Miami Dolphins 2000s draft vs. draft tournament - Game 6: (4) 2005 Draft vs. (5) 2008 Draft

The Miami Dolphins 2000s Draft versus Draft tournament continues this morning with a showdown of the Orange Bracket's fourth seed against the fifth seed. This is a second overall pick (Ronnie Brown) facing off against a first overall pick as the 2005 Draft goes up against the 2008 Draft. Both players went on to solid careers for the Dolphins, but also dealt with injuries. Will the players selected behind Brown give the fourth-seed the win, or will the rest of the 2008 Draft's selections push Long to the upset?

Each day over the next couple of weeks, we will present a poll, where you can vote on which of the two drafts you think was better. We will then move the draft receiving the most votes on to the next round of the tournament, eventually crowning a champion draft for the Dolphins from the 2000s.

(4) 2005 Draft

The Dolphins used the second overall draft pick on a running back, which would seem insane in today's Draft analysis, but then did make some sense. Ronnie Brown went on to carry the ball 1,128 times in six years with the Dolphins, gaining 4,815 yards with 36 touchdowns, and he was the triggerman for the Wildcat offense, which the Dolphins sprung on the league; paired with Ricky Williams, the Dolphins had a good one-two punch out of the backfield, and Brown was selected to a Pro Bowl in 2008.

Matt Roth was a man in-between positions for the Dolphins, sometimes playing defensive end, sometimes linebacker, in five seasons with Miami, appearing in 65 games with 23 starts, and recording 12.5 sacks with 157 tackles. Channing Crowder played six seasons in the NFL, all with Miami, and he was the epitome of a solid linebacker, always in on a play, but it was hard to point your finger at one spectacular play for Crowder; he recorded 469 career tackles with 2.5 sacks, one interception, three forced fumbles, and three fumble recoveries. Travis Daniels spent three years at cornerback for the Dolphins, playing in 44 games with 25 starts, recording three interceptions, 20 passes defended, one fumble recovery, and 125 tackles.

Trades

The Dolphins traded their second-round pick (35th overall) to the Philadelphia Eagles for A.J. Feeley.

The Dolphins traded Patrick Surtain and their fifth-round pick (138th overall) to the Kansas City Chiefs for their second-round pick (46th overall) and their fifth-round pick (162nd overall from Green Bay).

The Dolphins traded their third-round pick (66th overall) to the St. Louis Rams for Lamar Gordon.

The Dolphins traded Adewale Ogunleye to the Chicago Bears for Marty Booke and their third-round pick (70th overall).

The Dolphins traded a 2005 conditional sixth-round pick (177th overall) and a player to be named later (Jamar Fletcher) (2004 season) to the San Diego Chargers for David Boston.

(5) 2008 Draft

It is hard, when you have the first overall pick, to land as a fifth seed, but the Dolphins pull that off with the 2008 Draft. Looking back on the Draft, people say the Dolphins should have selected Matt Ryan with the first overall pick, but he was really not ever a consideration in the top spot, with analysts not sure he would pan out at the NFL level, and the Atlanta Falcons taking a risk in picking him. The Dolphins were trying to decide between tackle Jake Long and defensive end Chris Long, eventually taking Jake with the first overall pick. The pick of Jake Long seemed to be destined for a decade of stellar play at left tackle, with Long starting all 48 games his first three seasons, before missing two games in his fourth year, and being selected to the Pro Bowl all four seasons, plus one First Team All-Pro selection. Then Long's body started to give out on him. He played one more year in Miami, playing in 12 games, before moving to the St. Louis Rams, where he played in 15 games and 7 games in two-year, then four games last year with the Falcons.

Phillip Merling played four years with Miami, but never established himself as the starting defensive end/rush linebacker for the club, and left the franchise with 47 games played, one interception, two fumble recoveries, 3.5 sacks, and 67 tackles. Chad Henne was supposed to be the franchise quarterback that finally ended the run of bad play at the position, but he never lived up to expectations; Henne started 31 games, going 13-18 in that span, throwing for 7,114 yards on a 60.7-percent completion rate, with 31 touchdowns, and 37 interceptions. Kendall Langford started at defensive end for four years in Miami, recording 7.5 sacks, with 141 tackles, and four forced fumbles.

Lex Hilliard played a solid three years with the Dolphins, playing both fullback and halfback for the club. He appeared in all 48 games over those three seasons, with four starts, recording 39 rushes for 130 yards and two touchdowns. He was a good lead blocker and in 2012 moved to the New England Patriots for 2 games, then continued his AFC East tour with a 12 game stints with the New York Jets.

Trades

The Dolphins traded Chris Chambers to the San Diego Chargers for their second-round pick (57th overall).

The Dolphins traded their third-round pick (64th overall) to the Detroit Lions for their third-round pick (66th overall from Kansas City) and their sixth-round pick (176th overall).

The Dolphins traded their fourth-round pick (110th overall) to the Dallas Cowboys for Akin Ayodele and Anthony Fasano.

The Dolphins traded Lorenzo Booker to the Philadelphia Eagles for their fourth-round pick (115th overall).

The Dolphins traded their fourth-round pick (115th overall) and seventh round pick (208th overall) to the Chicago Bears for their fourth-round pick (110th overall).

The Dolphins traded a 2008 conditional fifth-round pick (136th overall) (2007 season) to the Kansas City Chiefs for Trent Green.

The Dolphins traded Jason Ferguson and their sixth-round pick (195th overall) to the Dallas Cowboys for their sixth-round pick (167th overall) and a 2009 sixth-round pick.

The Dolphins received pick 204 (sixth-round) as a compensatory pick.

The Dolphins received pick 245 (seventh-round) as a compensatory pick.