It seems like the Dolphins braintrust have made a commitment to getting freaky athletic in this draft. All scored well in their #RAS (Relative Athletic Score) Only one, Smythe with a 6.21, scored lower than a nine out of ten. I am a believer in athletic trait based drafting. Seattle drafts based off elite athletes. This helped them get one of the fastest defenses in the history of the game. 

Jerome Baker is a new age linebacker. Gone are the days of the 260 pound middle linebackers who wear giant neck rolls, and only operate from B-gap to B-gap. Now the NFL is moving towards bigger safeties that fly around the field and can cover tight ends, running backs, and bigger slot WRs.

​I would not consider Baker as an instant starting linebacker. He has some things he needs to clean up, but he has all the talent in the world to become a very good linebacker in the league. I can see greatness within him. His great plays are really good, and I haven't seen just terrible play from him. I would like to see more intensity from him on a consistent basis. 

Baker's strength is his quickness. Watch how he swiftly skirts past two blockers to make a tackle for loss. 

Baker's change of direction quickness is displayed on this play. Here Baker is lined up just wide of the left tackle. He is sent on a blitz. When he recognizes the screen pass. He quickly changes directions and chases the running back. 

Baker uses his quickness to avoid blockers on this play. I looks like a matador. 

I love how Baker takes on the blocker instead of letting the blocker get on him. He forces the ball carrier back inside. 

Baker runs with Ian Thomas on a curl route. He is step for step and turns when the ball is in the air. TE/RBs in the passing game killed the Dolphins in the past. It seems like Grier was determined to fix this problem in this draft. ​

Baker runs with Ian Thomas on a curl route. He is step for step and turns when the ball is in the air. TE/RBs in the passing game killed the Dolphins in the past. It seems like Grier was determined to fix this problem in this draft. 

It's Baker on Baker violence! Jerome Baker demonstrates good acceleration on this play, and he's able to recover after initially biting early on the delayed snap from Mayfield. 

 I don't know if there is any analysis with this play it is just awesome. I do like that he skirts the blocker.  

Baker weaves in and out of traffic on this play, avoiding a couple of blockers on his way to the ball carrier, though he doesn't really get to impact the play.

So what I want to see improved from Baker is his intensity. That is a scary thing to hear. Some guys play like their hair is on fire. I want Baker to have some of that intensity. Perhaps it will emerge if he starts playing with his old teammate Raekwon McMillan again.

Baker certainly has a lot of things going for him, his speed and athleticism makes him a dangerous asset on defense. But he has to work on his instincts and he needs to make his intensity match his potential of he wants to truly shine. Time will tell if Adam Gase can draw that out of him.

This film review was written by Matthew Knowles. Follow him on Twitter: @M_PorterKnowles

The last time the Miami Dolphins drafted a cornerback out of Southern Mississippi, it was to draft an eventual 3-time Pro Bowler and one-time All-Pro in Patrick Surtain, who was drafted in 1998 and spent seven seasons with Miami before finishing his career with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Now the Dolphins have drafted cornerback Cornell Armstrong in the sixth round of the 2018 NFL draft, but ironically enough, it isn't Surtain that Armstrong models his game after, it's actually a different former Miami Dolphin, one who as of this moment, still hasn't retired from the league.

"Brent Grimes." Armstrong said. “Just his style of play, picking up routes, playing aggressive. (He’s) not too big and just a feisty guy.”

Grimes, of course, is famous (and infamous) for his contributions to the Miami Dolphins franchise, even managing to be voted one of the 50 best players in franchise history back in 2015.

Unfortunately, his tenure was marred by the antics of his outspoken wife Miko Grimes, who regularly berated starting quarterback Ryan Tannehill on social media, as well as the team's front office without any sort of consideration for how her comments would be perceived in the public eye.

Grimes now plays in Tampa Bay for the Buccaneers.

Armstrong can play on both the boundary and the slot, and Dolphins GM Chris Grier pointed out his speed as one of the things that really stood out to them when they made the decision to select him.

"He’s fast. He’s athletic." Grier said. "We think he has great upside. When you get to that point in the draft, we were very excited to add that because we think his potential to develop down the road is good. (He’s a) great kid (and has a) tremendous story to him. We just got to spend a lot of time (with him) and liked him. We liked his film and we just think, for him, he’ll be a good player, or has a chance to be a good player for us in the future.”

If Armstrong can develop to the point where he's close to the level of Grimes, Miami will have found themselves an amazing steal. But this Southern Mississippi corner has a long road ahead of him in order to prove he has what it takes, and that's a road he's willing to take.

“I’m just a physical competitive guy – hard working." Armstrong said. "(I’m) just an underdog looking to get to the top. I’m always hungry out there on that island, competing-wise, and always just staying ready.”

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

As the Miami Dolphins continue to add players, be sure to check this page for updates on who Miami signs from the undrafted free agent market.

1st round - DB Minkah Fitzpatrick

2nd round - TE Mike Gesicki

3rd round - LB Jerome Baker

4th round - TE Durham Smythe

4th round - RB Kalen Ballage

6th round - CB Cornell Armstrong

7th round - LB Quentin Poling

7th round - K Jason Sanders

UDFA - OG Connor Hilland

​UDFA - OLB/DE Quincy Redmon 

UDFA - OT David Steinmetz

UDFA - DT Jamiyus Pittman

UDFA - DE Claudy Mathieu

UDFA - ILB Mike McCray

UDFA - RB Buddy Howell

​UDFA - CB Jalen Davis

UDFA - DT Anthony Moten

UDFA - LS Lucas Gravelle

UDFA - K Greg Joseph

With the 209th pick in the 2018 NFL draft, the Miami Dolphins have gone back to the secondary, drafting cornerback Cornell Armstrong out of Southern Mississippi.

Armstrong, who weighs in at 5-foot-11 and 193 pounds, can play at both the boundary and slot cornerback positions, and will add special teams value to the Dolphins roster. He started all 13 games at Southern Miss in 2016, in which he contributed 47 tackles and one interception.

