FanPost

Unconventional Draft Idea: Choose Teammates!


Tired of the same old Mock Draft? Tired of reading every single opinion on A) our needs, B) how many awesome FA's we can sign, and C) who we definitely need to draft? Well you're about to be disappointed, because this is exactly the same thing... except not really. I've been thinking about this for a while, and it's a bit of a joke, but seems like it could actually work out in some cases. My idea here is to draft multiple college teammates.

**Note**

Not a Serious Idea! Just a fun scenario I had pop into my head. I don't need multiple "This post is a joke! Do you even watch football?" comments lol.

**End Note**

Now, obviously it's going to be impossible to draft ALL teammates, but there are quite a few college programs that put out 2-3 or even 4 prospects that we can pick up throughout the draft, and that will either fill a need or provide us with more weaponry on either side of the ball. Let's take a look.

CLEMSON

Targets: RB CJ Spiller, DE/OLB Ricky Sapp, WR Jacoby Ford.

The Big Three Clemson prospects line up nicely for us in rounds 1-3 (Spiller - Sapp - Ford) and would provide us with 2 things that are sorely needed. Offensive explosiveness, in the form of Spiller and Ford, and a good looking OLB convert. Spiller, IMO, will be a star in this league, and would instantly upgrade our offense as a whole, as well as erasing the need for a RB after next season. Sapp would get a year to learn behind the hopefully-soon-to-be-re-signed Jason Taylor, and would probably split some reps with Wake on the other side. Ford would be nothing more than a slot WR, but he could be a dangerous weapon on ST and in the screen game. Drafting Clemson (as much as it hurts to say that as a UM fan) would not disappoint me at all.

TEXAS

Targets: FS Earl Thomas, DE/OLB Sergio Kindle, WR Jordan Shipley.

Not a bad haul either, considering Earl Thomas' ceiling as a top-flight safety and Kindle possibly being one of the better OLB prospects in the draft. Shipley seems redundant as he looks and plays like a slower Hartline/Camarillo combo. I think getting Thomas and Kindle immediately upgrades two of our defensive needs, and that's never a bad thing.

USC

Targets: DE/OLB Everson Griffin, SS Taylor Mays, WR Damian Williams, RB Joe McKnight.

Lots of options coming out of USC this year (like usual), but we can't get all 4. We would have to make a choice between Griffin and Mays in round 1, and I'm not too fond of either guy at the 12th pick. Williams I would absolutely LOVE to see in round 2, and McKnight would be a nice addition to the current stable or RB's, and would also provide a nice change of pace in the future. The two top guys seem like busts waiting to happen, but as you get deeper into the draft, I begin to like some of the USC prospects more and more. Williams is by far my favorite player from this school this season.

ALABAMA

Targets: ILB Rolando McClain, NT Terrance Cody, CB Kareem Jackson, CB Javier Arenas.

McClain was the runaway favorite among Dolphins fans for the 12th pick before the Dansby signing, and Cody impressed a lot of folks by dropping 16lbs between Senior Bowl week and the Combine. I don't think McClain is an option at all now, and I really don't want Cody. The 'Bama scenario doesn't appeal to me at all.

TCU

Targets: DE/OLB Jerry Hughes, ILB Daryl Washington, OG Marshall Newhouse.

Daryl Washington looks redundant at this point, with the Dansby signing filling our ILB need. I love Hughes as a converted SOLB, and Newhouse would be solid depth at the Guard positions. We know that Smiley struggles to stay healthy, and it's NEVER a bad thing to have a deep OL unit. With Garner already backing Smiley and Thomas up, adding Newhouse would really set us up for any unfortunate scenario along the line. Hughes would fill in perfectly at the SOLB opposite Cameron Wake in my opinion. The only kicker in this team would be Washington, and the fact that we don't need him now.

USF

Targets: DE/OLB Jason Pierre-Paul, FS Nate Allen, WR Carlton Mitchell.

