Miami Dolphins - AFC East

Miami Dolphins - AFC East, 2008 Draft Selections & Prospects

Miami Dolphins

The Draft Was ... The building block for the future. It's a great draft, but not one that'll reap immediate rewards (outside of Jake Long) considering most of the early picks (Phillip Merling, Chad Henne, Kendal Langford and Shawn Murphy) will need time, and considering that six linemen were taken. Long had better be a perennial all-pro in what could be among the most second-guessed No. 1 pick ever.
Best Value Pick: Phillip Merling, DE Clemson. 2nd round. Considering what Jacksonville had to do to get the underachieving Derrick Harvey at the eight, Merling was a steal at the 32.
Biggest Reach: Jake Long, OT Michigan. 1st round. Long was the need pick who was the best tackle in the draft, but OT was one of the biggest strengths. If Miami could've traded down, it could've gotten someone like Chris Williams or Jeff Otah and had more to show for it.
They Should've ... Gone after a receiver. There's still a glaring lack of weapons for Chad Henne, John Beck, or whomever the quarterback turns out to be. Bill Parcells is building from the line up, but a flier on a mid-range receiver would've been nice.

#	Pick
1	1	1st Round Jake Long, OT Michigan Huge, tough, and surprisingly agile, Long's a mammoth all-around blocker who does almost everything at a high level. Tremendously strong and with an attitude that punishes defenders, he's a sure-thing NFL run blocker who can step in on day one and produce. The big issue, for a player worthy of a top selection and all the money that comes with it, is his potential against speed rushers. He had a problem against Ohio State and now he'll have to show he can consistently handle NFL ends with quick first steps. He can step in right away and play right tackle; he'll make a lot of money and will be paid a ton to not be a sure-thing left tackle. That's not to say he can't play on the left side, but he might be better on the right. CFN Projection: Top Five Overall

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2nd Round Miami      Phillip Merling, DE Clemson The upside is limitless if a coaching staff is willing to be patient and will work with him on becoming a more refined pass rusher. He's great at getting to the quarterback and creating pressure, but he needs to become a better closer, which likely would've happened if he had stayed for his senior season. With excellent size, he can be a near-perfect end in a 4-3 and has the quickness to grow into a top pass rusher in a 3-4. Always working and always on, he never dogs a play and is always going full-tilt. While he was hurt and wasn't able to work out as expected this off-season, that only got some teams excited about the possibility to get him on the cheap. There's no real downside, and he could become special in a few years. CFN Projection: First Round    CFN Position Rank: 2

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2nd Round   Chad Henne, QB Michigan With the right coaching and a little bit of time to fine-tune his arm and his mechanics, he could turn out to be a steal. Strong with a gun of an arm, he can make any throw and can drive the ball to any spot needed at a high NFL level, but he needs time to throw and he needs a good line to work behind. He's not going to move too much and he needs to step up and fire or else his accuracy wavers; he's not going to make anything happen on his own. He could become another Matt Schaub who sits behind someone for a little while and builds a big buzz before getting a big payday in the free agency market. CFN Projection: Late Second Round   CFN Position Rank: 3

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3rd Round (from Detroit)   Kendall Langford, DE/DT Hampton An oversized end at 287 pounds, he could end up sitting inside or playing in a 4-3 scheme. Really strong and really tough, he does a little of everything and can be molded into whatever defense he plays in. However, he needs a lot of work and a lot of time. There almost no refined technique whatsoever and he'll need a ton of coaching and a lot of time. With his tools, the potential is there for big things if given the chance. CFN Projection: Fifth Round   CFN Position Rank: 16 (as a DE)

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4th Round (from Denver)  Shawn Murphy, OG/OT Utah State A former JUCO transfer, Murphy came to Utah State and was a solid starter for two years. He's a little old after spending three years on an LDS church mission and he still needs some serious fine-tuning on his skills and his technique. One of his big plusses is his versatility. At 6-3 and 320 pounds he could be a big tackle or a solid guard. While he won't do any one thing well, he could grow into a nice backup. CFN Projection: Fifth Round   CFN Position Rank: 12 (as an OG)

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6th Round (from trade)  Jalen Parmele, RB Toledo He was the Toledo running game last season. At 224 pounds with good straight-line speed, he can also run inside and make a quick cut and bounce it outside in a hurry. However, he's not going to make too many people miss and he's not as hard a runner as his size might indicate. While he'll be purely a backup and special teamer, he'll work his way on a team and will find a niche. CFN Projection: Sixth Round  CFN Position Rank: 16

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6th Round   Donald Thomas, OG Connecticut While he's not a huge inside presence, he's one of the better athletes among the guards and is one of the few who can get on the move. He's be a nice fit for a zone-blocking scheme and isn't bad in pass protection, but he's not going to beat anyone up and he needs a lot of seasoning. A total unknown, being discovered playing pickup basketball, he's a true rags-to-riches story who has a world of potential is someone has a little patience. CFN Projection: Fifth Round  CFN Position Rank: 6

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6th Round  Lex Hilliard, FB Montana Very strong and very tough at just under 6-0 and 231 pounds, he's a pounder of a runner and a tough blocker. Purely a tailback in college, he's not fast enough to be a third down back in the NFL and he's not going to be a regular starter. However, he could be a hard-charging change of pace back as well as a blocker. He has to prove an Achilles tendon injury isn't going to be a further problem CFN Projection: Free Agent   CFN Position Rank: 5

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7th Round  Lionel Dotson, DT Arizona While he had a good senior year, he played like the bulked up defensive end he was. Not a big body, he's only 283 pounds and he times slowwwwww. He hasn't been able to tough it out through a variety of injuries and he doesn't have the strength to survive as an every down tackle, but he could be a decent interior pass rusher and he'll do the work needed to get better. CFN Projection: Fifth Round to Sixth  CFN Position Rank: 22