In 2017, Armstrong missed three games due to injury.

His career stat totals include 146 tackles, 9.5 for a loss, and five interceptions, one of which was returned for a touchdown.

The last cornerback Miami drafted out of Southern Miss was former Dolphins great Patrick Surtain, who went to them in the second round back in 1998.

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

The Miami Dolphins completed their draft day by selecting Ohio University linebacker Quentin Poling and kicker Jason Sanders with their two seventh round picks.

Poling, who weighs in at 6-feet, 235 pounds, spent much of his time at Ohio as a middle linebacker, making defensive calls and being a tackling machine, racking up 373 tackles in four years; 43.5 of those tackles were for a loss. He also added 18 sacks and seven interceptions.

Analysis by NFL.com's Lance Zierlein: Poling's production, athletic testing and ability to potentially handle some coverage duties could make him a late Day 3 selection. He unleashes his true speed when he's chasing down tackles from behind, but needs to play to that same speed when he's attacking near the line of scrimmage. Poling has some holes in his game, but he has the ability to become a special teams player with backup linebacker potential.

As for Jason Sanders, he comes from the New Mexico Lobos, and he was the second kicker to come off the board in the 2018 draft. The first being Daniel Carlson out of Auburn who was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the fifth round.

Sanders was picked over local favorite Eddy Pineiro of the Florida Gators who went undrafted.

Accuracy is a concern on Sanders, as he has a career field goal completion percentage of 71.4. Although most of those misses came in his sophomore and senior years. During his junior year at New Mexico, Sanders went 12 for 13 and scored 97 points including the extra point attempts.

​For his sophomore year, Sanders went 3 for 7.
For his senior year, he went 10 for 15.

Now as the draft comes to a close, the Dolphins will begin rushing to sign priority undrafted free agents to further augment the roster. Only now there is no taking turns. It's all open season from this moment on.

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

It seems that Dolphins second round draft pick Mike Gesicki has more connections than what was originally thought. First it was revealed that he trained with Minkah Fitzpatrick in Pensacola, Florida, and now it has been revealed that he ran routes with Dolphins fourth round pick Durham Smythe before.

"He was actually on my team at the Senior Bowl." Smythe said during a phone conference after being drafted. "There were definitely times in practice where we’d be in a wing set or both on the field at the same time, so it’s something that we’ve already done. I could definitely see it happening in the future.” 

Dolphins head coach Adam Gase is well known for wanting to utilize tight ends in his offense, but he has yet to find someone he can work with during his tenure as Miami's coach. In 2016 he had Jordan Cameron and Dion Sims, both of whom were injured and were limited in their contributions

In 2017 he tried to recreate his Denver success by trading for Julius Thomas. Instead, Thomas only made 41 catches for 388 yards and three touchdowns. Underwhelming to say the least.

Now with Gesicki, Miami has a highly-rated rookie who can finally be the seam threat Gase has been looking for, and Smythe has a lot of respect for Gesicki after playing with him in the Senior Bowl.

“Awesome guy." he said. "Like I said, he was on my team so I got to know him a little bit through this whole process, starting at the Senior Bowl, at the Combine and everything. I’ve gotten to know him a little bit. He seems like a great dude, a guy that loves football and a guy that’s going to come in and work.”

Smythe on the other hand is a more blocking oriented tight end, and has been compared to the likes of fellow Notre Dame alumnus Anthony Fasano. But despite the fact that he takes pride in his blocking ability, he does not consider himself a blocking tight end, and he wants to work on becoming more well-rounded.

​“I think, specifically, it’s my route running." Smyhte said. "I think that kind of stems from a lack of total volume of what I’ve done over the last couple of years, because like I said earlier, we ran the ball a lot at Notre Dame. Obviously in practice and such, I was running routes on a pretty consistent basis; but I think taking a step up in that is one area that I’ve really tried to improve over the last few months.”

There will be competition for a roster spot; veterans MarQueis Gray and Gavin Escobar will be pushing for the primary backup role, and former Patriots and Broncos TE A.J. Derby has been talked up a lot by Miami. But should Smythe win the role, he's definitely looking forward to working with Gesicki again.

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

With the 131st pick in the 2018 NFL draft, the Miami Dolphins have selected Arizona State running back Kalen Ballage. He was drafted with the pick that was acquired from the Philadelphia Eagles for Pro Bowl running back Jay Ajayi.

​Ballage weighs in at 6-foot-2 and 228 pounds, and he ran a 4.46 at the combine, showing that he does have a good amount of speed to go with that size.

NFL.com's Lance Zierlen described him as such: Ballage looks great on the hoof and should test well at the Combine, but his lack of decisiveness and vision make it hard to envision him as a full-time RB1. Ballage can do a little of this and a little of that, but a team will need to have a clear-cut plan for how to use him. Ballage's size and athletic ability will appeal to teams as will his ability to play on third downs and return kicks.

Ballage racked up 450 rush attempts for 1,984 yards and 27 touchdowns, averaging 4.4 yards a carry. He also caught 82 passes for 684 yards and two touchdowns.

The Miami Dolphins add Ballage to a running back stable which consists of Kenyan Drake, Frank Gore, Senorise Perry and Brandon Radcliff. Miami may still also attempt to add veteran free agent C.J. Anderson to add further veteran presence and competition to the RB room.

With Ballage, the Miami Dolphins now have another young player who can learn from veteran Frank Gore, who no doubt will be a future Hall of Famer. Ballage also will add options to the special teams unit, as he brings kick returning capability which allows Kenyan Drake to focus on being the starting running back.

Ballage also fits the mold of player that head coach Adam Gase is looking for. He has a reputation for being a very hard worker and not being able to stop thinking about improving his game.

