Miami Heat basketball is (technically) back!

The real games don’t start for another two weeks, but the tune-up circuit will have to do for now.

For the first time in what feels like forever, there’s genuine excitement surrounding this team. Having a top-15 player headlining the roster will do that for you. Combine that star power with a semi-open field in the East, and there’s room for hope.

(How reasonable that hope is, however, is a discussion for another day. Or preview. Definitely a preview.)

I won’t bore you with the generic “don’t overreact to the preseason” spiel. I’m going to assume we all know that, like Summer League play, process matters more than results. We’re looking for trends that could carry over into the reg-

Oh, I’m doing it anyway. In short: watch the games and take the box scores with quite a few grains of salt.

Of course, you should not expect flawless basketball. Guys are working themselves into regular season shape; coaches will be trying out combos that’ll never see the light of day in November, much less April. In light of that reality, I’ve come up with a guide that’ll help you weed through the inevitable noise.

Big Picture

Who’s starting at point guard?

Blah, blah, positions don’t matter. That’s true in a general sense, but the Heat’s most important positional battle involves Justise Winslow and Goran Dragic. 

Dragic is the wily vet with a couple of fringe All-Star-caliber seasons (and an actual appearance) under his belt. He’s been the head of the snake before. and gives the offense a much-needed punch with his elbow-swinging forays to the basket.

Dragic saw some natural slippage last season, but still grades out as a good finisher and respectable pull-up threat. For a Heat offense that has struggled for most of the post-LeBron era, having as many three-level scoring threats on the floor as possible seems important.

Then there’s Winslow, a 6’7* playmaker that can get to the rim on a whim and fire skips all over the floor. He plays a more deliberate style than Dragic, but it works; he enhances the shot quality of his teammates because of his ability to manipulate defenses. Kind reminder: the flashes have been there since Year 2. 

Winslow is still adding the intermediate area to his repertoire. He tinkered with some floaters and pull-up jimmies last season, particularly in the second half. He wasn’t great in either aspect, ranking in the 33rd percentile on runners and the 22nd percentile on off-the-dribble jumpers, via Synergy. But his willingness to take those shots represent a potential watershed moment in his young career.

If we’re being honest, Winslow should win the starting job. He’s arguably the best passer on the team, and his improved spot-up shooting makes him an ideal secondary option to Jimmy Butler. Defensively, Winslow can get back to his guard-hounding roots, the skill that made him stand out as a rookie. Having Winslow defend at the point of attack is quite the difference from the much smaller, slower, and less instinctual Dragic.  

At this stage of Dragic’s career, the Heat should prioritize saving him during the 82-game marathon. Allowing him to punch well above his weight against second units would maximize the value of both parties. 

But hey, we’ll see.

Who’s starting alongside Bam Adebayo?

Hassan Whiteside is gone. The starting center job fully belongs to Bam Adebayo. On balance, that is a very good thing!

Handing the reigns to Adebayo was the right move. His rim-diving, high-post passing, and chameleon-like versatility on defense make him one of the NBA’s most intriguing young guys. The next step for the Heat is deciding what his ideal front-court partner looks like.

While one could argue that Adebayo is an upgrade from Whiteside, there is reason for mild concern. Adebayo is 6’9 on a good day. As well as he moves on the floor, he isn’t the rim protector or rebounder that Whiteside was in Miami. The size element complicates the frontcourt pairing question. This is in addition to Adebayo needing a spacer to complement his rim-rolling ability.

The natural answer to this question is Kelly Olynyk. The Adebayo-Olynyk pairing posted a plus-4.9 net rating in 1,048 minutes last season. Of course, Olynyk is currently on the mend with a knee injury. A number that matters more now: their 50.6 rebounding percentage when sharing the court together. For comparison’s sake, the Whiteside-Olynyk was also a success (plus-3.5 net rating) while rebounding at a much higher rate (53.4).

On paper, newbie and Heat Twitter folk hero Meyers Leonard makes more sense. He’s a bit bigger than Olynyk, is a better outside shooter (career 38.5 percent from deep), is a slightly better rebounder (career 13.2 rebounding rate vs Olynyk’s 12.5).

One issue there is that Leonard doesn’t have a real track record for three-point volume. He’s only logged one season averaging more than 3.0 three-point attempts per game; Olynyk averages that many attempts for his career. And as lead-footed as Olynk is defensively, he at least knows where to be defensively and adds some value as a charge magnet. I … will just say the same can’t be said for Leonard at this stage.

Starting either James Johnson or Derrick Jones Jr. at the 4 would allow the Heat to be switch-y or blitz-heavy, but there are obvious spacing questions on the other end. The idea of Adebayo and Jones Jr. just bludgeoning teams on the offensive glass is intriguing until they face the Pistons (Blake Griffin and Andre Drummond) or the Nuggets (Paul Millsap and Nikola Jokic).

We’re going to find out a lot about the Heat’s thinking over the next couple of weeks.

Tyler Herro’s Next Challenge

Four things can be true at once.

1. I was not a fan of the Herro pick on draft night.
2. Herro has much more in his offensive bag than I gave him credit for, and made plenty of flash plays in Summer League.
3. The questions that made me dislike the Herro pick are still there.
4. An ideal starting lineup, to me, involves Herro at the 2 alongside Winslow, Butler, whoever-is-at-the-4, and Adebayo

Herro looked at home as a pick-and-roll initiator, especially when he was able to get a head start. That, plus his ability to stop on a dime and pull-up, are skills that should translate. Creating space is going to be the swing skill for him offensively; attacking those crevices is what will open up the plus-passing vision and shooting versatility. 