This is an intriguing scenario, but I'm weary of taking JPP or Mitchell, as both of them are extremely raw and have plenty of question marks coming into the draft. Allen looks to be a solid FS candidate, and this sets up nicely for a 1st-2nd-3rd round sweep, with none of the 3 being considered reaches, although I believe JPP is a bit of a reach at 12 based on the "one-year wonder" and "workout warrior" possibilities.

GEORGIA TECH

Targets: DE/OLB Derrick Morgan, RB Johnathan Dwyer, WR Demaryius Thomas, FS Morgan Burnett.

In my eyes, this is the most overrated group in this article. Morgan would be a nice project at SOLB, but I'm not sure he fits the bill exactly, considering his biggest question mark is that he is completely lost in coverage and doesn't project to the 3-4 at all. Dwyer is the most overrated RB in this class, he has no burst, doesn't have good vision, and his numbers were enhanced by the goofy option offense that didn't allow LB's to get a bead on him and come downhill. Demaryius is a HUGE project at WR, and probably won't make it on to the field within 2-3 years. He has question marks all over the place, and is about as far from a polished WR as you can get. Burnett is a nice option at FS in the middle rounds to compete with Clemons.

FLORIDA

Targets: endless number of draftable players it seems... CB Joe Haden, ILB Brandon Spikes, QB Tim Tebow, TE Aaron Hernandez, FS Major Wright, OG/OC Maurkice Pouncey.

Florida has quite a few guys that are mid-to-late-round prospects, and one guy who will almost certainly go in the top 10-15 picks (Haden). My favorite guy out of this group is Wright as a FS prospect in round 3-4. Pouncey would add terrific depth to the interior OL. Hernandez is a decent receiving TE, but definitely doesn't fit the Parcells mold because he doesn't block at all. I don't think we would take Haden even if he falls to 12, and I definitely don't think we take Spikes. Tebow, I've seen him projected everywhere, but one thing I believe is that he won't be a Dolphin. I think snagging Wright, Hernandez, and Pouncey would be a solid haul in rounds 3-6, but Pouncey probably won't make it to the middle rounds.

LSU

Targets: WR Brandon LaFell, FS Chad Jones, KR/PR Trindon Holliday.

LaFell is one of my favorite WR's in this draft, along with USC's Damian Williams. He's got good size, high-points the ball and catches it with his hands, and is a good enough route-runner to improve quickly in that area once he gets into camp. His 40 may have been disappointing, but he is deceptively fast in-game and didn't have a problem creating separation during his time at LSU. I would love to take him with our 2nd rounder. Jones is another guy we could bring in to compete at FS with Clemons, and Holliday would be a late-round luxury pick to drastically improve our return game and possibly contribute in Wildcat sets and screens/reverses. I like this group spread out between rounds 2 and 6.

MISSOURI

Targets: LB Sean Weatherspoon, WR Danario Alexander.

Not a deep group, but Weatherspoon is a very nice LB prospect in round 1. The only real question with him is does he have the size to play in the 3-4, and, at least for us, whether or not he can play the OLB position. If our FO feels like 'Spoon can fill in at one of the OLB spots, I think he would be a solid pickup because he is a hell of an athlete. Alexander is a definite project at WR, but he is long and athletic and would add some size to our WR corps. He isn't going to contribute right away though.

MIAMI

Targets: TE Jimmy Graham, ILB Darryl Sharpton, RB Javarris James

Jimmy is flying up draft boards as teams begin to see the potential in him. He is FAR from a polished player, but he is a freakish athlete and shows the toughness people have come to expect from UM tight ends. I think his ceiling is Antonio Gates, but there is no guarantee he fulfills his great potential. I am definitely willing to take a shot at it if he's there in the 3rd round though. Sharpton is another guy essentially eliminated by the Dansby signing, seeing as he can't play either OLB spot in the 3-4. James would be a decent complementary back for the future so long as we have an explosive back for him to split with (possibly UM teammate Graig Cooper next season?).

I'll end with a poll.

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of The Phinsider's writers or editors. It does reflect the views of this particular fan though, which is as important as the views of The Phinsider writers or editors.