The Miami Dolphins have decided to double down on the tight end position. After drafting Penn State TE Mike Gesicki with the 42nd overall pick in the 2018 NFL draft, Miami has selected Notre Dame TE Durham Smythe to fill the blocking role left behind by the departing Anthony Fasano.

Smythe, who weighs in at 6-foot-5 and 253 pounds, is much more known for being a blocker than a pass-catching tight end; scouting reports state that he is still growing into his frame, which means that there is still a very good chance he could develop further.

NFL Network's Mike Mayock said this: "We talk about run blocking tight ends, and Durham Smythe from Notre Dame focused on that in his career. I thought he was a little bit under-utilized as a pass receiver, I think he's actually a better pass receiver than people give him credit for ... What he really is, is you can line him up inline and you can line him up at H-Back and he'll block people ... He's going to get paid to block people."

Smythe caught only 28 receptions for 381 yards and six touchdowns in his four years at Notre Dame.

With the selection of Smythe, the Dolphins now have him, Mike Gesicki, MarQueis Gray, A.J. Derby, Gavin Escobar and Thomas Duarte. Miami will likely only keep three of them on the regular season roster, which means that it's going to be a stiff competition when training camp rolls around.

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

It’s no secret that the Miami Dolphins struggled last year covering opposing tight ends.

From New England’s Rob Gronkowski to Kansas City’s Travis Kelce, it was a constant struggle for Dolphins defenders to cover that position; Miami struggled at covering the big guys, whether on short slants or seam routes, the defenders were always a step behind (or simply out of position, but that’s a story for another day).

In the first three rounds of the 2018 NFL draft, the team addressed that, selecting Alabama defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick with the 11th overall pick, and then picking up Ohio State linebacker Jerome Baker in the third round. Both players bring a lot of speed to the table.

Dolphins general manager Chris Grier says that the ability to match up to opposing players downfield was an important aspect in evaluating players in this draft. And they picked players they feel can get the job done.

“It's a matchup league … it's a lot of matchups and scheming,” Grier said. “So for us, it's finding players that can do more, and add the speed and athleticism for this game. We've struggled at times on defense here. We've played well at times. We're just trying to get players that add more speed and (try to) get more consistent on defense.”

Grier went on to say that Fitzpatrick did not spend a lot of time covering tight ends during his time in Alabama, but Fitzpatrick himself remembers it differently.

“Yes. I did that a lot in college, whether it was at the money position or the safety position." said Fitzpatrick. "I would come down in the box and cover those bigger tight ends, and even when they moved outside I would go out there and cover them just because I’m a physical guy. I’m physical with those guys and I know they can’t run by me, so Coach (Nick) Saban trusts me to do that job.”

It won't be an easy role for Fitzpatrick to tackle with the likes of Rob Gronkowski still roaming the league, but GM Chris Grier suggests it's actually not going to be as hard as some think.

“I think it's easier to cover tight ends than it is receivers,” Grier said. “There's different kind of matchups … but the one thing he gives you, he's a 6-foot, 205-pound guy that runs a 4.45 (40-time) and can run and cover, and he's been a good cover guy. It's a unique skill set at that position and his history of producing turnovers is very good."

As for Baker, Grier adds, “He's just very athletic, first of all. He can turn his hips, he can run and he gains depth. Then it's the speed. (Ohio State said), 'This guy is as fast as Ryan Shazier.' And they were shocked he ran 4.53 (40-time) at the combine. They're like, 'This guy is much faster than that,' and you see that on film. They just constantly raved about how fast this player was, so we were happy to add him."

Grier points out that the huge SAM linebacker of years past is becoming a dinosaur as teams look for smaller and speedier linebacker to win matchups. And Grier feels Miami has been very lucky to now have four linebackers who all have the rare combination of size and speed. Kiko Alonso, Raekwon McMillan, Stephone Anthony and now Jerome Baker give defensive coordinator Matt Burke plenty of options in the second tier of the defense.

And in typical brash rookie fashion, the new kids aren’t backing down from the challenge to come. Baker was asked where he expects to be used in the Dolphins defensive scheme, and was blunt with his answer.

"It doesn't matter. I'm a player that can play anywhere. I make plays, so it doesn't really matter where you put me at. You're going to feel my impact."

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

It's very obvious why the Miami Dolphins drafted Penn State tight end Mike Gesicki with their 2018 second round pick: the goal is try to turn him into a dangerous seam threat, someone who can instantly offer returning quarterback Ryan Tannehill a large red zone target with sure hands and athleticism the likes of which haven't been seen since Jimmy Graham.

But while no one seems to remember this, Miami has gone this route before, and it didn't work out very well.

​Back in 2012, the Dolphins drafted former University of Missouri tight end Michael Egnew in the third round; Egnew was a top performer at the scouting combine in five different workouts, including the 40-yard dash, the vertical jump and the broad jump.

His blocking, however, was notoriously bad. Sound familiar?

Watching film on Gesicki, it's clear that blocking is definitely not his strong suit, much like Egnew, who was rarely - if ever - used as a traditional tight end during his Mizzou days.

He was used as a glorified wide receiver, and when former Dolphins offensive coordinator Mike Sherman tried to turn Egnew into a blocker, things went belly-up in a hurry. Egnew was quickly labeled a bust and he never really got much of an opportunity to be used as the weapon he was at the University of Missouri.

So what are the chances that the current regime makes the same mistake as the previous one?

Based on the way that Dolphins GM Chris Grier talked about Gesicki shortly after drafting him, it seems that the lesson has been learned.

"You see the plays, the height, the vertical jump. You see that, him going up and high-pointing the ball." Grier said. "For us, finding that skill set like that was very important. I think in this league, it’s a matchup league; and with what tight ends can do, he’s got a unique skill set that not many guys in this league have.”

This much is true. As much as the film shows Gesicki is a bad blocker, it also shows that he is a dangerous weapon that can create mismatches anywhere on the field, much like Julius Thomas did during his time in Denver (when he was actually good). At 6-foot-6 and 247 pounds (according to his draft profile), having run a 4.54 at the combine with a spectacular 41.5 inch vertical jump, Gesicki is sure to create a lot of mismatches.