Here’s the thing: the level of athleticism is about to improve again. I understand how cliche that sounds, but it’s an important thing to note. Even though Herro played well this summer, he still struggled to create without help. 

He’s going to face more tenacious on-ball defenders and more athletic rim protectors moving forward. Those shot/pass windows are going to close faster. How quickly he can adjust will go a long way towards determining how high up on the depth chart he should be when the season starts.

While We’re At It…

Can Derrick Jones Jr. dribble yet?

That sounds more harsh than I intend it to, but this is the swing-skill for him. We know he can finish any dunk or lob attempt within a six-mile radius. He’s proven that his outlier leaping ability makes him a functional threat as an offensive rebounder. Giving him a launching pad is akin to giving peak Jerome Bettis a one-on-one with a slot corner.

The corner three is coming (36.8 percent via Basketball-Reference), and Jones’ defense has improved. He skies for weakside blocks, and did a much better job of navigating screens and bothering ball-handlers with his length.

If the jumper is as real as he says it is, teams will stop ignoring him from deep. That’s great news — unless he doesn’t have the ball-handling chops to pump, drive, then elevate (or flip the ball ahead, but we’re working with baby steps here). I lost count of the out-of-control drives and (uncalled) travels from last season. There may or may not have been James Ennis comparisons dropped on my timeline.

It is way too early to give up on Jones Jr; the Suns learned that the hard way. The fact that there’s a path to him being a consistent rotation piece is a testament to his work ethic. But man, he has to be able to dribble and run at the same time to take the next step.

What does the Dion Waiters-Jimmy Butler partnership look like?

Best believe I’m going to be paying attention to who ends possessions when these two share the court together. Ideally, this could be the Dragic-Waiters circa 2017 duo on steroids. Of course, there’s also the chance that we get a viral video of Waiters waiving for the ball while Butler does his mid-range dance.

When will we see James Johnson?

No, seriously, what the heck is his body fat percentage at this point?

Are we sleeping on Kendrick Nunn?

Lost in #HerroMania this summer was the play of Kendrick Nunn, easily the Heat’s best player during the July circuit. He earned All-Summer League honors with offensive exploits and tenacious on-ball defense. He grew as a passer out of pick-and-roll, and showcased a new confidence in his pull-up triple.

I’m interested to see just how much of a shot the Heat give him. It’s clear that they like him a great deal. If the pull-up jimmy is here to stay, there’s some real equity here for Nunn as the third point guard … or more, if .. certain players become available.

Nekias Duncan (@NekiasNBA) writes for a number of outlets about the Heat and NBA, including Bleacher Report, and will be contributing regularly for Five Reasons Sports. 

No team got a quicker start on this NHL season than the Florida Panthers.

The sticks and pads were barely put away after a disappointing 2018-19 campaign when the Panthers reeled in the best available coach, a three-time Stanley Cup winner at that.

The day the summer signing period started they rolled out a load of cash and came away with the best goalie on the market, a two-time Vezina Trophy winner.

Now the challenge is to get off to a quick start to the season, for a change.

Too many previous Panthers teams have tumbled down the elevator shaft before you could say, “Going up.”

Panthers held back by Lightning

The past two seasons the downfall began with opening-night losses at Tampa Bay.

Consequently, the 5-2 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning at Amalie Arena on Thursday night had an ominously familiar feel — even with Sergei Bobrovsky in goal and Joel Quenneville behind the bench.

Amid the shrugs of “it’s only one game” some concern showed through, with captain Aleksander Barkov saying, “We had the game in our hands. We played really well. … We need to learn how to win.”

That lent a measure of urgency to Saturday’s home opener in the rematch against the Lightning in Sunrise.

Here in the cradle of rebuilding teams in South Florida, the Under Construction Forever Panthers are finally constituted to make a significant move.

That view is widely held. Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic asked every NHL coach to identify a dark-horse contender for this season. According to LeBrun, of the 28 coaches who responded, the Panthers were the team most often cited.

Panthers prepare at the IceDen for the home opener against the Lightning. (Craig Davis for Five Reasons Sports)

Fast start a must

There’s no excuse to stumble out of the gate and get buried behind the pack before Thanksgiving this year.

It’s up to them to rise from irrelevancy and erase the label of Same Old Panthers. All the ingredients have been assembled

All they have to do, as Barkov said, is learn how.

Starting with two games against a Lightning team favored by many to win the Stanley Cup put the onus on the Panthers to figure it out quickly. They whiffed on the first chance in Tampa.

“Nothing wrong with playing the best right off the bat and learning from that and knowing you’ve got to be as good as you need to be every single night,” Quenneville said Friday.

Despite their aggressive offseason, the Panthers face major obstacles in their own division, starting with the Lightning. Toronto has a Cup-caliber team and Boston was a finalist last season.

Lot of obstacles to playoffs

If the Panthers can’t crack that top 3, they’ll have plenty of competition for a wild card.

“Let’s worry about ourselves doing the right things shift in and shift out, and consistency is going to be something that can help us,” Quenneville said. “I just think across the board there is a lot to be excited about. We get some balance in four lines we can be a better team.”

Quenneville stressed positives from the opening-night loss. But some familiar flaws showed there is work to be done, particularly on defense.

