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Fins 1
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Fins1981 DRAFTING FOR THEDolphins
Draft Selections
Draft Picks Received
Draft Picks Traded
Players Gained
Draft Grade — Dolphins
Overall
B+
ValueB+
NeedB+
TradesC-
FutureA+
The Dolphins answered their biggest question with Mendoza. Grade: B+. Somebody in pick 116 was going to get robbed, and it turned out to be the rest of the league. The Dolphins sat still while Jake Slaughter, the No. 50 name on the board, slid all the way to them, then sprinted to the podium.
Whatever Fernando Mendoza becomes, the front office has tied its fortunes to the answer. For all the activity, edge rusher went untouched, which is hard to explain. They went 4 of 8 on their needs, which is most of what a draft is for.
Not a headline-grabber, but a perfectly good weekend's work.
Pick Analysis
Pick11
Rnd1
Fernando Mendoza
In pick 11 they get a long-term answer under center at fair value. It fills the loudest need on the roster.
Pick75
Rnd3
Chris Bell
Steal is underselling it; Chris Bell at the 75th pick is a heist with the alarm still ringing. Better still, it is exactly the hole they had to fill.
Pick111
Rnd4
Chandler Rivers
Taking Chandler Rivers in pick No. 111 is close to grand larceny; a cornerback that good had no business lasting this long. Not urgent, but hardly pointless.
Pick114
Rnd4
Justin Joly
Value with a capital V on Justin Joly in the Round 4 slot, a genuine coup. A need, and now a little less of one.
Pick116
Rnd4
Jake Slaughter
Jake Slaughter in pick 116 is the kind of fall that makes a whole class. It shores up a spot that genuinely needed the help.
Pick149
Rnd5
Ar'maj Reed-Adams
Ar'maj Reed-Adams in No. 149 is a gift, value that borders on unfair. Another box on the needs board, quietly ticked.
Pick227
Rnd7
Dane Key
A top-tier wide receiver at a bargain, Dane Key in slot 227, plain and simple. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
Pick229
Rnd7
Barion Brown
They robbed the room for Barion Brown here, a fall nobody at the table saw coming. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.
Pick246
Rnd7
Will Kacmarek
Nothing to complain about; Will Kacmarek went a shade earlier than his grade, which is fine. A real hole, addressed with a reasonable pick.
Pick255
Rnd7
Micah Morris
A tidy little value on Micah Morris in Round 7, Pick 39, a step better than break-even. A sensible fit for a spot that needed help.















