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With the NFL draft exactly one month away from today, the amount of mock drafts that will be popping up will be hard to keep up with. These mock drafts have been coming out literally the day after the 2013 draft ended and it's almost time to complete the cycle. Over the next few weeks, my columns will cover the NFL draft and to kick things off, I'm going to present you with my Dolphins mock draft. However, the first one will be a little different than what most are used to. This mock will be a position mock where I project the position the Dolphins will draft and then list several players who they may consider. As we close in on the draft, these positions will then turn into players. With that said, sit back and enjoy my Miami Dolphins Mock Position Draft version 1.0!
Round 1: Linebacker
There is so much talk about the Dolphins selecting a right tackle in the first round. The problem is though that this draft is extremely deep and a solid right tackle can be found in a later round. At the end of the day, the right tackle isn't going to win the team any games in crunch time. In addition, a right tackle can be helped by a running back (Knowshown Moreno) and/or a good blocking tight end in pass protection. With a linebacker, you will get someone who can shut down the run in crunch time, make a huge sack in crunch time, and/or break up a pass in crunch time.
While I would love tight end Eric Ebron to fall to this spot, I don't see it happening so the Dolphins best bet would be to draft a linebacker. They could select Anthony Barr, CJ Mosley, or Ryan Shazier in this spot. Barr is the best player out of this group but there's a good chance he won't be available when the Dolphins pick. Mosley is the second best followed by Shazier. Another name that could come into the mix is Kony Ealy.
Round 2: Tight End
The Dolphins got their defensive playmaker in round one so now it's time to pick up an offensive playmaker. A dynamic tight end who can get vertical, make the tough catches and make the defense worry about him would be a huge help to this offense. The second best tight end in this draft class is Jace Amaro from Texas Tech. He has the ability to make the tough catches and can be the red zone threat that the Dolphins desperately need.
Round 3: Offensive Tackle
The Dolphins can select a quality right tackle in the third round and expect him to play right away. As mentioned before, they can help out a right tackle in many different ways with the running back and tight end. Some names to consider at this spot are Antonio Richardson, Billy Turner and Seantrel Henderson.
Round 4: Offensive Guard
The Dolphins signed Shelley Smith in the offseason to start at one of the guard positions. They will have numerous guys competing for the other guard spot. These players are Dallas Thomas, Sam Brenner and Nate Garner. However, the Dolphins need insurance in case one of them doesn't work out. Some names to consider in round four are Jon Halapio, Marcus Martin, Brandon Linder and Anthony Steen.
Round 5: Offensive Tackle
Doubling down on a position is never a bad idea as it creates competition and you never know which player will turn out to be the better pick. The Dolphins should do with the right tackle position in this draft and select another prospect in round five. Some players to consider are Cameron Fleming, Michael Scofield and James Hurst.
Round 6: Wide Receiver
The Dolphins would like to add some depth and insurance at wide receiver just in case Brian Hartline and Brandon Gibson don't fully recover from their injuries by the time the season starts. Even if they are ready to go by the time the season begins, they will still be rehabbing and working to come back during training camp so the Dolphins will need bodies and guys to compete and practice. Some names to keep in mind in round six at the wide receiver position are Jalen Saunders, Eric Ward, Robert Herron and TJ Jones.
Round 7: Safety
The Dolphins signed Louis Delmas to a one-year deal but he has injury concerns. While the Dolphins do seem content with Jimmy Wilson filling in if needed, another free safety for depth purposes and special teams contributions won't hurt. Some players to consider are Alden Darby, Christian Bryant, Isaiah Johnson and Sean Parker.
Matthew Cannata is a columnist for The Phinsider. Be sure to follow him on Twitter: @PhinManiacs