Tag Archive for: NFL Draft

2022 NFL Scouting Combine Preview

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The NFL Combine kicks off on March 1st and ends on March 7th. The 2022 NFL Combine will take place in Lucas Oil Stadium. 

NFL Network will be covering the 2022 NFL Combine:

  • March 3rd: quarterbacks, wide receivers and tight ends from 4 p.m. ET to 11 p.m. ET 
  • March 4th: running backs, offensive linemen and special teams from 4 pm. ET to 10 p.m. ET 
  • March 5th: Five hours of live coverage of defensive linemen and linebackers from 4 p.m. ET to 9 p.m. 
  • March 6th: Five hours of live coverage of defensive backs from 2 p.m. ET to 7 p.m. ET 

What it is

The 2022 NFL Scouting Combine allows prospects to participate in on-field drills in front of NFL evaluators. Additionally, prospects have the opportunity to interview with NFL teams.

There are around 324 total combine participants ranging from SEC powerhouses to FCS and HBCU players. 

Analysis

The NFL combine is the biggest draft-centric event of the year. A year after its full cancellation, the NFL combine is returning this year but the National Invitational Camp planned to implement several COVID-19 protocols, including a “bubble.” 

However, The NFL Combine is lifting bubble restrictions shortly after the news that player agents were organizing a boycott.

Most prospects train for the NFL Combine right after the season ends. Each prospect has a team of nutritionists, agents, and trainers- to help them with their testing, nutrition, training and even sleep schedule.

Training for the combine is no joke as it is the biggest interview of prospects lives.

It may be entertaining for fans and media alike to enjoy the testing events such as the 40 yard dash and even the bench press. NFL teams view the medical evaluations as the most vital aspect of the combine.

These medical evaluations are critical in decision making for NFL teams. At times if a player fails the evaluation it may knock them off a teams board or may even shatter their dreams of playing in the NFL.

Interviews with NFL team evaluators is the second most important part of the combine process. It’s a rare opportunity for scouts, coaches, and general managers to get to know players in a one-on-one format. 

This allows players to understand what teams are looking for in them and teams to really pick a prospects brain and see if they can be a cultural fit within their organization.

Prospects see a volatile change in their training regimen for the NFL Combine. The Combine itself has a different structure compared to how players train.

Players are in a new uncomfortable environment which interferes in how they go about doing things. It’s not an optimal environment that will translate into testing numbers they usually hit.

Furthermore, it’s why teams go to prospects pro days. Pro days are similar to the NFL combine except colleges host it for their players. This allows prospects to be comfortable in familiar circumstances to put their best foot forward.

Pro days are essentially structured by college training staffs where players know the surface they are working on. In short, players create the workout during pro days where the combine creates the work for them.

Conclusion

For many of us in the draft world, analysts don’t “trust” the pro day testing numbers as they want to see how prospects react to different environments as it translates to prospects figuring out things in the league and on game days.

Agents of prospects sometimes tell them to forgo the combine testing and do the medical testing and interviews with teams. Teams still take into account pro day numbers and can use their evaluation criteria to better judge players.

 

*** This article was originally posted at PhinManiacs***

 

Hussam Patel is a Miami Dolphins contributor at Five Reasons Sports Network, Director of Scouting at PhinManiacs and Editor at Dolphins ATB. Follow him on Twitter at @HussamPatel

Recap of Miami Dolphins’ March 26 Madness

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Let me just start off with this,

 

Chris Grier my brother your flowers and a round of applause

 

I will be the first to admit that I had been a skeptic of Chris Grier because of picks like Charles Harris and no RB or WR being drafted before the 6th round, but wow did Chris knock it out of the park in trading back with the 49ers…. So, in the in the midst of me praising Chris Grier and writing this article, He decided that he would make another trade this time with the Philadelphia Eagles so let’s recap all the craziness so far.

 

The First Deal:

This bomb shocked everyone as Flores had previously mentioned picking someone “let’s say in the top 10” so a trade with the 49ers came as a surprise as most expected it to be the Carolina Panthers at 8 who would trade up. For the 49ers this move signals that a QB run will start the 2021 NFL Draft. For the Dolphins the move to 12 signaled serious Najee Harris vibes as the first pick but Chris Grier had other plans apparently, as he was not done dealing for the day.

 

 

Trade with Eagles:

If the deal with the 49ers didn’t kick you off your chair, then the one with the Eagles for sure did. This one move here signifies that the Dolphins aren’t just about wheeling and dealing for picks, but they’ll do it for a specific player as well. I really have to wonder which player or players they have identified as being potential choices for the number 6 overall selection.