Gesicki is also a very smart football player, unlike Egnew who was notorious for being slow to process the game. So Gesicki has that in his favor as well.

Bottom line: if Gesicki ends up scoring points for the Dolphins, his bad blocking will be nothing more than a fading memory in the years to come.

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

When the Miami Dolphins selected Ohio State linebacker Jerome Baker in the third round of the 2018 NFL draft, Dolphins GM Chris Grier joked that they had a bit of "insider trading" thanks to another player currently on the Miami roster.

"We have some insider trading info obviously ​with Raekwon (McMillan) being on the roster." Grier said. "Raekwon spoke very highly, as well as when we had Denzel Ward in for a visit, he kinda raved about the kid, talked about what kind of a player he was and teammate."

McMillan - who was drafted by Miami in the second round of the 2017 NFL draft but never managed to play in the regular season due to a torn ACL he suffered in the preseason - played with Baker at Ohio State during the 2015 and 2016 seasons. There, McMillan spent most of his time as an inside linebacker, while Baker worked outside.

They will reunite on the field in 2018, with McMillan projected to be the starting middle linebacker in defensive coordinator Matt Burke's 4-3 scheme, while Baker will likely compete with veteran Stephone Anthony for the WLB position.

And Baker can't wait to get back with his former teammate.

“It feels good. It’s definitely going to feel good. I’m going to get down to Miami, get back on that field and get to work.” Baker said. “He taught me a lot. He taught me how to carry myself to be a pro. He taught me to be a student of the game even more. I’m definitely excited to get back next to him on the same side. It’s definitely going to be fun.”

As for McMillan, based on the tweet he sent after seeing his fellow Ohio State Buckeye get drafted by his current NFL team, it's pretty clear that the feeling is mutual.

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

The Miami Dolphins selected Ohio State linebacker Jerome Baker with the 73rd overall pick in the 2018 NFL draft, adding further depth and competition to a position that found itself struggling in 2017.

​Baker weighs in at 6-foot-1 and 229 pounds, and he ran a 4.53 at the combine; what he lacks in size, he makes up for in speed and range. Perhaps the greatest highlight of his career was back in 2016 when he intercepted a pass from none other than Oklahoma QB Baker Mayfield and ran it 68 yards the other way for a touchdown.

"This is a guy we spent a lot of time with (Ohio State) coach Bush, really got to know the kid through the draft process, and for us he had speed." Dolphins GM Chris Grier said after the pick. "We want to get faster on defense, so adding him and Minkah (Fitzpatrick) these first two days, it was a big priority on that side to get faster, and this kid has that."

During his three year career at Ohio State, he accumulated 159 tackles (17.5 for a loss), seven sacks and two interceptions. He received honorable mention All-Big Ten Honors in 2016, and was an honorable mention All-Conference pick in 2017.

Perhaps most bizarrely, Baker was asked at the combine by a coach what would he do if he were to be punched in the face.

"The one question that sticks out is I sat down, and the first thing the coach asked me is what I would do if he punched me in the face right now?" Baker said in early April. "To me, being from Cleveland, my natural reaction was, 'Coach, no disrespect but if you punch me in the face, we're gonna fight right here.' That was just my natural response. I guess that's what he wanted to hear, because he said, 'Good.'"

By picking Baker, the Dolphins have reunited him with his former Ohio State LB and teammate Raekwon McMillan, who GM Chris Grier said spoke highly of him during the draft process.

Baker now joins a LB corps which consists of Kiko Alonso, Stephone Anthony, Terence Garvin, Mike Hull, Chase Allen, and the aforementioned McMillan.

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

It seems that connections appear in the most unlikely of places, the two first draft picks of the Dolphins 2018 NFL draft - Alabama DB Minkah Fitzpatrick and Penn State TE Mike Gesicki - have apparently worked together before, and Gesicki clearly has a lot of respect for Fitzpatrick.

Minkah (Fitzpatrick) is obviously a phenomenal talent and a guy that is going to be extremely successful for this organization, and is also a Jersey guy like myself and I'm excited to get down there with him." Gesicki said. "I was training at EXOS with him leading up to the combine, I'm just so excited."

Both Fitzpatrick and Gesicki have been described by their teams as leaders in the locker room, which falls right in line with Miami's recent push to create a "culture change" that is based on being team first and self second. They both also offer a lot of athleticism that teams have to prepare for.

"His athleticism is his passing game." Penn State coach James Franklin said of Gesicki during an interview on NFL Network's Good Morning Football. "Obviously the question mark is the run aspect but he has worked very hard. In terms of 50/50 and contested catches, his athleticism...he has long strides...he can run past guys. He's a match-up nightmare."

As for Fitzpatrick, his versatility is what makes him dangerous, and the fact that he's one of the most polished prospects to ever come out of Alabama increases his worth.

“Minkah does it as well as anybody I’ve ever coached," said Alabama coach Nick Saban back eight months ago. "In terms of how he works every day, how he finishes plays, his conditioning level, just phenomenal, pays attention to detail. It’s important to him. Makes sure he knows what to do.”

​The fact that the first two players that Miami drafted already know each other means that chemistry will be strong starting out, and the emphasis on leadership continues.

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

The Miami Dolphins have used their second round pick to draft Penn State tight end Mike Gesicki 42nd overall, giving the team an instant upgrade at a major position of need.

Gesicki, who weighs in at 6-foot-6 and 247 pounds, is an athletic player with excellent hands and has the potential to be a dangerous seam threat with Adam Gase's preference towards Y-ISO formations; as a former four-time letter winner in volleyball in high school and a 41.5 inch vertical at the combine, Gesicki has everything Miami needs in a weapon.