While Bobrovsky made some terrific saves, four shots got past him. Defensemen still aren’t clearing the puck and minimizing opponents’ scoring chances like a championship defense must.

A vital task for Quenneville is getting more competent defensive play out of offensive-minded D-men Keith Yandle and Aaron Ekblad, who were a combined minus-3 on the night.

Again, it was just one game against one of the top teams in the league. A scoreless night by the top line of Barkov, Jonathan Huberdeau and Evgenii Dadonov and 0-for-4 by a power play that led the league last year were atypical.

Can Panthers capture South Florida?

There was a lot to like about the second line of Vincent Trocheck, Mike Hoffman and newcomer Brett Connolly, which produced both goals.

But with the Panthers, nothing can be taken for granted, especially expectations for a breakthrough season.

The elusive memory of 1996, the Year of the Rat when South Florida went gaga over the upstart Panthers on an improbable run to the Cup finals, has been an unscratchable itch ever since.

Could hockey rouse the passions of this fickle sports market like that again?

This a much different time and place. But one thing that hasn’t changed, this is a region starved for a winner.

The time is certainly ripe to find out.

Craig Davis has covered South Florida sports and teams for more than four decades. Follow him on Twitter @CraigDavisRuns

October has arrived and it’s time for the Miami Hurricanes to put up or shut up. 

The Hurricanes are home for the next three games against Virginia Tech (Saturday), No. 23 Virginia (Oct. 11) and Georgia Tech (Oct. 19). Miami then caps off the month on the road at Pittsburgh, who are still riding the high of being the first team to beat Central Florida in the last two years and change.

“We knew that this would really be, starting in October, this would really be the meat of our season, really define how this whole deal was going to go,” Miami head coach Manny Diaz said on Monday morning on 560-AM.

Miami has always been known for its fierce defense and it will have to be that unit that helps lead the Hurricanes through the Coastal Divison and into the ACC Championship Game. Fortunately for the Hurricanes, they enter Saturday’s game as close to full health as they’ve been all season, according to Diaz.

“We are probably as healthy as we’ve been,” Diaz said during Monday’s press conference and then knocked on his wooden podium inside the Schwartz Center for Athletic Excellence.

Defensive tackle Nesta Jade Silvera has returned to practice and is expected to play against Virginia Tech as well. Silvera was regarded as one of the best defensive lineman in the nation while at American Heritage High. He played 10 games as a true freshman last season and totaled 13 tackles including a blocked punt that was recovered for a touchdown against Savannah State. 

“[Silvera] will be back well, which will be great, allowing us to roll our guys up front, which obviously, everybody knows we like to do,” Diaz said. “I think our D-tackles are off to a good start. Obviously, they’re pretty stout versus the run, which will be a huge key — I think every week — but certainly this week with Virginia Tech coming in.”

“Nesta’s a load inside, now,” said defensive coordinator Blake Baker. “He’s a spark for us. I think he brings a ton of energy besides the physical aspect of it, but he’s a physically gifted young man.”

Another new feature on the defensive front is the upgrade in playing time for defensive end Gregory Rousseau. The redshirt freshman leads the Hurricanes in sacks (three) and, earned his first Turnover Chain moment when he forced a fumble on a strip-sack and recovered it himself against Central Michigan. Baker said during his press conference on Monday that, “You’ll see more a dose of Greg Rousseau.”

“He keeps producing, he’s going to continue to play. He’s continuing to get more comfortable with what we’re asking him to do. He continues to produce when he’s out there. Competition makes everybody better,” Baker said. “He’s really pushing Scott Patchan, pushing [Jonathan Garvin] and I think Trevon Hill is getting a lot better and getting more comfortable in our scheme.

Miami is also expected to have defensive back Bubba Bolden make his Canes debut on Saturday. Bolden transferred to Miami from USC and is finally eligible to play. It’s been a full calendar year since he’s left the Trojans.  

“Bubba adds a lot of range,” Baker said. “He has phenomenal ball skills, but he’s a long guy that can run and cover a lot of ground. I think he’s physical in the run game, as well.”

Bolden didn’t play in 2018 and totaled eight tackles in 13 games with the Trojans in 2017 as a freshman. That was because of an incident at an off-campus party result in an indefinite suspension at USC in August 2018, prompting Bolden to eventually transfer. He became eligible to play in Miami once he earned an associates degree by taking 40 credit hours worth of classes at both the College of Southern Nevada and El Camino College in Southern California in 12 months.

“It’ll be good to see him going and providing more competition in our secondary,” Diaz said. “He’s been waiting around, working really hard. I’m just really excited to see Bubba get out there on the field of play.”

Virginia Tech (2-2, 0-2 ACC) ranks 99th nationally in scoring offense (23.3 points per game), 104th in rushing defense (189 yards per game) and have a turnover margin of minus-8. Only Hawai’i and New Mexico State are worse. The Hookies’ last game resulted in a 45-10 beatdown by Duke but at 2-2 with only wins against Bethune-Cookman of the FCS and Central Michigan of the MAC, Miami is in no position to take any team lightly.

“It’s very hard to watch a team a week ago, and say, ‘That’s the team that’s going to show up this Saturday,’ because generally speaking, almost the opposite is more often true in college football,” Diaz said on Monday. “We expect to see their best effort on Saturday.”