 

New Draft Order:

Overall looking at the end result of the 2021 NFL Draft and a couple things standout for me.

  1. The 2021 NFL Draft will start with 4 straight QB selections.
  2. The Bengals will have the choice of both Penei and Chase
  3. And the Dolphins might still have the choice of the top 3 WR and Kyle Pitts at 6.
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To round it all up, this move was probably the biggest indicator of Chris Grier playing chess not  checkers with the competition. Not only was he able to turn the #3 overall pick into a plethora of riches in the coming years:

But he was also able to put the Dolphins in a position where all the options that should be getting considered at 3, are now slam dunk picks at 6 after all the moves.

 

Chris Grier, you killed this one chief!

2020 NFL Draft Live Coverage: Day 2

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The 2020 NFL Draft started just how we wanted it, right? Tua is finally a Miami Dolphin!

Tonight, you get to share Day 2 of the NFL Draft with US again:

Five Reasons Sports Network NFL Draft Live Coverage Day 2:

 

Rewatch our NFL Draft Day 1 Coverage here: 

 

Our new TUA shirt! Get it here!

 

Catch up with our stories:

The official Three Yards Per Carry video draft guide (Alfredo Arteaga, Simon Clancy)

The final Three Yards Per Carry/Extra Yard mock draft (Alfredo Arteaga)

Tua, no matter what (Josh Houtz) 

Pressure point: is Tua the plan? (Craig Davis)

Hey Dolphins, be the Heat (Ethan Skolnick)

The most important Dolphins draft ever (Ramon Lo)

The South Florida draft prospects (Larry Blustein)

The Miami Hurricanes draftees (Paul Austria)

 

Thanks to our sponsors:

Andre Law (AndreLaw.com)

Keystone Chiropractic (Office here)

Luis Peters, State Farm (LuisPeters.com)

Greenlight Tek (GreenlightTek.com)

Lloyd Heilbrunn law (Palm Beach firm)

Greenview Construction (MACAINC.net)

Seltzer Mayberg law firm (North Miami firm)

 

 

Check our live coverage here:

Alabama Athletics

Tua Tagovailoa Aces Three-Month Doctor Visit

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Alabama QB Tua Tagovailoa’s hip looked ‘as positive as possible’ according to reports. Will the Dolphins draft the talented passer?

The NFL offseason is a long and grueling process.

No one truly knows what the team’s end game is, but if early reports are accurate, Tua Tagovailoa is at the top of their wish list. Acquiring the talented quarterback is an entirely different beast. And one that the Dolphins will soon have to make a franchise-altering decision on.

Is Tagovailoa worthy of the #5 overall pick? Absolutely.

Is he worthy of trading multiple draft picks to move up and secure the quarterback of the future? I believe so, but do the Dolphins?

That answer we may not know until April 23rd. But one thing we do know is that Tagovailoa is progressing quite nicely.

According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Tagovailoa’s three-month CT scan came back great.

There’s still a ways to go in Tagovailoa’s development, and the potential for AVN is still prominent. However, this is a massive win for Tua and his agent, who hope the QB can throw before April’s draft. One would assume that if he can showcase his skills to NFL teams and general managers, the likelihood that he would be a top-5 draft pick dramatically improves. As does the possibility that Miami–or any other team–would have to trade up to land The Left Arm of God.

In the end, there is no player in the history of the NFL draft that I wanted my favorite football team to draft more than Tagovailoa. And for years, Miami passed on elite quarterbacks, to settle for the safe prospect. Perhaps this is the end? Maybe, after twenty years of failing to address the most critical position in football with anyone other than Ryan Tannehill, a bunch of second-round draft picks, or aging veterans–maybe they finally land a once-in-a-generation QB.

The time is now. Tua Tagovailoa, No Matter What.

This article was written by Josh Houtz (@houtz) a lifelong Tua Tagovailoa stan.

Tua Tagovailoa will work out for teams in April

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Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa will work out for teams in April, according to his agent Leigh Steinberg.

Before the 2019 Miami Dolphins ever took the field, it was believed by many that the plan was to draft Alabama QB Tua Tagovailoa, no matter what. And with each passing win, it seemed less and less likely that the plan would come to fruition. But then, Tagovailoa suffered a season-ending hip injury, which once again made this dream a reality. Now, with less than four months until the 2020 NFL Draft, new information could change teams’ outlook in April.