However, it is also a well-known fact that Gesicki has one very obvious flaw in his game, which is his blocking ability, which is revealed when one turns on the tape on him. But the Dolphins were apparently aware of this flaw in his game and felt it was not an issue for them.

"The one thing that came out was his passion for football," said Dolphins GM Chris Grier. "The one thing everyone talks about is him not being a great blocker, but there's a lot of really good tight ends that are pass catchers that aren't great blockers. It's about giving effort. This kid wants to be a better blocker, talked about a lot of good things with us, and the one thing we really loved was his skill set offensively."

Gesicki also fits into the "culture change" that Miami is attempting to implement in the locker room, often being vocal at Penn State and being willing to point out when something isn't right, combining talent and leadership all in one very tall package.

"You always want guys that have leadership ability and will speak out if he sees things going wrong, but the one thing is he's a team guy." said Grier. "We talked to Coach Franklin, the staff and the other players there, they all love this kid. We talked to other players on the team, we always ask them, 'hey would you bring him along with you?' And every guy we talked to was like, 'hey, my man Big Mike.'"

In four seasons at Penn State, Gesicki caught 129 passes for 1,481 yards, averaging 11.5 yards per reception. He also caught 15 touchdowns.

Gesicki fell to them after there was an initial run on offensive linemen early in the second round; seven picks later the Philadelphia Eagles selected TE Dallas Goedert 49th overall; Goedert was another option Miami could have chosen instead of Gesicki.

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

The board could not have fallen better for the Miami Dolphins on Thursday night.

When the Cleveland Browns decided to throw the entirety of the other 31 teams in the NFL for a loop by drafting Oklahoma QB Baker Mayfield first overall instead of USC's Sam Darnold, readjustments had to be made. When they drafted Ohio State CB Denzel Ward fourth overall, the draft boards for a lot of teams were likely thrown off altogether.

And that's when the game changed, and unexpected players started falling right into the Dolphins laps, including, of course, the player they selected 11th overall, Alabama DB Minkah Fitzpatrick.

“He’s like a Swiss army knife." Dolphins GM Chris Grier said shortly after the selection. "He does a lot of things really good. You’ve heard everybody talk, it’s his skill set. He gives your defense a chance to be flexible and do a lot of different things. It’s his football intelligence, his love for football and he’s been a productive player from the minute he stepped on campus at arguably one of the best programs in college football.”

​As a part of the Alabama Crimson Tide, Fitzpatrick helped them win two championships in 2015 and 2017, and turned into one of the most polished and versatile draft prospects ever to come out of Alabama. His teammates have described him as "Coach Saban's son" because he was the only one who could regularly make Saban smile.

And Saban, notorious for having one of the most difficult schemes to comprehend in football and being extremely hard on his players, had plenty of praise of his own to bestow upon Fitzpatrick.

“He’s kind of a unique guy,” Saban said. “A lot of times talented guys don’t have overachieving personality types. He wants to be the best and goes out and works hard every day. He’s the exact model you love to have as a coach. The guy is very talented. He’s smart, bright, can learn. He really competed to be the absolute best at what he does. I don’t even know if I can describe him well enough.”

With all that Fitzpatrick has been through in his life, he has learned a lot about what it takes to be great in the NFL as well as in life; that attitude follows him around the locker room and affects those around him, and it fits the "culture change" that the Miami Dolphins are trying to implement.

"I just don't like clutter," Fitzpatrick says. "I like seeing the clear image of things. Even dealing with people. I don't mind being around a whole bunch of people, but when there's a whole bunch of nonsense going on around me, I need to see a sense of purpose around something. I don't want to be somewhere and not getting anything done."

That is the exact type of mentality and the exact type of player that the Dolphins are looking for.

"He’s a unique kid when you meet him." said Chris Grier. "(He’s) unbelievably smart (and) loves football. Obviously he’s one of Nick Saban’s favorite players. This guy played right … He came off at 18 right as a freshman and was an impact player for them. He’s been a very good football player for three years. (He has) impeccable character.

"There was a story … You guys have all seen his story. At the end of the day, this guy is a football player. He creates turnovers. He’s had a bunch of touchdown returns as well on those. This was a player we just felt, at that point, that we could not pass up.”

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

But what makes him special is his processing, and his movement skills while keeping his eyes in the backfield. He can run with receivers while keeping his eyes on the QB.

Here, Fitzpatrick is in the slot. The offense throws a screen his way. I love how Fitzpatrick attacks the blocker he isn't waiting for the blocker to come to him.

On this play, Fitzpatrick shows an excellent ability to recognize the play and displays a great click and close. Runs to everything like his hair is on fire.

Coverage is yet another skill that Fitzpatrick excels at. Here he displays his excellent coverage skills with a smooth backpedal, smooth hip turn, and stays with the WR all the way through the route. 

Dolphins GM Chris Grier stated in a press conference that Minkah Fitzpatrick would be used as a safety in Miami, or at least that's the plan. Plays like this are a big reason why free safety is his projected position. Here Fitzpatrick is playing deep corner/safety. He watches where the QB is going with the pass, positions himself and he intercepts this pass and brings it to the house for a defensive touchdown.

The feeling was electric at Hard Rock Stadium on Thursday night, the music was pumping, fans were cheering, and everywhere you turned there was something to do as the packed-in crowd awaited the announcement of the Miami Dolphins' 2018 first-round draft pick at the annual draft party presented by Publix.

"It's exciting," said former Dolphins running back Tony Nathan, who was one of several alumni in attendance. "Just to be back in the house again."

Activities were abundant in the stadium, including tours of Hard Rock Stadium's new luxury spaces, appearances by the Miami Dolphins cheerleaders, a live show of "The Audible" featuring insider analysis and exclusive interviews with current and alumni players, official draft merchandise for sale, and a garage sale of signature Dolphins items with proceeds going to benefit the Miami Dolphins Foundation.

The annual draft party is also one of the rare occasions where fans can interact and get autographs from some of their favorite players in Dolphins history, even as they cycle through the memories playing through their minds about their experiences during the draft.