MIAMI GARDENS – It must have been surreal for Josh Rosen. For a while Sunday, he actually had time to look for a receiver and throw without someone nasty in his face trying to crush him.

That was a rarity for him last year as a rookie with the Arizona Cardinals and previously this season with the Dolphins.

As to how the young quarterback might fare with reasonable protection, the indication was, pretty well.

That was particularly evident in the first half of the 30-10 loss to the Chargers when Rosen had a passer rating of 126.8 while completing 12 of 16 for 159 yards and a touchdown.

The sterling moment was the 34-yard touchdown pass to DeVante Parker that gave the Dolphins their first lead of the season at 7-3. The pocket was clean and he put the ball on the mark to Parker, who had slipped behind the coverage.

Some questionable decision-making would later mar the overall impression of Rosen somewhat. He finished the day with 180 yards and rating of 88.9.

More Maven: Dolphins have been outscored 81-0 in second half games

Plan still to draft QB

But Rosen shows the instincts and ability to make strong and accurate throws down field that haven’t been seen in a Dolphins quarterback in years. It verifies that he is a real quarterback, not a converted wide receiver.

He isn’t the quarterback, though.

Not the one they are ultimately looking for. That guy is still in college playing for Alabama. It is difficult to foresee whatever Rosen might do the rest of this written-off season that would alter the objective of drafting Tua Tagovailoa.

That is, if they end up in position to draft him.

Here’s the worry for the tanking strategy: Rosen may not be their long-term answer, but he could prove too good for the objective of attaining the first overall pick in 2020.

Fortunately – for that line of thinking – the Dolphins’ defense is plenty bad enough. Defenseless Miami came into Sunday with a passer rating against of 139.1 (158.3 is the highest rating possible) over the first three games. Philip Rivers’ 131.9 PR on Sunday is par for what we’ve seen and can expect to continue.

Likewise, the second-half cave-ins of an overmatched team are showing no sign of ending. Being outscored 81-0 in the second half through four games is the most astounding of all the lopsided stats that have marked this inexplicable start to the season.

Revamped line surprises

There were encouraging signs earlier. The makeshift offensive line that was surprisingly competent in the first half, became less so as the game wore on.

But then, so was Rosen, who had a couple of notable unforced errors in the second half.

He wasn’t under pressure when he threw a sideline pass intended for Preston Williams, who wasn’t open, that was easy picking for Michael Davis in the fourth quarter.

“I just kind of hesitated a little bit. Just a couple of adjustments they made. I just made a real dumb decision,” he said.

Earlier, the heat was on when Rosen was nearly trapped for a safety. He did an admirable job of scrambling out of the end zone. Then, running to his right, he made another poor choice in taking the sack at the 1 when he could have simply tossed it out of bounds.

But there was also plenty to like in Rosen’s second start for the Dolphins and reason to believe he will get better.

“I’ve just got to not almost get a safety on the 1-yard line and understand the bigger scope of the game, the field position and just make smart plays,” Rosen said. “Then, the quick little screen out to my left, I should have just thrown it in the dirt instead of trying to run like an idiot playing high school football. [It was] just a lot of little things here and there, but I think we’ll improve and be better [after the bye week].”

Winnable games on schedule

The Dolphins are not the only team lost in the NFL shadows. Through the early games Sunday, they were just one of seven teams without a win this season.

Following its bye week, Miami will play host to one of them when the Redskins visit Hard Rock Stadium on Oct. 13.

Of the other currently winless teams, the Dolphins play the Steelers, Bengals and Jets (twice). And there are some other suspects on the remaining schedule as well (Colts, Giants, Eagles).

So as monumentally bad as the Dolphins have been – now outscored 163-26 – putting together an oh-fer season through 16 games seems unlikely.

So the vision of next year and who may be playing quarterback in Miami isn’t clear at all.

The paradox of this season is that long-suffering Dolphins fans who have accepted the rebuilding strategy may find themselves rooting against a second-year quarterback the team just traded a second-round draft pick to acquire in the interest of elevating next year’s first-round possibilities.

As for Rosen, he may not be Miami’s quarterback of the future, but he is in position to have a hand in determining who may or may not be.

​

Craig Davis has covered South Florida sports and teams, including the Dolphins, for four decades. Follow him on Twitter @CraigDavisRuns

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If you’ve just clicked on this because you’re curious as to my draft plans, welcome. If you’re joining me from my lengthy free agency plan, welcome back. The 2020 Miami Dolphins will be a blank slate in many regards. After a spending spree for the ages, Miami is recharged and ready for action in 2020. However, are they ready to compete for a Super Bowl? Stephen Ross wants Super Bowls, lots of them.

“What you want and what I want, is really sustained winning seasons and having an organization that is used to winning, because that’s what people in Miami expect.” Ross said back in December. “That’s what the fans want and the fans deserve. Basically, the thought is we’re going to look to really build this organization based on our needs and if it takes a year or so – two years, three years – we’re going to be there and we’re going to be an organization.”

That’s all well and good, but one free agency is not enough to build a contender. This team is going to be built through the draft. It will succeed or fail based on how the draft picks of the next two seasons and beyond develop. So with the abundance of draft picks at their disposal, who do the 2020 Miami Dolphins select?

This mock draft is from Fanspeak and is based on the difficult algorithm with Fanspeak’s most up to date draft board and draft positions as of September 25, 2019. Of course, things will change as the season progresses, but that’s the fun of it all, isn’t it? So as of Week 3 of the 2019 season, this is what I managed to come up with. If you feel a certain player won’t be available at the position they’re taken in, then blame the algorithm.