According to Tagovailoa’s agent Leigh Steinberg, the promising young QB is expected to be fully healthy and able to work out for NFL teams before the draft.

In Tagovailoa We Trust

No one can honestly say whether or not Tagovailoa will be fully healthy. As it is my belief, there are several hurdles between now and April that he must overcome. But for a player that at one point–many believed may never play football again–this is big. And for teams like the Miami Dolphins or even the Los Angeles Chargers, they must now start to devise a plan to figure out how to land the Left Arm of God. 

Truth is, Chris Grier and his henchman have done what needed to be done, to acquire as war chest of draft picks. They have the ammunition to move up and down the draft board as they deem fit–and it is my understanding they will do so for the right player. Tagovailoa, when healthy, is absolutely worth trading up for. And if he is the QB the team coveted since day one, the decision is easy.

When healthy, Tagovailoa is one of the best QBs to ever play collegiate football. Now, he has the opportunity to take his talents to the NFL-to South Florida. Now it is up to the Miami Dolphins to make that a dream a reality.

In all my years covering the Dolphins, there is not a prospect I can remember wanting more than Tagovailoa. I just hope Miami’s front office feels the same way. Because missing out on a prospect like Tagovailoa, could rival passing on Drew Brees or Aaron Rodgers. It’s time to get out of the 7-9 and 8-8 hell the team has been trapped in for the last 20 years.

Save us Tua Tagovialoa, you’re our only hope.

 

This article was written by Josh Houtz (@houtz) and he really, really wants the Dolphins to draft Tua Tagovailoa.

 

Jalen Hurts Dwyane Wade

Miami Heat legend Dwyane Wade gives Oklahoma QB Jalen Hurts ringing endorsement

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In light of the recent devastating injury suffered by Alabama QB Tua Tagovailoa, Dolphins fans have been forced to look elsewhere for a potential franchise quarterback. While there’s still a chance Tagovailoa will make a full recovery, it is now riskier than ever for Miami to put all their eggs in one basket. Tagovailoa may return to form, or he may never play football again. Even if he does, there’s also a chance he will never be the same player he once was. Does that mean the Dolphins shouldn’t draft him? Not necessarily. Miami has several draft picks to spare, and Tagovailoa will likely be available when the Dolphins pick now that his health is a huge question mark. Where’s the harm in drafting two quarterbacks?

However, there is another possibility. After suffering such a major injury, Tagovailoa could decide that his best option is to return to Alabama for one more year. By doing so, he can rebuild his draft stock and prove to potential suitors that he still has what it takes. But that leaves Miami without a clear cut QB selection in the 2020 draft. Who do they turn to now? Oregon’s Justin Herbert? Georgia’s Jake Fromm? Utah State’s Jordan Love?

The 2020 draft class is filled with talented quarterbacks besides Tagovailoa, and a good coaching staff has a very good chance of developing one of them into a franchise quarterback. But there’s one quarterback who has captured the attention of another legendary athlete in Miami’s history. Former Miami Heat superstar Dwyane Wade took to Twitter early Sunday morning to express his support for Oklahoma QB Jalen Hurts.

There’s a certain irony to this. Back during Hurts’ junior year, he was replaced as the starter at Alabama by none other than Tua Tagovailoa. Hurts did well as his backup and the two became good friends. Hurts recently offered his thoughts on Tagovailoa’s injury.

“It hurt me to hear it. He’s a great friend of mine,” Hurts said. “I pray for him and his family. I hope everything works out for the best for him.”

That said, Hurts did want to have an opportunity to play for himself. So, for his senior year, Hurts announced he was transferring to the University of Oklahoma. Since then, Hurts has become a favorite to win the Heisman Trophy, and he leads the nation in passer efficiency rating. In second place, is Tagovailoa. Hurts is breaking Baker Mayfield’s records and he’s showing amazing talent as both a runner and a passer.

However, he’s also making mistakes. His recent incredible comeback against Baylor was partly necessary because of errors he himself made. But the fact he made that spectacular comeback, bringing the Sooners back from a 28-3 deficit to win, proves his talent is there, waiting for someone to develop and utilize.

But what makes Wade, a basketball player, an authority on potential NFL quarterbacks? Frankly, not much. But there is one universal trait among all competitive sports. The untraceable concept of “it.”

Wade has “it.”

There’s a saying that game recognizes game. True, Wade likely knows next to nothing about what it takes to be an NFL quarterback. However, there’s a strong chance he can recognize that all so important “it” factor that defines Wade’s entire career in Jalen Hurts.

