Todd McShay and Mel Kiper Dueling Mock Draft: 2 Rounds, 4 Picks, 1 Quarterback for Dolphins

The 2019 NFL Draft is getting closer, with just over three weeks between now and the first selection being made by the Arizona Cardinals. As the Draft gets closer, mock draft season gets busier, and ESPN added to it today as they created Wednesday content with a Todd McShay and Mel Kiper, Jr., dueling picks 2019 NFL Mock Draft.

Both analysts make all 64 picks in the first two rounds with this mock draft, agreeing on some picks (Oklahoma quarterback Kyler Murray to the Cardinals first, Ohio State defensive end Nick Bosa to the San Francisco 49ers second, Kentucky outside linebacker Josh Allen to the New York Jets third, Alabama defenisve tackle Quinnen Williams to the Oakland Raiders fourth, LSU linebacker Devin White to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers fifth, Ohio State quarterback Dwayne Haskins to the New York Giants sixth, and Florida tackle Jawaan Taylor to the Jacksonville Jaguars seventh) - way too much agreement at the top of the Draft. They also disagree on picks, like the eighth pick to the Detroit Lions, where Kiper selects Mississippi State defensive end Montez Sweat while McShay takes Iowa tight end T.J. Hockenson.

How do they project the Miami Dolphins picks? Of the four picks made, three have the Dolphins looking to bolster the defense in the first two rounds, while one pick has the team adding a quarterback.

In the first round, with the 13th overall pick, Kiper sees the Dolphins adding Michigan defensive end Rashan Gary (ninth overall to the Bills in McShay’s projection). Kiper writes of the pick:

You have to think the Dolphins, who are undergoing a serious rebuild, would be thrilled to get a high-ceiling pass-rusher like Gary here.

As for McShay’s first-round projection, he has Miami also looking toward the defensive line, where they add Houston defensive tackle Ed Oliver (ninth overall to the Bills in Kiper’s projection). McShay explains:

In this scenario, the top quarterbacks are gone. Don’t overthink it; take the best available player. That’s Oliver.

Either player would work well for the Dolphins. I would love the Oliver pick, but would not complain about adding Gary, who would likely become an immediate starting pass rusher for a team hurting in that category right now.

Jumping to the second round, with the 48th pick, Kiper has Miami adding Virginia safety Juan Thornhill. He states:

After playing both corner and safety for the Cavaliers, Thornhill had a strong combine, running a 4.42-second 40 with a 44-inch vertical. He had 13 interceptions over the past three seasons.

McShay, meanwhile, has Miami selecting North Carolina State quarternack Ryan Finley. He writes:

The Dolphins weren’t able to get one of the top three guys in the first, and there’s a solid chance they wait until the 2020 draft to address the quarterback position. This doesn’t change their long-term plan, but Finley’s touch and delivery quickness could make him a future starter.

Safety does not seem like a need for Miami, where Reshad Jones, T.J. McDonald, and Minkah Fitzpatrick are filling the two safety positions. Moving Thornhill to cornerback, however, could make sense if Miami is not thrilled with their coverage options opposite Xavien Howard and they are set on making Fitzpatrick - who played cornerback and safety last year - a safety. Thornhill probably projects better as a safety in the NFL, so maybe Miami looks to make Fitzpatrick a cornerback in this scenario.

McShay’s pick of Finley is a great selection here. He has potential, but probably still needs time to develop. The Dolphins have said they are not against taking a quarterback in both the 2019 and the 2020 Drafts, so selecting a developmental quarterback with starting potential here, letting him sit behind Ryan Fitzpatrick for the year, and then looking at what is available in 2020 could be the best move the team could make.

I would love the first two picks from McShay, as it addresses great needs for Miami, while also giving them some of the best talent on the board at each of their picks. I do not mind Kiper’s mock, but I would rather see the team get a true cornerback with the pick, or address another area of need on the team - defensive tackle, offensive tackle, or guard as the leading candidates.

What do you think of these two mock drafts?