2020 Miami Dolphins Draft

Round 1, 1st overall  – Alabama QB Tua Tagovailoa

There are some of you reading this now and thinking to yourself, “but this guy hates Tua! Why would he pick him?”

First of all, as I’ve made it clear already, I don’t hate Tua Tagovailoa. I hate the hype that is surrounding him through no fault of his own. More on that here. It would be foolish to pretend that Tua doesn’t bring something special to the table, otherwise fans of several QB needy teams wouldn’t be fighting over him. In just four games this year, Tua has completed 87 passes on 112 attempts, amounting to a stunning 77.7 completion percentage.

His other stats? 1,300 yards, 17 touchdowns, and zero interceptions. Zero. Interceptions. And, to make that 17 touchdown stat even more impressive, he only has a total of 25 incomplete passes so far. That’s unheard of.

Here’s Tua Tagovailoa talking to me for @gridiron a little earlier about whether he’s heard about “Tanking for Tua”, what his teammates think, and the fact he says he has “ten games” before he can think about all that. An indicator of his future plans? https://t.co/dO1I9PwX2s

— Simon Clancy (@SiClancy) September 25, 2019

Tua isn’t the consensus top QB of 2020 yet. There are some holding out hope for the likes of Justin Herbert, Jake Fromm or Jordan Love. Perhaps, the Dolphins will draft one of them when the time comes. There’s no way to know their plans until they come to fruition. But based on hype and the production on the field, there’s no question who would fill the most seats in 2020. Tua is scarily accurate, can anticipate throws, has a terrific arm, and he even makes highlight runs from time to time (which led to my erroneous assumption that Tua was a running QB).

There are only two real question marks regarding Tua at this point: What will he do when he goes from Alabama to a more depleted team in Miami, and can he stay healthy? The latter is a more pressing concern than the former. Tua’s been banged up throughout his collegiate career, and the Dolphins are notorious for putting sub-par offensive lines on the field. However, should they follow my offseason plan, that will not be an issue. Tua has a very good chance of becoming the best QB in Miami since Dan Marino.

Maybe he’ll even surpass him someday.

So after drafting Tua, the QB room looks like this:

1. Tua Tagovailoa
2. Josh Rosen
3. Jake Rudock

If that’s how Miami’s room is going to look, then there’s no reason not to be optimistic. Rosen still has something to be developed, and at worst he’s a top level backup QB. As our own Chris Kouffman once said, QBs are like gold. If you have two good ones, it’s like money in the bank. That’s Miami.

Round 1, 11th overall – EDGE Chase Young

Somehow, the consensus top pass rusher in the draft fell all the way to 11, right into the hands of the Dolphins. Once again, bear in mind, Miami’s draft position changes every week. This is what came about based on what was available at the time on Fanspeak.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected EDGE A.J. Epenesa first, leaving Young for the taking as the other teams ahead of Miami shored up their OL, WR corps, and secondary. Paired with Yannick Ngakoue, Young turns Miami’s pass rush situation from desperate to dangerous. His production is amazing, and respected evaluators like Matt Miller go as far as to say he would have been the best pass rusher in last year’s draft class too. Keep in mind, that draft featured amazingly talented pass rushers like Nick Bosa, Josh Allen, Brian Burns, and Clelin Ferrell. So saying Young would be the best of them all is a remarkable statement.

Chase Young continues his dominance this season with an early strip sack. Now up to 10.0 sacks in his last 6 games. pic.twitter.com/RcGQuybFfY

— Jordan Reid (@JReidNFL) September 21, 2019

Young can rush with his hand in the dirt or standing up, and he still has room to improve even as talented as he is. He’s explosive off the ball, can force turnovers, and can even provide some shallow spying if necessary. He can do more than just run towards the quarterback. Some more coaching and development on his pass rush moves, practice on using his moves rather than trying to use brute strength when engaged with blockers, and Young will be the perfect specimen.

On a lesser note, he would finally break Miami’s curse of drafting bust pass rushers. No more Charles Harris or Dion Jordan debacles. Even if Young doesn’t turn into Cameron Wake in his rookie season, there’s a good chance he becomes top tier as time goes on. That’s enough to pull the trigger.

So here’s the DE/EDGE lineup if the plan goes as projected:

1. Yannick Ngakoue
2. Chase Young
3. Charles Harris
4. Taco Charlton
5. Robert Nkemdiche
6. Jonathan Ledbetter
7. Dewayne Hendrix

Obviously they can’t all be kept, but that’s an impressive lineup of names. If even one or two of them pan out or revive themselves, the Dolphins pass rush is in good hands. Then it’ll be even better when Cameron Wake returns for his farewell tour.

A man can dream.

Round 1, 24th overall – Alabama WR Henry Ruggs III

This season is all about giving Miami’s new franchise QB all the help he can get. Familiarity and chemistry go a long way for young QBs, and drafting Ruggs is the perfect way to give Tua a security blanket he can count on early in his career. Ruggs is a ridiculously fast player. Like, 4.2 40-yard dash type fast. To put it in perspective, he would outrun Jakeem Grant without even breaking a sweat.

But speed isn’t all he’s about. He has the ability to leap up and make contested catches, is solid catching the football, and has elite level body control in the air. He’s everything a team could want in a wide receiver.