The kind of quarterback the Dolphins need to start their path back to greatness must possess that intangible. For Wade to endorse Jalen Hurts so emphatically means he must recognize something that makes Hurts special. True, he may not be Tagovailoa, but even Tagovailoa himself may not be that player anymore. So the next best thing may very well be Hurts. If nothing else, it should prompt Miami’s scouting department to take a very close look at him.

Luis Sung has covered the Miami Dolphins for numerous outlets such as Dolphins Wire for six years. Follow him on Twitter: @LuisDSung

Dolphins Select LSU QB Joe Burrow in Latest Tankathon Mock Draft

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Another week, another Tankathon mock draft

For those keeping track at home, each week I continue to document the latest draft order and mock draft at Tankathon.com. And although the Miami Dolphins have not had the first-overall pick in quite some time, the fine folks at Tankathon continue to make things interesting, to say the least.

In fact, prior to the Jets’ blowout loss to the Patriots on Monday Night, Tankathon posted their three-round mock draft and to the surprise of many, DID NOT have the Dolphins drafting a quarterback. Obviously, that was a mistake. Or perhaps they just weren’t sure which QB Miami might covet with the second-overall pick.

Well after a short deliberation with their trusty friends, and a nice retweet from yours truly, there was one QB that the masses believed to be the clear-cut favorite.

His name was Joe Burrow.

That’s right, folks. In Tankathon’s latest mock draft, the Miami Dolphins select LSU QB Joe Burrow.

Now I know, I know, he’s not the same type of prospect as Tua Tagovailoa. However, no one can argue with how well Burrow has played through seven games in 2019. Furthermore, if he continues to ascend over the next few weeks, while Tua recovers from an ankle injury, it is very possible that an NFL team could deem him the guy to carry their franchise to the promise land.

Tankathon.com 3-round mock draft 10/22

With the remaining two picks in the first round #10 & #22, the Miami Dolphins fill two voids on their depleted roster.  At #10, Miami selects Oklahoma WR CeeDee Lamb, who will make an immediate impact in Miami’s offense.

At #22, the Dolphins select Penn State pass-rusher, Yetur Gross-Matos.  Truth is, aside from Vince Biegel and Taco Charlton, Miami has struggled mightily to get pressure on the QB.  So, Gross-Matos would instantly fill a void and help fix one of the worst defenses in all of football.

With the 33rd-overall pick, the Dolphins pick arguably the most explosive running back in all of college football, Jonathan Taylor.  Taylor would fill an instant need with Kenyan Drake on his way out and Kalen Ballage seemingly irrelevant.  Mark Walton and Taylor would be a perfect 1-2 punch in Chad O’Shea’s offense.

At pick #62 the Dolphins land Iowa offensive lineman Alaric Jackson, to help sure up one of Miami’s weakest units.  Yes, Miami has $130M+ to spend in FA, but they will absolutely turn to the draft to fix their struggling offensive line.

Lastly, Miami selects Utah CB Jaylon Johnson to start opposite of Xavien Howard in the secondary.

This will change many more times between now and April 23, 2020. With that said, how do you feel with Tankathon’s latest mock draft?

Josh Houtz (@houtz) is a die-hard fan of the Miami Dolphins, and is okay (I guess) with #BlowForBurrow

Tankathon’s Latest 3-Round Mock Draft

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Let’s take a look at Tankathon’s latest 3-round Mock draft and where they have the Dolphins drafting in the 2020 NFL Draft.

As you may know by now, the Miami Dolphins hosted the winless Washington Redskins on Sunday, in what many deemed the ‘Tank for Tua’ Bowl.  And aside from being the battle between two winless franchises, the game was quite interesting to say the least. There were three questions that would be answered on Sunday.

  1. How would the Dolphins look after having two weeks to prepare?
  2. Could Washington play with a new-found passion, after firing Jay Gruden earlier in the week?
  3. Which team would want Alabama QB Tua Tagovailoa more?

Truth is, no matter what the fanbase long yearns for, the players and coaches have no interest in ‘tanking’. And as you saw on Sunday, Brian Flores and his coaching staff tried every little bit of Magic they had to defeat Washington, but unfortunately with the game on the line and a 2-point conversion to seal the deal, the Dolphins did what many had hoped. TANKED.

So, with Miami losing to Washington, surely, they would have the inside track at Tua?  Wrong.  Because just like the Dolphins, the Cincinnati Bengals also lost their respective matchup vs division rivals the Baltimore Ravens.

