The NFL Draft is an inexact science to say the least. And because of that, all organizations can create a list of "misses" in the draft. So what I wanted to do today is to lay out a brief list of misses by the Dolphins and then ask you all which pick was the worst draft pick in Dolphins' history.
But first, two disclaimers. First off, we're only looking at draft picks from the first two rounds of the draft. And second, you'll notice that there are a few players not included on this list. Yatil Green isn't on it because of how his career went downhill. Injuries are something you can't predict. So I'm not going to hold that pick against the Dolphins. Also, players who are still young (Jason Allen, John Beck - to name a few) aren't listed because their careers are far from defined.
Onto the list:
2003 - LB Eddie Moore (2nd round pick, 49th overall)
It's bad enough that Moore hasn't played in an NFL game since 2005 - meaning his career essentially lasted just three seasons. But then to know that the Dolphins could have drafted (and from what we now know, we're very close to drafting) Anquan Boldin - who went just 5 picks later - it's hard to not call this pick a failure of epic proportions. Moore played in 18 games as a Dolphin and totaled 35 tackles. Boldin, meanwhile, has 502 career receptions for 6,496 yards, and 40 touchdowns in his first six career seasons.
2001 - CB Jamar Fletcher (1st round pick, 26th overall)
This pick didn't even make sense at the time. The Dolphins had two outstanding corners already on the team (Sam Madison and Patrick Surtain). They also desperately needed a quarterback and Drew Brees was still on the board. But the Fins took Fletcher, who spent just three seasons in Miami and picked up 2 interceptions and 10 pass defelctions, over Brees. And if the Dolphins really wanted a cornerback badly, Ken Lucas and Fred Smoot were both still available and were drafted a few picks later. Oh - and Reggie Wayne was also still on the board, too.
1998 - RB John Avery (1st round pick, 29th overall)
Yes - the Dolphins needed a running back. But Avery wasn't even considered a 1st round talent coming out of college. Apparently, the Dolphins thought he was - and were wrong. Avery played in just 29 career games in the NFL - 17 for the Dolphins. As a Dolphin, Avery amassed just 503 yards rushing.
1995 - OT Billy Milner (1st round pick, 25th overall)
You may not remember this offensive tackle out of Houston - and that's probably because he only played in the NFL for three seasons. Yes - the Dolphins spent a first round pick on a player who would be out of the NFL in just three years. Oh, and Derrick Brooks was drafted just 3 picks after Milner.
1994 - LB Aubrey Beavers (2nd round, 54th overall)
Perhaps the Dolphins passed on Derrick Brooks because they thought they had their stud outside linebacker in Beavers, an OLB out of Oklahoma. But again, Beavers was another draft pick who was out of football after just three years, playing in 39 career NFL games and starting in Miami just 11 times.
1992 - DT Eddie Blake (2nd round pick, 43rd overall)
Here's a good one - this big defensive tackle out of Auburn never played in an NFL game and was out of football in just two years. Solid investment, huh?
1989 - RB Sammie Smith (1st round pick, 9th overall)
Here's a situation where the Dolphins reached out of need and it backfired. They needed a running back and spent the 9th overall pick on Sammie Smith. Smith played in 41 games as a Dolphin and totaled 1,881 rushing yards and had a 3.5 ypc average for his career. And Smith would be out of football in just four years - a top 10 draft pick out of football in four years.
1988 - DE Eric Kumerow (1st round, 16th overall)
This pass rusher out of Ohio State played just three seasons with the Dolphins, amassed 5 career sacks, and then never played in an NFL game again.
1987 - DE John Bosa (1st round, 16th overall)
I guess the Dolphins felt like they had to take another DE in '88 because their 1st round pick in '87 - John Bosa - was a failure. Bosa played in 31 career games and totaled 7 sacks. And, yes, he was out of football in just 3 years.
So which pick was the worst? Cast your vote and then tell us your thoughts.