!

And now, if only for a brief shining moment, Dolphins fans can relish/wallow in the fact that their team is now 9-2 and being talked about as a playoff contender.

9-2.

Week 13 – At Baltimore Ravens
And then reality hits. The Ravens approach this game with a revenge factor, after losing 15-13 last December in Miami. These two teams always play each other tough for some reason, but the grind of the season finally catches up to Miami, they lose one they shoulda/woulda/coulda won, and the 5-game winning streak comes to an end.

9-3.

Week 14 – Arizona Cardinals
With another Super Bowl contender hitting town, the Dolphins drop their second in a row, and Dolphins Twitter is convinced that Adam Gase sucks and has to be fired.

9-4.

Week 15 – At New York Jets
Just six weeks ago we beat the Jets. But that was at home and coming off a Bye week. This time around the Gang Green is fired up, playing on a rare Saturday night, and are happy to hand the Dolphins their 3rd straight loss.

Dolphins fans attending the Met Life Takeover for this game throw eggs at the team bus as it leaves the stadium.

9-5.

Week 16 – At Buffalo Bills
We never play well in Buffalo. And Buffalo in December? It’s like 47 degrees below zero up there. Dolphins don’t even get out of bed in that kind of weather.

But Gase, sick and tired of losing and not wanting to see “Fire Gase” banners flying above the stadium next week for the season finale, fires up the troops, gets max effort across the board, and the team proves once and for all that.. well… Buffalo is cold and it sucks.

10-5.

Week 17 – New England Patriots
Remember waaaaay back in Week 2, when we trounced the Stinkin’ Pats? In their own stadium, even? And put them in an 0-2 hole that they had to climb out of before they could even think about playoffs?

Yeah, well so do the Stinkin’ Pats.

It will come down to this game for the AFC East crown, as two 10-5 teams collide with all the marbles at stake. It won’t come easy, but Adam Gase cements his lock on Coach of the Year, and the Dolphins pull off an astounding win in the closing seconds to clinch the division and a playoff spot!

11-5 and AFC Champs!

Wha… Huh? Oh, my alarm must have gone off. Man, I was having the weirdest dream, guys! I’d tell you about it, but… nah, never mind, you wouldn’t believe me if I told you.

This completely made-up drivel was concocted by Eldon Jenson. Follow him on Twitter @EJFootball

On this week's episode of PhinManiacs Live, the panel starts their official 2016 NFL mock draft. Tune in and hear what we have to say.

If you want to call in, call 1-954-376-5704 or tweet the show at @PhinManiacs

The New England Patriots are notorious for claiming players off of waivers from opposing AFC East teams, and Monday the Miami Dolphins returned the favor by adding yet another cog to their defense, claiming defensive tackle Chris Jones off of waivers from the Patriots.

Jones, 6’-1” and 295 pounds, is a fourth-year player from Bowling Green and was originally drafted in the sixth round by the Houston Texans in 2013. He was waived in the preseason that year, claimed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and then waived again before the regular season began. He was then claimed by the Patriots, where he started and played well for two seasons before missing 2015 with an injury.

He is in the final year of his rookie deal, a four-year, $2.25 million contract. He reached a performance clause in his contract that boosted his salary by almost $1 million this season, and will come to Miami with a salary cap cost of $1.671 million for the 2016 season.

Jones was placed on the PUP list prior to last season and was never activated during the season as he recovered from surgery on a torn calf muscle suffered in Super Bowl XLIX. However, he played in 28 games in 2013-24, making 23 starts, and totaled 79 tackles and 9 sacks over those two seasons. He’ll join a rotation at defensive tackle for the Dolphins, who have starters Ndamukong Suh and Earl Mitchell, as well as reserves Jordan Phillips and Deandre Coleman.

This story was written by Eldon Jenson. Follow him on Twitter @EJFootball.

​No one can deny that Reggie Ragland was a great middle linebacker in college. That being said, Ragland is the one of the most polarizing players when it comes to Dolphins draft talk. Half of Dolphins draft fans thinks he is too slow to play in today’s NFL while the other half thinks that his instincts and strength will translate over to the NFL, and can make up for his lack of athleticism.

So, should the Dolphins draft Ragland at 13th overall?

Discipline and instincts helped Ragland to become a Nagurski and Buckus award finalist in his senior season. Ragland is well coached which leads him to usually making the correct play. His instincts help him get to the sideline when the ball carrier goes east and west. Ragland also uses his instincts to shoot the correct gaps.

Ragland is a champion and knows what it takes to be a champion; there is something to be said for players who were a key contributor to their team winning a major championship.

So with all of these positives why is there so much hesitation about Ragland? My reason for hesitation with Ragland is all the questions I had after watching his film. The first question is what does the defense do with him on passing downs. Alabama either used him as a pass rusher, or they put him in shallow zones.

Let’s look into these two options, Ragland was not overly effective as a pass rusher, so are the Dolphins going to sub out an average to effective pass rusher for Ragland who shows little potential as an edge player? Now let’s examine the second option, Ragland being used in shallow zones.

This could work part of the time but if you cannot play man in the NFL you will be limited in snaps. Can the Dolphins afford to select a two-down linebacker with the 13th pick? Look, another question.

