Top Offensive Players The Dolphins Could Target In The 1st Round Of The NFL Draft
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The first round of the 2015 NFL Draft is coming up on Thursday and the Miami Dolphins are currently holding the 14th overall pick. There has been plenty of speculation regarding what direction the Dolphins will go with their pick as the team has several areas of need that will likely be addressed at some point during the draft.
While there are multiple players at several positions that Miami has been linked to, it's still anyone's guess what name the commissioner will call out when the Dolphins turn comes. To help sort things out, let's take a look at the offensive players that Miami could target on Thursday night. For a list of the defensive players that the Dolphins could select, click here.
OFFENSIVE LINEMAN
La'el Collins 6'5" 308lbs, LSU: Collins played a lot of tackle in college but has questions regarding his athleticism at the position. He could play either tackle or guard in the NFL but the Dolphins would be looking at him to play the inside. Some believe he is NFL ready, but only at guard.
Andrus Peat 6'7" 313lbs, Stanford: A great combination of size and quickness, Peat is one of the top prospects at tackle in the draft. Already a great run blocker, he needs some work to excel in pass blocking but should be able to catch on quickly enough. If Miami is considering Peat, they should also be considering having him play right tackle and moving Ja'Wuan James back to the inside.
Cedric Ogbuehi 6'5" 306lbs, Texas A&M: Plenty of raw talent but rough around the edges, Ogbuehi is a solid run blocker but his core strength and pass protection are questionable. He can play tackle or guard but a bowl game injury could see him fall lower in the draft.
Brandon Scherff 6'5" 319lbs, Iowa: Very powerful and better suited to play guard. As is the case with several of the lineman who are first round prospects, Scherff's pass blocking needs work but playing guard will take a lot less work at the NFL level than tackle.
Ereck Flowers 6'6" 329lbs, Miami: A solid tackle at the collegiate level, Flowers has great power and regularly moved guys around at the point of attack. His lower body quickness needs work and it's possible that whoever drafts him may look at him as more of a guard than a tackle, but he could easily end up being a great NFL tackle.
Cameron Erving 6'5" 313lbs, Florida State: Erving has started the past two years as the Seminoles left tackle after switching from playing defensive tackle. He still has some learning to do but his skills are undeniable and he's considered a quick study. The same can be said for his foot quickness and body length. Erving may be passed over by Miami as there are some who feel his best bet as an NFL offensive lineman is at center.
D.J. Humphries 6'5" 307lbs, Florida: A great prospect at tackle, Humphries has excelled at the position since his days in high school. He's hard-nosed and has amazing athletic ability but could use work with his hand placement and technique. Ultimately, Humphries could end up being a very good left tackle in the NFL.
WIDE RECEIVER
Kevin White 6'3" 215lbs, West Virginia: White is a great combination of ball skills, speed and the ability to break tackles and pick up yards after the catch. He may need some refinement but could very well have the best upside of any wideout in this year's draft.
DeVante Parker 6'3" 209lbs, Louisville: It's really a matter of personal preference when trying to choose between Parker and White. Both share the same ball skills but Parker isn't the fastest guy around. He does have long arms and is great after the catch ability but may be better fit in a west coast offense.
Amari Cooper 6'1" 211lbs, Alabama: Cooper may not have the size or speed that either White or Parker do, but the South Florida native could very well be the first receiver off the board. He may not have the same kind of physical dominance in the NFL that he had in college but Cooper should make any team's offense instantly better.
Breshad Perriman 6'2" 212lbs, Central Florida: A lot of people say that Perriman has it all. Size, blazing speed and that 'something' extra that is found in the best wideouts in the game. An extremely high ceiling on Perriman, with the only knock being that he drops more passes than he should. That hasn't stopped some of the top receivers in the NFL from reaching the Hall of Fame though.
Phillip Dorsett 5'10" 185lbs, Miami: Football fans in South Florida are well aware of how good Dorsett can be. He can play on the inside or on the outside and can do just as much damage on a short crossing route as he can on a deep pass. Dorsett's size is what has kept him out of the first round in some mock drafts but his skills are what may get him back in.
TIGHT END
Devin Funchess 6'4" 232lbs, Michigan: Funchess played and excelled at both tight end and wide receiver at Michigan and could be used in either position in the NFL. He was the Big 10 Tight End of the Year in 2013 before being moved to receiver last year, but he was selected All-Big 10 both seasons. Funchess could end up being one of those nightmare matchup tight ends if he continues to develop at that position.
Don't miss CBS Miami's NFL Draft special Fins On The Clock this Saturday at 7 p.m. on CBS4.
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