Henry Ruggs III already up to 3 catches for 131 yards and 2 TDs in the first quarter.

Dynamic play maker. pic.twitter.com/zc4M0SpJjV

— Jordan Reid (@JReidNFL) September 21, 2019

Henry Ruggs is a whole different type of fast! There is no group of DB group in the nation that can line up man for man & win. You better coach your butt off on that Saturday no matter who you are… Honestly, just hope you get to 13.

— Ryan Clark (@Realrclark25) September 21, 2019

If there’s only one knock on Ruggs at this point, it’s that his route running sometimes leaves something to be desired. Back when Jakeem Grant was just starting out, coaches told him to slow down because his speed was throwing him off. The same goes for Ruggs. If a coach can sit him down and teach him to realize when full speed is and isn’t to his benefit so he can run his routes properly, there’s no telling what kind of ceiling he could reach.

With the addition of Ruggs, and the signing of Amari Cooper to go with Albert Wilson, Preston Williams and Jakeem Grant, Miami’s WR corps is deadly. Tua could throw it anywhere on the field, and the potential of a big play would be there. However, there is a downside.

Recall the level of investment I put into free agent signings on the offensive line. Anthony Castanzo isn’t there just because. He’s there because with this draft plan, the 2020 Miami Dolphins don’t invest a top pick into an offensive lineman to replace Laremy Tunsil at left tackle. As a left handed QB, right tackle is more important for Tua anyway, but that’s a different story.

The OL for 2020 would be: Castanzo, a left guard to be named, Michael Deiter, Brandon Scherff, and Jesse Davis. Not bad, but who’s the left guard if Deiter is playing center? We will get to that, stay tuned.

So the WR corps as it stands would be:

1. Amari Cooper
2. Henry Ruggs III
3. Albert Wilson
4. Preston Williams
5. Jakeem Grant

The top five spots would be locked in at that point, and there’s no doubt Isaiah Ford will be in the mix to try and earn a sixth slot. He’s on the active roster now after Danny Isidora landed on injured reserve, so this could very well be his best chance to audition.

Round 2, 33rd overall – Clemson LB Isaiah Simmons

Now is the part where you’re probably wondering why an offensive lineman still hasn’t been taken. Simply put, Simmons is too promising to let slide. He can rush the passer, he can cover from the slot, there’s very little he can’t do on the football field. Truly, a Swiss army knife. Sound familiar?

Parting ways with Minkah Fitzpatrick removes a key piece of Miami’s defense. Versatility was what made him so valuable. After he put up a fight about moving around and refused to go along with it, the Dolphins traded him for a first round pick, that turned into Chase Young. Simmons takes Fitzpatrick’s place as the chess piece all over the field.

Isaiah Simmons is a cheat code. https://t.co/Y9BzIYvEcz

— TigerProud84 (@TigerProud84) September 18, 2019

So what’s the catch? According to evaluators, Simmons’ main problem is that he has a bad habit of launching himself at defenders instead of wrapping them up. In the NFL, that’s not going to fly, especially with how strict referees are about helmet to helmet contact. Simmons also has to learn some extra nuances when it comes to his technique. But make no mistake, Simmons has an insanely high ceiling. If Brian Flores is even half the mastermind everyone assumes he is, Simmons will find a role somewhere. Maybe Christian Wilkins can even offer some insight on what makes him tick.

There’s no position listing for him. Let’s just call him a DW for now. Defensive Weapon. The NFL can’t stop us from calling him that.

Round 2, 47th overall – Georgia OG Solomon Kindley

At last, a guard. Rejoice, trench lovers. Solomon Kindley from Georgia is an absolute mauler at left guard. His size, strength and punch at the snap make him an impressive specimen that should, in theory, be a plug-in starter. Of course, knowing the Dolphins luck, there’s no telling for sure. Until then, we can appreciate Kindley as being a nasty, extremely strong prospect that is a key piece of the Georgia offensive line.

Solomon Kindley (LG) is a bully. Torque allows him to create displacement and finish blocks violently. His sturdy lower half and powerful hands negate any momentum brought on by initial rush. He’s a physical specimen who should catch the eye of many evaluators this draft cycle. pic.twitter.com/MaXu1qJqGO

— Nathan Papandrea (@NathanPapandrea) August 24, 2019

One of the only criticisms of Kindley is more along the lines of nitpicking his frame. Becoming a tiny bit leaner would help his overall athleticism, but it takes something special to challenge Quinnen Williams, which Kindley did in the 2018 SEC Championship Game. It wasn’t a perfect performance, but it was enough to show he had plenty of potential. If he ends up lasting this long into the NFL draft, the 2020 Miami Dolphins would be very fortunate.

So with Kindley hopefully locking down the left guard position, this is what the offensive line would look like.

LT – Anthony Castanzo
LG – Solomon Kindley
C – Michael Deiter
RG – Brandon Scherff
RT – Jesse Davis/Isaiah Prince

If that isn’t enough to keep Tua protected, what would be?

Round 3, 65th overall – Alabama OL Alex Leatherwood

This is the third Alabama player selected by the 2020 Miami Dolphins so far. Nevertheless, this selection is more of an attempt to hedge bets and make sure that one way or another, the offensive line is taken care of. Leatherwood can play both guard and tackle, which makes him versatile. As has been noted more than once, versatility is incredibly important to Miami. Leatherwood could easily become the backup to Castanzo and perhaps even start after the veteran departs, or he could compete with Kindley for the rights to start at left guard. Either way, the Dolphins have finally solved their guard problem.

