Rundown of Miami Dolphins draft grades

The final round of the 2019 NFL Draft concluded eight days ago.

Which should give draft gurus adequate time to dive into each team’s rookie class, and give their completely unbiased opinion of each player.

Oh and don’t worry, your parents won’t be eagerly waiting for you to get home from school with this report card.

Here are what the ‘experts’ are saying about the Miami Dolphins 2019 draft class.

Mel Kiper, ESPN

Draft Grade: B

Top needs: Quarterback, defensive line, offensive line

Draft Analysis:
Miami is undergoing a complete rebuild this offseason. It might have the least-talented roster in the league after Ja’Wuan James, Robert Quinn, Cameron Wake, Danny Amendola and Ryan Tannehill, among others, departed. It has needs at almost every position. New GM Chris Grier has started the rebuild in the right way, though, stripping spare parts (and big contracts) and starting fresh while picking up future assets, like a 2020 second-round pick from the aggressive Saints on Friday.

And since we thought the Dolphins were more interested in the 2020 quarterback class — they passed on both Dwayne Haskins and Drew Lock in Round 1 — the low-risk trade for Josh Rosen makes an awful lot of sense. They gave up just a late second-round pick (No. 62) and a 2020 fifth-rounder to add a supertalented signal-caller who went No. 10 overall a year ago. He’s also on a cheap deal for the next few years with his signing bonus already paid, so even if he’s not the long-term answer, it will be easy to move on. I wouldn’t rule out Miami still being in the 2020 QB sweepstakes, but I like the Rosen deal.

Miami added an underrated interior pass-rusher in Christian Wilkins at No. 13 overall, and for a team desperate for sacks, he will provide a boost. He’s also going to be a great locker-room presence. Michael Deiter (No. 78) was my third-ranked guard, but he started games at tackle, center and guard for the Badgers. Isaiah Prince (No. 202) is a sneaky candidate to start at one of the tackle spots. Myles Gaskin (No. 234) was extremely productive in college, but you wonder what all those carries have done to his body.

Again, this is going to be a long process for the Dolphins, and they’re just beginning. This draft will be remembered for the Rosen deal, but Wilkins could be a steal.

Pete Prisco, CBS Sports

Miami Dolphins: B

Best pick:  It was their first one, defensive tackle Christian Wilkins. He will be a star. He got my only A+ in my first-round grades.

Worst pick: They really didn’t have any, but fifth-round linebacker Andrew Van Ginkelwas probably taken a little too high.

The skinny: Landing Wilkins was a great move and fills a major need, but I also loved that they traded their second-round pick to land Josh Rosen from Arizona. He could be their long-term quarterback.

Chad Reuter, NFL.com

Draft picks: Clemson DT Christian Wilkins (No. 13 overall); Wisconsin OG Michael Deiter (No. 78); Wisconsin LB Andrew Van Ginkel (No. 151); Ohio State OT Isaiah Prince (No. 202); Auburn FB Chandler Cox (No. 233); Washington RB Myles Gaskin (No. 234)
Overall grade: A-
Draft analysis: Wilkins is a quality person and an excellent player with the versatility to play anywhere on the line. The team never really replaced Ndamukong Suh, and Wilkins has the ability to be really disruptive inside.

We absolutely take the Friday acquisition of Josh Rosen into account in this grade. Landing the second-year QB for a late-second-round pick this year and 2020 fifth-rounder was an absolute bargain. Trading down in Round 2 in a deal with the Saints before making the Rosen deal was also a great move. Deiter meets an important need at guard, especially with Rosen in place.

Van Ginkel is still growing as a player, but he has real potential as a pass rusher. Prince will get a chance to play at right tackle as a rookie, though he’ll need to be more consistent to earn the job. Gaskin is not exceptional in any area but will be tough to cut.

Andy Benoit, Sports Illustrated

MIAMI DOLPHINS

1 (13). Christian Wilkins, DT, Clemson
3 (78). Michael Deiter, OL, Wisconsin
5 (151). Andrew Van Ginkel, LB, Wisconsin
6 (202). Isaiah Prince, T, Ohio State
7 (233). Chandler Cox, FB, Auburn
7 (234). Myles Gaskin, RB, Washington

There really was no wrong direction for the Dolphins to go in this draft—with an all-new coaching staff and mediocre roster, the team is undergoing personnel overhauls on both sides of the ball. First-time head coach Brian Flores, having spent his entire career until now in New England, is expected to employ a Belichick-style scheme which would mean an emphasis on size and strength along the D-line. Interestingly, Christian Wilkins, though a highly regarded first-round talent, doesn’t completely fit this profile. Wilkins’s game is built more on movement than force. He can, however, align at multiple spots, which is key in Flores’s system.

Getting Josh Rosen with the 62nd overall pick (plus a fifth-rounder next year) is incredible value. Rosen was in a no-win situation with the Cardinals last year and should not be viewed any differently than he was coming out of UCLA. He will almost certainly start right away and play behind Michael Deiter, who started every game the last four years at Wisconsin and fills a left guard spot that was devoid of any starting caliber options prior to this draft.

GRADE: A

Dan Parr, NFL.com

Dan Kader, SBNation

The Dolphins fleeced the Cardinals. First Miami dropped down from No. 48 to No. 62. Then it used the No. 62 pick to trade for quarterback Josh Rosen, a potential franchise quarterback. If he’s not, he’s cheap and the Dolphins can move on easily.

In the first round, the Dolphins helped fortify their defensive line with Christian Wilkins at No. 13. He specializes at getting pressure. Guard Michael Deiter, taken at No. 78, fills a big need. He’s experienced, playing four years at Wisconsin, and should step into the starting lineup. He’s one of the better picks inside the top 100.

Miami’s last pick, running back Myles Gaskin, has a real chance to stick on the roster. He’s a slippery back who will make tacklers miss.

Grade: B

Evan Silva, Rotoworld

Grade: C+

Overview: 
Josh Rosen is part of this haul after the Dolphins acquired him for the 62nd pick. They will owe Rosen just $6.3 million over the next three years. The extreme low-cost flyer makes all kinds of sense for a rebuild-committed team that has properly self diagnosed. GM Chris Grier pulled off another forward-thinking deal by flipping No. 48 for No. 62, No. 202, and the Saints’ 2020 second-round pick. Wilkins projects as a high-floor building-block up front, and Deiter earned 2018 Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year after making starts at guard, center, and left tackle in his career. He should not struggle to win a rookie-year starting job on Miami’s talent-poor offensive line. None of the Dolphins’ day-three picks jump off the page as steals or obvious duds, but I think we should appreciate this team’s overall approach. The Fins have set themselves up to lead the league in 2020 draft capital with a realistic chance at the top pick in each round next year, including No. 1 overall. Short-term sacrifices for long-term gains.

How did you think the Dolphins did in this year’s draft?

Comment below.