"It's déjà vu," said former Dolphins cornerback Patrick Surtain. "I can remember this day, matter of fact 20 years ago, I got drafted in '98. It was nerve-wracking, I don't think I ate breakfast. I was at my home in New Orleans around family and friends and just waiting for that call. There were some guys saying I was going first round, some guys saying I was going second round, so I knew I was going first day, I just didn't know which round. Got to that 44th pick, you know before they show it on TV, the coach actually calls you, so I got the call in front of family and friends, it was total jubilation."

Surtain was also asked about the cornerback and safety prospects in this year's draft, and he said that it had a lot of good ones.

Which is good, because the Dolphins decided to go that route and drafted Alabama DB Minkah Fitzpatrick with the 11th overall pick, which was received by the fan base with a lot of excitement.

Of course, as with any draft pick, the reaction was not unanimous among the fan base, there were some who were hoping that the Dolphins would draft a quarterback to compete with incumbent starter Ryan Tannehill. But most fans were either okay or thrilled with the Fitzpatrick selection, as it opens up a lot of opportunities for the defense to get creative.

"I'm satisfied with the pick," said Manny of Dolfan Bandits. "I would have liked a quarterback just for the fact that I would love Tannehill to have some type of competition, he hasn't really had any competition since the time he came here. But overall I'm satisfied with the pick."

Coming together as fans to celebrate the arrival of a new young potential star is always a grand time for all, and if all goes well, the party may even continue long into the night next year, as the Dolphins will - hopefully - be picking much later in the first round, indicative of their success.

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

There is obviously a lot of resentment towards the head coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide coming from fans of the Miami Dolphins. Nick Saban coached the team from 2005 to 2006, and then left them to go coach Alabama after swearing up and down that he wouldn't leave.

Naturally, Dolphins fans are still bitter over that fact.

But despite that fact, it might be time to put aside that anger and hatred for the briefest of moments, as it appears the Dolphins have Saban to thank for helping them land one of the 2018 NFL draft's most polished players in defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick.

"It was an awesome experience," Fitzpatrick said during his video conference with the media. "I became so much better of a player over the last three years just by sitting underneath him and watching everything that he does, moving the way he moves; I really appreciate everything he's done and how hard he was on me, because it made me a great man and it also made me a great player."

Fitzpatrick was named a 2-time All-American under the coaching of Nick Saban, and he developed into one of college football's best playmakers on the defensive side of the ball; he came away with six interceptions in his sophomore year in 2016, and that knack for creating turnovers was part of what made him such an appealing prospect.

"The key to creating turnovers is simply just doing your job, being in the right place," Fitzpatrick said. "If you're a DB and you try to get picks, you're gonna be out of position, you're gonna be looking at the wrong things, but simply when you're just doing your job and be in the right place, they just come."

But it was initially Saban who ingrained that frame of mind into him, making sure that he didn't slip off the path to greatness, even if it led to some frustration on Fitzpatrick's part.

"I remember one of the first weeks I got there, he was just on me bad, on me hard," he said. "At first I wasn't frustrated because I was usually getting yelled at, but he knew I was making good plays, he was just finding something to tweak, finding something to fix, and it was kinda getting under my skin a little bit because I was like, 'I'm making good plays, why is he still yelling at me?' 

"But he saw me getting frustrated one day, and he just told me why he was that way, why he was hard on me specifically. He just told me that it was because he realized how great I could be, and he's not gonna let me get away with slacking, with not doing the right thing, whether it be the smallest of little things, he wasn't gonna let me get away with it."

Now the Miami Dolphins are benefiting from that hard coaching, and under Adam Gase - who utilizes the same brand of leadership, the sky is the limit for the 2018 11th overall pick.

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

With the 11th overall pick in the 2018 NFL draft, the Miami Dolphins have selected defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick out of Alabama.

​Fitzpatrick, 21, will bring an instant upgrade to the Miami secondary, allowing for increased versatility as he can play safety and cornerback and allows for hard-hitting safety T.J. McDonald to move into a dime linebacker role, with Fitzpatrick being the primary "center field" player.

​“It’s a different type of position,” Fitzpatrick told SB Nation at the NFL Combine. “It’s kind of a combination between corner and safety. You can make calls like a safety. You can make calls like a (corner). You can rush, you can fill the holes and the gaps like a safety. But then you can cover man to man on pass downs when you need to, just like a corner. So I like playing both corner and safety, so I think slot corner’s just the optimal position.”

Fitzpatrick has made nine interceptions during his college career, returning four of them for touchdowns. He has also accumulated 171 total tackles with 16.5 for a loss and two forced fumbles.

The former Alabama standout has also been described as being a leader in the locker room; when he talked, people listened, and his former coach Nick Saban - not one to usually publicly praise his players - was adamant enough about Fitzpatrick that he even cussed about him, praising his work ethic and commitment to being great back in 2017.

Miami may not have gotten their hands on a quarterback in the first round, but they did manage to grab a player who should not have been available at 11 in Fitzpatrick, and now the Dolphins secondary is set to be one of the best the franchise has fielded in a very long time.

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

The NFL draft is one of the largest chess games in sports. Teams are carefully watching what other teams do, deciding when or if they should make a phone call which will either cripple an opposing team or potentially set their team for the next ten years.

For the Miami Dolphins, their first round pick stands as the 11th overall, which means there will be plenty of talent to choose from when their turn finally arrives, assuming of course they don't find a way to trade up for a player they're in love with, or move down to try and get their hands on more draft picks.

"We kind of divide up the teams a little bit and we try to get a sense of what's gonna try to happen the best we can, touch base with as many teams as possible," said Executive Vice President of Football Operations Mike Tannenbaum during the pre-draft press conference. "Until we’re three or four picks away, you really don’t know what’s going to happen. I think the reason for that is because there are other trades that we can’t project. If we think a team four spots ahead of us has a certain need, but a different team trades up with a different need, that’s going to affect where we’re going to go."

