To get a better look at cornerback Eli Apple and linebacker Darron Lee, ESPN's James Walker recently spoke to Elliott and asked for a scouting report on the other two Ohio State prospects:
"Darron, we are roommates in college. So I kind of saw his evolution as a football player from a high-school quarterback to a [good] linebacker that nobody really wants to [face]. He's a freak athlete, and he plays with such an intensity. He's a great guy to have on your team. He's one of those guys that you kind of don't want to play against. Eli Apple, he's another physical player and a physical specimen. He's a big, physical guy at the corner position that's fast and can run and makes plays."
Lee would be an interesting draft pick for Miami, adding a player who can both rush the passer or drop into coverage - similar to what the Dolphins had hoped would be the role of Dion Jordan. The Dolphins do not necessarily need to pick a linebacker, relying on a starting group of Jelani Jenkins, Kiko Alonso, and Koa Misi, but adding a talented player at any position is always a good addition and, while linebacker is not necessarily a need, it is a place where Miami could continue to upgrade.
Apple is more likely the pick if Miami is choosing between Lee and Apple. The cornerback is a bigger bodied player at his position, measuring at 6-foot-1 and 199 pounds. He has the ability to play against the bigger wide receivers in the AFC East, like Sammy Watkins and Brandon Marshall, while still maintaining the speed to match up one-on-one as well. He could be inserted into the starting lineup from day one for Miami, playing opposite Byron Maxwell, as long as the team understands he is going to make rookie mistakes early in the year.
Either player could be a solid addition to the Dolphins roster, as would be Elliott if he is still on the board. What the Dolphins will decide to do is still a question mark at this point, even if the mock drafts seem to be leaning toward Miami selecting a cornerback. With either player, at least Elliott seems to think the Dolphins would be getting a good playmaker.