Leatherwood is strong, athletic, and has a terrific first step. His familiarity with Tua and how he likes to play quarterback also gives him an inside edge. His technique is not perfect, yet. He’s a little sloppy at times. But make no mistake, Leatherwood can easily step in and make an impact. If either he or Kindley pan out, then Miami’s offensive line is set. There can be no room for error on this line if Tua is to have a bright future.

Round 3, 105th overall – Alabama CB Trevon Diggs

And the third round compensatory pick gifted by the departure of Ja’Wuan James gives the 2020 Miami Dolphins their fourth player this draft from Alabama. Yes, there is a pattern. But one cannot deny that with Alabama routinely being kings of the hill in college football, that elite level of coaching from Nick Saban and company has churned out talent on a regular basis. Cornerback Trevon Diggs is just another of those players.

What makes Diggs interesting is that he started out at Alabama as a wide receiver, just like his older brother Stefon Diggs. However, Trevon Diggs made the transition to defense and became a cornerback as well. He played both positions for a while before settling on defense.

Another former Dolphins parallel, Miami drafted Tony Lippett in the fifth round of the 2015 draft. He too started out as a wide receiver, but the Dolphins wanted to use him as a corner. So began the long experiment to transition him from offense to defense. It never panned out for Lippett, who is now a free agent, but Diggs is making a much smoother shift.

Trevon Diggs (Stefon's younger bro) showed up to Alabama as a WR his freshman year and made starting DBs look silly…

The transition to CB has been as smooth as it gets.. running routes of his opponents like this w natural ball skills/instincts… Stay healthy he's a top-20 guy pic.twitter.com/cKcpuaOJeI

— Luke Inman (@Luke_SpinmanNFL) September 24, 2019

Diggs is what one would describe as a “long” cornerback. He’s confident in press coverage, and his wide receiver instincts means going up for the football to make interceptions should be easy as pie for him. He can also handle off man coverage as well. Many consider off man coverage to be one of the most difficult things for an NFL corner to do, so for Diggs to have potential in that regard bodes well for him.

With the proper coaching, Diggs could easily become a solid NFL cornerback. Durability is something to watch for, however, as he’s returning from a broken foot injury that ended his 2018 season. With Diggs, that gives Miami a cornerback stable that looks like this:

1. Xavien Howard
2. Byron Jones
3. Bobby McCain
4. Eric Rowe
5. Cordrea Tankersley
6. Trevon Diggs
7. Jomal Wiltz
8. Chris Lammons
9. Ken Webster

Not a bad lineup if this is how it looks. Diggs will have time to develop while Howard and Jones keep the boundary spots on lockdown. Perhaps, he can eventually take over for Bobby McCain in the slot.

Round 5, 156th overall – South Florida TE Mitchell Wilcox

The Dolphins gave up their last fourth round pick when they made the Minkah Fitzpatrick trade. So Miami takes a break for a round and waits until the fifth round to get another shot at making a selection. With this pick, the Dolphins select a tight end out of South Florida in Mitchell Wilcox. They already have Mike Gesicki and Durham Smythe, and they brought back Nick O’Leary. However, they could use another player at that position, and Wilcox brings some promising traits to the table.

Standing in at 6’5″, 245 pounds, Wilcox is a versatile player (there’s that word again) who can line up in the slot, the backfield, pretty much wherever he’s needed. Much like Gesicki, however, Wilcox isn’t much of a blocker as a tight end. Wilcox is best suited to act as competition for Gesicki as a seam threat. As it stands, Wilcox is now the USF record holder for touchdowns in a career with seven. That number could still go up too.

Mitchell Wilcox might be the 💪💪💪 man in the world. #BullsUnite 🤘 pic.twitter.com/GnVa7Le5Te

— USF Football (@USFFootball) October 16, 2016

There are a couple of red flags with Wilcox. Number one, his route running isn’t as crisp as a pass-catching tight end should have. Number two, he sometimes makes mental errors that result in drops rather than easy catches. Players have to remember to catch the ball before they turn to run up the field. Wilcox struggles with that at times.

All things considered, as a fifth round pick, the 2020 Miami Dolphins aren’t investing too much into Wilcox. Best case scenario, he somehow beats out Gesicki and becomes Miami’s primary seam threat. Worst case scenario? Well, he can’t be any more disappointing than Gesicki has been so far.

Tight end lineup:

1. Mike Gesicki
2. Durham Smythe
3. Nick O’Leary
4. Mitchell Wilcox

Surely some camp bodies will be thrown into the mix. Chris Myarick is still sitting pretty on the Dolphins practice squad, and he was fairly impressive with the third string units. Wilcox may not be the answer at tight end, but he has the potential to provide an overall upgrade, however small.

Round 5, 178th overall – Ohio State CB Damon Arnette

This is one of those best player available situations. Damon Arnette isn’t an elite athlete. In fact, he isn’t even impressive by any physical standards. What he does have going for him, however, is his cerebral ability. He can play in the slot or on the boundary, and he uses his technique and excellent ability to be in the right place at the right time to make up for his lack of supreme athletic ability.

So why should the 2020 Miami Dolphins bother drafting someone who isn’t all that fast or strong? Again, his cerebral capability and versatility makes him a valuable asset. Consider what the New England Patriots pride themselves on: Fundamentals, execution, knowing where to be at any given moment. That fits Arnette to a tee.

