Miami Dolphins 2009 NFL Draft Re-Grade

You cannot truly grade a draft until three years after the selection meeting. That's the conventional wisdom at least. Well, for 2009, that's now, and Dane Brugler, from CBS Sports, is doing exactly that. As he point out in the article, a few of the "hits" from the 2009 draft, are now "misses," while a player like Arian Foster went undrafted that year - despite over 20 running backs being selected.

As he takes a look back at every pick made,one team reached the "A" range for Brugler - and even then, it was an A-. The Detroit Lions hit that mark with a 10 picks draft, including players like quarterback Matthew Stafford selected first overall, and tight end Brandon Pettigrew, the 20th overall selection. For Miami Dolphins fans, the Lions also selected offensive tackle Lydon Murtha in that draft, taking him in the seventh round with the 228th overall pick.

Brugler ranked three teams with a D grade. The Cleveland Browns, who had four picks in the first two rounds, take one of those Ds. The team landed 2010 Pro Bowl center Alex Mack in the first round, but added Hawaii defensive end David Veikune in the second. Veikune lasted one season in Cleveland, where he tallied five tackles, before being shunned to the CFL.

The Dallas Cowboys and Denver Broncos both also picked up Ds, despite double digit draft picks that year. The Cowboys' best pick, according to Brugler, was their fourth round selection of Victor Butler, who has started just one game in his career, with 8 sacks and 45 tackles. The Broncos, meanwhile, selected their best pick, David Bruton, in the fourth round as well. While he only has seen limited starts, he has provided solid depth for the Broncos, and could be looking at a starter's role this year. The Broncos also have Knowshon Moreno coming out of the 2009 draft, but Brugler lists him as "Jury Still Out" due to his injury problems over the last three years.

As for the Dolphins, Brugler grades them a C-, writing:

MIAMI DOLPHINS (9 Draft Picks)
1 (25) CB Vontae Davis, Illinois; 2 (44) QB Pat White, West Virginia; 2 (61) DB Sean Smith, Utah; 3 (87) WR Patrick Turner, Southern Cal; 4 (108) WR Brian Hartline, Ohio State; 5 (161) TE John Nalbone, Monmouth; 5 (165) S Chris Clemons, Clemson; 6 (181) OT Andrew Gardner, Georgia Tech; 7 (214) LB JD Folsom, Weber State

THE GOOD: While he hasn't been the All-Pro cornerback the Dolphins thought when they drafted him in the late first round, Vontae Davis has been a quality and normally reliable player the last three seasons

THE BAD: After an All-American college career, Pat White was considered more of an "athlete" but wanted to stay at quarterback, lasting only one season in the league and finishing his NFL career with zero completions

JURY STILL OUT: With the recent signing of Richard Marshall, cornerback Sean Smith might be forced to the bench this season as he proved to be unreliable last year (only three career interceptions)

Re-Grade: C-

Looking back on the 2009 draft, how would you grade the Dolphins' selections? Do you agree with Brugler's best, worst, and jury still out players? Can any of the 2009 draft turn around the entire class and raise that C- grade?