The projection of the first five picks has been muddled by a lack of consensus over what direction the teams will go in, recently the rumor has spread that the Cleveland Browns want to select Oklahoma QB Baker Mayfield over USC's Sam Darnold, and the New York Giants - who select second overall - could either pick Penn State RB Saquon Barkley or the next quarterback in line, whoever that may be.

If Miami does decide to trade up, the amount of ammunition they have to do so is somewhat limited. They could package one of their fourth-rounders and a player (candidates include DeVante Parker, Andre Branch, Ja'Wuan James), or they could try to raise the stakes for the likes of Mayfield.

Either way, one thing is abundantly clear, things will quickly narrow down as the 11th pick creeps closer.

“I was joking with Chris (Grier) about this that if you have the 11th pick, there are eight guys you love. If you have the eighth pick, there are five (guys you love). That’s just one of the axioms. Maybe we wind up trading back. You never know. I think we feel really good about our preparation. We’ll see how it unfolds when we get to 11.”

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

Earlier this year, Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross made news with some comments he made regarding players kneeling in protest during the national anthem at NFL games.

Tuesday, Ross was deposed by the attorneys involved in Colin Kaepernick’s grievance against the NFL, which accuses the league of colluding to exclude him from employment in the league. It appears that Kaepernick’s legal team is intent on including President Donald Trump as a part of their collusion accusation, as most of what Ross had to say was tied to his belief that the perception of the protest changed because of Trump’s subsequent tweets and comments about players protesting. Ross's comments could be crucial to the case in that regard.

In March, Ross said, “I think initially I totally supported the players in what they were doing, because it’s America – people should be able to really speak about their choices and show them [in] doing that. But I think when you change the message, about, is it support of our country or the military, it’s a different message. When that message changed, and everybody was interpreting it as that was the reason, then I was against the kneeling.”

Ross then brought Trump into the conversation with, “His message became what kneeling was all about. From that standpoint, that’s the way the public is interpreting it. So I think that’s really incumbent upon us to adopt that, because that’s how I think the country is now interpreting the kneeling issue.”

Ross became at least the third NFL team owner to be included in the depositions, along with Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and Houston Texans owner Bob McNair. Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh and Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome have also been deposed in this case, as has NFL commissioner Roger Goodell.

The actual substance of those depositions are sealed.

Ross later said at the NFL owner’s meetings in Orlando that he believes and supports players’ rights to speak their thoughts, saying, “That’s what America is all about.”

Ross has funded the Ross Initiative in Sports for Equality (RISE) with about $7 million of his own money. RISE uses sports to bring people together to promote understanding, respect and equality and to promote race relations.

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

Is Adam Gase a leader? Is Ryan Tannehill a leader? These are the questions that Dolphins fans are trying to answer...or have already come up with an answer for, and - like everything else - are debating that their answer is the objectively correct answer.

Many people say that yes, both Tannehill and Gase are leaders.

Many others, usually those who are most vocal, say that Tannehill is too quiet and Gase is too stubborn for them to be true leaders.

But is that really the case?

This is the second part of a two-part series, detailing what truly makes a leader, what characteristics they have, and whether or not Gase and Tannehill have them. The first part - centered around head coach Adam Gase - can be found here. In this story, we will hopefully determine whether Ryan Tannehill is a leader or not.

Tannehill - often unfairly - gets compared to Hall of Fame QB Dan Marino, whose "in-your-face" style of leadership helped drive him to become one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time. Tannehill, on the other hand, has never been described as someone who regularly gets into confrontations. There have been times where he will express frustration with a receiver, but these moments are few, far and in-between.

Tannehill has always been viewed as a hard worker, but he doesn't show the same fire and emotion on the field that Dan Marino did, which is a big reason why nearly everyone in the Dolphins fandom desperately wants to draft Oklahoma QB Baker Mayfield, who comes off as having the same type of personality that Marino had. UCLA QB Josh Rosen is also someone who exudes confidence when he talks.

But is a fiery personality really synonymous with leadership in the NFL? Does getting in someone else's face prove that you're the one in charge? Or...does it simply mean that you're willing to get into someone's face and you feel inclined to shout a lot?

Do players even care about that sort of thing? Most fans would probably say absolutely. Dolphins players, however, don't necessarily share that sentiment.

"Leadership in my eyes would be doing your job consistently, rep after rep," said offensive lineman Jesse Davis. "Too much rah-rah stuff in my opinion, I don't really buy into that stuff, that loud, screaming, roaring guy. I think a guy that leads by example and talks with his play."

So often we have heard people suggest that the likes of Cameron Wake are not leaders because they prefer to not be vocal, that the leaders are the ones who speak up the most, or are the loudest. But the other side of the argument - ironically enough, the less vocal side - takes the stance that Davis laid out: leaders are the ones who lead by example, not necessarily with their mouths.

Cornerback Bobby McCain shares that sentiment.

"It's not about the rah-rah guys," he said. "It's about the guy that's going to come in every day and do the right thing. There's guys that are gonna come in each and every morning and perfect his craft. At the end of the day, some guys lead through example, some guys lead through play, some guys lead through word of mouth, it's whatever your role is on the team and you gotta take it and embrace it."

Now, you might say to yourself, it's that last bit that separates Tannehill from actually being a leader. The role of the quarterback is the most demanding leadership position of all, and being vocal is necessary, regardless of how much Tannehill leads by example.

After all, Dan Marino was notorious for getting in the faces of his receivers and teammates, and no one would dare question his leadership qualities. Tannehill lacks that same attitude on the field, so surely he's not a leader.

But then you hear the words of a player who played with Marino, as well as the other Hall of Fame quarterback who preceded him, and you get two very different pictures.

Mere days away from the start of the 2018 NFL draft, the Miami Dolphins have decided to pick up the fifth-year option on WR DeVante Parker's contract, ensuring that the team retains control over the 2015 1st round pick through at least 2019.