My next questions are is he fast enough, or in good enough shape to play all four quarters in all 16 games in the NFL? He was able to chase down running backs to the sidelines in college; will he be able to do that against Todd Gurley, Adrian Peterson, or Le’Veon Bell? Ragland also weighed in at the senior bowl at 260 pounds.

​There is a belief that out of shape players have a tendency to get injured more often than healthy players. I also saw Ragland gassed by the 4th quarter in some games. Can he maintain his weight? You do not want all of these questions with your first pick in the draft.

​This clip shows Ragland’s ability to see a blocker coming, he uses his hands correctly to shed the blocker quickly, and makes a wrap up tackle. This is Ragland’s bread and butter. 

In my opinion, Ragland shows average to below average foot speed. This did not stop him from running down ball carriers to the sideline. Ragland is able to do this because he has amazing instincts and chooses the correct lane to chase down the running back; this is demonstrated on this play.
​

Ragland is incredible at trusting his eyes and reacting. On this play Ragland sees that the QB is trying to escape the pocket and make a run for the first down. As soon as Ragland makes the decision to pursue, he is on the QB.
​

On this play Ragland shows his ability to use his instincts to shoot the gap. He recognizes the play and fires into the backfield like a rocket. He doesn’t make a stop but he does cause the running back to stall and allows a teammate to make the stop around the line of scrimmage.
​

The questions begin.

What to do with him on passing downs?

Ragland’s lack of elite athleticism could be preyed upon in the passing game. Alabama most likely saw this and one way of remedying this was to put him in a shallow zone. This clip shows this in action. Ragland backpedals to a shallow zone, the receiver makes an uncontested catch.

Ragland is able to make the tackle, but the NFL will take this every time, and march down the field. Brady is praying to his dark lord that one of his AFC East opponents takes Ragland.
​

I am guessing Alabama wanted to find a way to keep Ragland on the field for third downs so they made him into an edge rusher on passing downs. He was not overly effective. I suppose he got pressure from time to time, and he has a good motor so he could chase QBs, but I do not see this happening in the NFL.
​

Ragland has the instincts to get to the sidelines in college, but does he have enough speed to get there in the NFL? This clip makes me wonder if he can adjust to the NFL speed. Ragland is a little late to get to the spot.
​

While I was watching Ragland’s tape I saw him getting kind of gassed in the National Championship game. This clip demonstrates him getting a lot slower in the beginning of the 4th quarter of the National Championship game.
​

This film review was done by Matthew Knowles. Follow him on Twitter: @blueflamespcl

Familial connections are actually fairly common in the NFL, some that easily come to mind are the Manning brothers, Peyton and Eli. Then you have the Barbers, Ronde and Tiki, or another set of quarterbacks in David and Derek Carr.

But what isn't quite as common is when these families actually get to play together on a team. Patriots TE Rob Gronkowski played with his older brother Dan briefly in New England in 2011, but nothing really came out of it. QB Carson Palmer played with his brother Jordan in Cincinnati back in 2010, but only Carson got to play of course.

The last time the Dolphins had this situation take place was back in 1981-1986, when Lyle and Glenn Blackwood played safety together for the "Killer B's" defense. I suppose by technicality you could also add Jason Taylor and Zach Thomas to this list, as Taylor married Thomas's sister during their playing days with the Dolphins and became brothers-in-law.

Well now there's an opportunity for yet another team of brothers to come to Miami and show what they're made of.

Nick Vigil, brother of Dolphins linebacker Zach Vigil, will be entering the draft and is a candidate for a day two or three pick at linebacker, which is still a position of great need for the Dolphins.

In his final year with the Aggies, Nick Vigil earned first team All-Mountain West honors with 144 tackles, which ranked him sixth in the FBS, with 13.5 of those going for a loss, and three of those were sacks. Conference coaches voted him first team as a sophomore as well.

Vigil even saw some time at running back during his college days, playing there for five games and rushing 41 times for 152 yards and three rushing touchdowns, so there is some versatility there if a team deemed it fit to begin that experiment.

The Vigil brothers were a force at Utah State, and their aggressive and instinctive style of play turned heads and made analysts take note of their potential upside. Now with Miami searching for linebackers, Nick Vigil could be an option to be brought in, and his older brother Zach stated recently in an interview that he would love to be reunited with him.

"That'd be awesome to have my brother here with me," he said. "It'd be a great opportunity to play together again and it'd be a pretty cool experience." 

Zach, who signed on with the Dolphins last season as an undrafted free agent, spoke fondly of the time they spent together at Utah State, and it was clear in how he talked that he would love to be able to recapture that magic.

"It was awesome playing with my brother," he said. "We grew up together, we're really close. Those two years I was able to play with him were pretty special, and if we had an opportunity to do it at the pro level then that'd be really special. Then my parents wouldn't have to fly to two different parts of the country."

Nick is a tough, young middle linebacker that had eye-popping production during his time with the Aggies, and Miami is still searching for help at that position despite the addition of Kiko Alonso via trade.

Nick would be an excellent addition to the squad, and reunited with his older brother Zach, perhaps they can recapture the dynamic they shared in college, and bring forth a new age of linebacker play in Miami that one day might rival the safety play the Blackwood brothers offered.

First they'll have to be reunited, and then they'll have to prove they can do it. They both have upside, they're both highly motivated, and with a new coaching staff in place, perhaps that potential can still be unlocked.

This story was written by Luis Sung. Follow him on Twitter: @FLSportDebater