PICK SIX!

Damon Arnette takes it 96 yards to the house to make it 50-10 for @OhioStateFB 🔥 pic.twitter.com/kDPK2GNPbX

— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) September 14, 2019

With the secondary being a point of emphasis for the Dolphins defense, finding the best players possible to fill out that group for when they go into dime and even quarters formations should be a priority. Worst case scenario, Arnette could be a key special teams player for Miami.

Lineup now:

1. Xavien Howard
2. Byron Jones
3. Bobby McCain
4. Eric Rowe
5. Cordrea Tankersley
6. Trevon Diggs
7. Jomal Wiltz
8. Chris Lammons
9. Ken Webster
10. Damon Arnette

Cordrea Tankersley may not make it onto the 2020 roster due to injury concerns and perhaps talent deficiency. Webster, Lammons and Wiltz will all be on the bubble with a blank slate. This is a position that needs any and all investment possible.

Round 6, 179th overall – Washington RB Salvon Ahmed

The Dolphins drafted running back Myles Gaskin in 2019. Now, Miami revisits Washington to get their hands on Gaskin’s former teammate Salvon Ahmed, who sat behind Gaskin for two years. The reasoning behind this pick is very simple. He’s a speedy, dangerous player who can weave through crowded fields with the ball in his hands. In essence, he’s here to try and replace the departing Kenyan Drake.

Husky touchdown ⬇️🏈🔥

Salvon Ahmed all the way to the house. #PurpleReign

📺 FOX pic.twitter.com/SlSlftk0CR

— Washington Football (@UW_Football) October 20, 2018

On top of that, Ahmed has some returning capability. That gives Jakeem Grant some competition in that department. Given Grant’s struggles to hang onto the football so far in 2019, it may not be a bad idea to give him some legitimate competition.

With the addition of Ahmed, the 2020 Miami Dolphins running back lineup is as follows:

1. Kalen Ballage
2. Mark Walton
3. Patrick Laird
4. Myles Gaskin
5. Salvon Ahmed

Ahmed doesn’t project to be able to break as many tackles as Drake does, but he has the same speed and agility as Drake. It won’t be a one-to-one replacement, but Ahmed can fill most of the void left by Drake as a gimmick player.

Round 6, 209th overall – Oklahoma QB Jalen Hurts

Jalen Hurts handled his uprooting at Alabama with class, but he ultimately transferred to Oklahoma so he could keep playing after Tua Tagovailoa transformed into a superstar. Hurts isn’t earning as much national spotlight, but he’s in the running for the 2019 Heisman Trophy.

Unlike Tua, however, Hurts truly is a running quarterback. While he made some big throws at Alabama and now in Oklahoma, his best trait is his ability to run with the ball. Miami drafts him to compete for the QB job. If he shows enough to be a good backup, the 2020 Miami Dolphins could trade Josh Rosen for further draft capital for the 2021 season. If he shows potential but struggles, he gets stashed on the practice squad.

The last time Jalen Hurts was on the field. pic.twitter.com/arygFJj2S6

— SoonersVideo.com (@SoonersVideo) September 26, 2019

Once again, quarterbacks are as good as gold in the NFL. Hurts being in the running for the Heisman means there must be something there to develop. With all the picks Miami has, doubling down on quarterback is a no-brainer. Tua is the future of the franchise, but teams that have an abundance of quarterbacks can easily accumulate draft picks. This sets them up to do just that as Hurts battles it out with Rosen and Rudock.

Round 7, 245th overall – Clemson DT Nyles Pinckney

The final pick of the 2020 Miami Dolphins incredibly eventful draft. Best player available, another Clemson defensive lineman who essentially was stuck sitting behind Christian Wilkins and Dexter Lawrence last season. He has excellent hustle, he can stand his ground when double-teamed, he’s a very strong man.

#843 @NylesPinckney on the 🚫#LowcountryStrong 💪🏾 @wbechsathletics pic.twitter.com/iT7lhp73fd

— Christian Miller ❗️ (@chrisdot7) January 8, 2019

He lacks some length, but the biggest knock against him is that there’s limited tape on him. He was a key role player when Wilkins, Lawrence and Clelin Ferrell were at Clemson, but being a backup to star players like that doesn’t offer many chances to show off. Perhaps there’s more to him than anyone realizes, perhaps there isn’t. If he rises up draft boards as the season progresses, that will be telling.

So with all that said, the lineup at defensive tackle would be as follows:

1. Davon Godchaux
2. Christian Wilkins
3. Danny Shelton
4. Nyles Pinckney
5. Jamiyus Pittman
6. Gerald Willis

Not everyone will stick around, obviously. But this is more than sufficient competition.

That brings us to the end of this incredibly lengthy offseason two-parter. If you’ve managed to read through all of this, then I once again applaud you for your commitment. This plan gives the Dolphins a fighting chance to win in 2020 and beyond, if they’re willing to be this aggressive. The offensive line is fixed, the WR corps is bolstered, the defense is replenished; on paper this team is far beyond anything they’ve fielded in the past few years.

But until it happens, it’s all speculative. Just like Madden, however, that doesn’t stop it from being fun. With any luck, the Dolphins have a plan similar to the one that’s been laid out, and 2019 will be the only year that fans will have to sit through a miserable tanking season like this. Winning will come, if they can execute.

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