Which left ONE very important game to be determined.  Sunday Night’s matchup between the Los Angeles Chargers and Pittsburgh Steelers.  After all, there was no way Gerald Hodges and the Steeler’s defense could beat the one feared Los Angeles Chargers in LA, right?  Wrong again!

According to Tankathon.com, the Miami Dolphins have two picks in the top-10 and five in the top-66. This will most likely change between now and season’s end, but for now, Miami’s historically bad season would come up just short of Tagovailoa.

So, without further ado, here is Tankathon’s latest 2020 mock draft.

Tankathon Mock Draft 10/15

 

With the 2nd pick in the 2020 NFL draft, the Dolphins select elite pass-rusher Chase Young.  Miami desperately needs a pass-rusher and Young is the best player in the entire class- quite the consolation prize if the Dolphins do miss out on Alabama QB Tua Tagovailoa.

With the 8th-overall pick, Miami drafts Justin Herbert, although this pick could be Jake Fromm or Joe Burrow if Miami’s scouting department believes they are the QB to change the franchise around.  Regardless of where Miami picks, the Dolphins will use a first-round pick on a QB.

With the 25th-overall pick, the Dolphins select a defensive back to start opposite of Xavien Howard.  Last week, this was LSU’s Kristian Fulton.  This week, however, it’s Florida Gators’ CB C.J Henderson.

At pick No.33,  the Dolphins’ offense gets an explosive weapon in Clemson RB Travis Etienne.  Truth is, Etienne is one of the best RBs in all of football and in a contract year for Kenyan Drake, makes a ton of sense with their first second-round selection.

With the 60th-overall pick Miami adds much needed depth on the offensive line in Oklahoma C Creed Humphrey.  The Dolphins’ offensive line is a turnstile and Humphrey would be a day-one starter.

Lastly, Miami uses the 66th-overall pick on Texas WR Collin Johnson.  Johnson would be a welcomed addition a WR corps that has DeVante Parker and Preston Williams, and not much more after that.  He would be a nice fit schematically in Chad O’Shea’s offense.

This will change many more times between now and April 23, 2020.  With that said, how do you feel with Tankathon’s latest mock draft?

 

Josh Houtz (@houtz) is a die-hard fan of the Miami Dolphins, despite what Jerome Baker thinks.

Dolphins QB search: The Jake Fromm Play That “Didn’t Happen”

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It may seem like a simple 7- yard completion from Georgia quarterback Jake Fromm to a receiver.

But it’s more than that.

Chris Kouffman (@CKParrot) of Three Yards Per Carry — our popular Dolphins analysis podcast — breaks down why this completion shows off so many of Fromm’s unique abilities.

Follow the thread below:

Click here to follow the 3YardsPerCarry College QB tracker for in-depth break downs and stats for all of the top 2020  class prospects.

Mike Tannenbaum

Former Dolphins executive Mike Tannenbaum offers baffling insight

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Hindsight is always 20/20. It’s easy to look back and see what you should or should not have done in any given situation. That is a concept that every single person on this planet can relate to. This, of course, includes NFL executives. So when former Dolphins executive Mike Tannenbaum went on Twitter to offer insight on the NFL’s quarterback situation, some eyebrows were raised.

Obviously, stating that teams should draft a quarterback every year is ironic coming from Mike Tannenbaum. He acted as a consultant for the team during the 2014 season, and then was hired to be the team’s Executive VP of Football Operations in 2015. He was essential to the Dolphins landing Ndamukong Suh that same year. However, aside from that, Tannenbaum’s Miami tenure was filled with skepticism from fans and analysts.

This is where he dropped the above gem, regarding drafting a QB every year. However, if this is what Tannenbaum truly believes, then why did he not push harder for Miami to do the same? Even if the Dolphins truly believed Ryan Tannehill had what it takes to be a franchise quarterback, that should not have stopped them from drafting QBs if this is Tannenbaum’s philosophy.

Miami drafted only one QB during Tannenbaum’s tenure. In 2016, they selected Brandon Doughty out of Western Kentucky. He was selected in the seventh round, 223rd overall. That is not exactly a high ceiling pick.

Perhaps this adds credence to the reports that Chris Grier was ultimately in charge of drafting, and not Mike Tannenbaum. If so, hopefully Grier has learned a valuable lesson, as he’s in charge of rebuilding the Dolphins from the ground up.

Luis Sung has covered the Miami Dolphins for numerous outlets such as Dolphins Wire for six years. Follow him on Twitter: @LuisDSung