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Should the Miami Dolphins trade up in round one of the NFL Draft?

With the NFL draft set to begin in a few weeks, it's worth asking whether or not the Miami Dolphins should trade up and grab a player. The only question? Who would be worth it?

By Matthew Cannata
Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Spor

On May 8, the NFL Draft will begin at 8:00 PM EST and the Houston Texans will be on the clock. As the first few picks are made, there may be some surprises and some players might start to fall. As more picks are made, a few more players may begin to fall. When that happens, who would be the player the Dolphins would be willing to move up in the draft for? Is there anyone worth moving up for?

In order to move up from the 19th pick to the top ten or in the early middle part of the round, the Dolphins would either likely have to give up a pick this year - perhaps a second rounder but if not, most definitely a third rounder. If it's a third rounder, the Dolphins would also need to include a pick next year or a player.

It's not cheap to move up unless the Dolphins are able to fleece a team like they did to the Oakland Raiders last year. Therefore, when moving up, you need to be sure that it's a player who can make an immediate impact and where everyone is on board with it. I mention that because there are mixed reports on whether Joe Philbin and other scouts agreed with Jeff Ireland when he moved up and selected Dion Jordan. One report says that everyone was on board but another report said that there were some, including Philbin, who did not want the pick. Everyone must be on the same page but with Hickey running the show, it doesn't seem as if that will be a problem.

So, who what players would be worth trading up for? Let's take a look.

Offensive Tackle - Jake Matthews
There are only two offensive tackles in the draft worth moving up for and one of them is Jake Matthews. Matthews, who is from Texas A&M, is the best tackle in this draft. A team captain, he is the most polished and refined prospect that has come out in quite a few years at this position. His footwork is something to marvel at and is always sticking with his man the entire play. While some say that Matthews lacks great strength, he does enough with his technique to make up for it. He is a monster in the passing game and a great player in the running game. Matthews would immediately step in and be the starting right tackle. In a few years when Branden Albert is ready to move on, he would then be able seamlessly transition to left tackle.

Offensive Tackle - Greg Robinson
The other offensive tackle worth moving up for is Greg Robinson from Auburn. Robinson played in 25 games in his college career and started all of them. Although Robinson isn't as polished as Matthews, his ceiling is probably higher than his. Robinson has a heavy punch and moves very well in space. Robinson excels in the run game and is very raw in the passing game. With coaching and development, he can be an absolute stud in both areas. While there might be some growing pains with Robinson in the early goings, he can easily turn into one of the best tackles to ever play in the NFL if his potential is developed. As with Matthews, Robinson would start at right tackle and then transition to left tackle once Albert moves on in a few years.

Outside Linebacker - Khalil Mack
Khalil Mack was a team captain and played in 48 games while starting all of them. An outside linebacker, he will be able to start the first day he steps on the practice field. Scouts rave about his ability to change directions so quickly. He's aggressive, has tremendous instincts, and is very well-rounded in all areas - rushing the quarterback, dropping back in pass coverage and stopping the run. If the Dolphins were to move up and take Mack, they would most likely move Koa Misi inside and kick Dannell Ellerbe out to the other outside linebacker spot.

As you can see, the list isn't very long. If you're asking why there are no tight ends or wide receivers on the list, it's because those two positions are quite deep. The drop off from the top rated prospect and the others isn't that much and if the Dolphins wanted to draft one of those positions, they can easily stay put at 19 or even consider trading down.

The NFL Draft is always an exciting and unpredictable event. There is not one person in the entire world right now who can predict how this year's NFL draft will unfold. Even minutes before the draft, no one will know. It won't be until teams starting picking players when draft boards start to settle in and players begin to fall...until that one team makes a trade and moves up, which then in turn throws everything into chaos once again.

With all that said, do I anticipate the Dolphins moving up in the first round? No. However, if one of these guys begin to fall towards picks 10-15, they should strongly consider a trade and grabbing one of these three top prospects who can start right away in the NFL.

Matthew Cannata is a columnist for The Phinsider. Be sure to follow him on Twitter: @PhinManiacs

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