Miami was required to make a decision on Parker prior to May 3; the option will cost around $9.5 million, and will become guaranteed in the event that Parker becomes injured enough to land in the injured reserve. Parker's cap hit for 2018 is around $3.5 million, making him the 59th-highest paid WR in the league according to overthecap.com

Parker, 25, has not lived up to the expectations that comes with being a 1st round pick, only making 139 receptions for 1,908 yards and eight touchdowns. He has also failed to remain healthy enough to play all 16 games of a season, only recently coming to terms with the self-discipline necessary to be a successful NFL player.

Head coach Adam Gase had to set Parker on the right path in 2017, making sure he improved his diet and started taking better care of himself, which seemed to be working as he looked faster, stronger and more agile than he had in any year prior to 2017.

Until more injuries hampered his performance, and the loss of starting quarterback Ryan Tannehill forced the Dolphins to coax veteran Jay Cutler out of retirement, making Parker's job even more difficult. The potential has always been there, which he has flashed by making big plays from time to time, it has always been the consistency that has eluded him.

Putting the fifth-year option on Parker is a very proactive move by the front office; should Parker somehow have a breakout year, Miami will have the opportunity to negotiate a long-term deal without interference from other teams, or perhaps find a trade partner to accumulate resources for the 2019 NFL draft.

It may seem like a questionable move because of Parker's lack of production, but consider this: if Parker does break out, and Miami failed to place the option on him, they would have been caught with their pants down and been forced to react, which the Dolphins have been criticized for in the past.

Miami can always rescind the offer whenever they want if they feel that Parker won't live up to expectations in 2018, provided he doesn't land on injured reserve.

Parker was a 1st round pick for a reason, and everyone knows what Parker is capable of. All he has to do is get consistent, which there is still time to do.

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

I am a Falk head. I will die on that Falk hill. I truly feel he will compete to be a starter in two to three years. He has intangibles that translate to the NFL. He makes pre-snap reads and audibles. He properly scans the field. He passes with anticipation. Falk has YACcuracy™.

I coined the phrase YACcuracy to describe Falk’s ability to hit wide receivers in stride. Accuracy is different than YACcuracy. Accuracy is tight window throws, back shoulder throws. YACcuracy is giving a WR a chance to run with the ball. Falk is YACcurate.

​Falk shows beautiful precision in the red zone. He puts the ball where only the WR can catch it. Windows get tighter in the red zone. If you are as good as Falk is at red zone passing then you have a shot at not only being a starter, but being an actually successful starter in the NFL.

Not everything is wonderful with Falk, however. For instance, is Falk a sack magnet or is his offensive line putrid

Either way, he gets hit. A lot.

Falk needs to develop a little more pocket maneuverability, but sometimes there is nowhere to go. He makes a ton of throws with defenders draped over him, defenders around him, and about to hit him. He also shows strength with making a throw while having defenders draped all over him.

You do not see pressure or constantly being hit affect Falk. He gets rocked a lot, but nothing affects him. He is willing to hold on to the ball so his receivers can get open. Sometimes a little too long, but he just pops back up. Even after getting suplexed into the ground he still plays with his eyes down the field, scanning for open WRs.

​This is good practice because it is hard to have a clean pocket in the NFL and you can’t play quarterback in the NFL scared.   

​Did I mention his line was a steaming pile of trash? He is very comfortable making accurate throws with people around him. This is an underrated trait for QB prospects. Most QBs can make clean pocket accurate passes. The great ones have to operate in a muddy pocket.  

Falk has the ability to make incredible throws into tight windows, he can even make tight window throw 30 yards in the air. He can make throws that any mistake would result in an interception. Throws like these are true NFL throws. He makes tight window throws because he has excellent zip on the ball. Zip is not arm strength, it is quick release and good velocity.

There's no such thing as good interceptions, but some interceptions are more justified than others. One of Falk's major flaws is that he has too many bad INTs. He needs to work on limiting those and making better decisions. Falk needs to find that line between good tight window throws and forcing the issue. These clips are some of his poor decisions, but I would personally live with the occasional poor decision to throw in a tight window than have a timid passer.

Falk’s deep ball is suspect. He is off target with deep throw passing to the sidelines. Falk has to let his WR have a chance at the ball. I'm not saying he doesn’t have an NFL caliber arm, merely that his deep passing accuracy would likely improve with better protection and some improved deep ball technique.

Now while ​deep throws are not Falk’s strong suit, I think he has enough arm strength to make NFL deep throws. He shows throws of 30-50 yards in the air to the sideline that don’t float or flutter. He shows deep ball accuracy by hitting WRs in stride and giving WRs a chance to compete at the catch point, which means he isn't an awful deep thrower.

Finally, what is Falk's level of athleticism? Well...let's just say that he won't be beating Lamar Jackson in a footrace any time soon...in fact he'd probably struggle beating 61-year old LaToya Jackson...however, speed does not necessarily equate to athleticism, which he displays enough of - in my opinion - when rolling out for passes or running for five yards or so for first downs.

The Miami Dolphins unveiled some much-anticipated changes to their uniforms for the 2018 season, and it appears they’ve come up with a winner, as fans and critics alike seem to agree on one thing – the new tweaks are all improvements on the old look.

In a nod to the past, the changes veer closer to the old-style “throwback” uniforms of the ‘70s, with orange outlines on the numbers and names, although they do keep the new logo intact and do not include the sleeve piping of the throwback uniforms.

Gone is the darker ‘marine blue’ highlight on the helmet stripe and on the uniform piping, replaced with a darker orange that harkens back to the throwbacks while keeping a modern look. In fact the team is officially calling the new uniforms “historically modern.”

Check out this link to the team’s official website announcement, including several pictures of the new uniforms.

http://miamidolphinsuniform.com/

The move comes exactly one week before the 2018 NFL draft.

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