Patience required
Many in ’16 draft class didn’t see much action
Dolphins dodge draft questions on the class of 2016 today.
Mike Tannenbaum tactfully sidestepped evaluating the Dolphins’ 2016 draft class when asked about it at a news conference thisweek.
Miami’s executive vice president of football operations gave the group led by firstround lineman Laremy Tunsil a grade of “incomplete” as he points his focus toward nextweek’s draft.
“We’ll knowin two more years,” Tannenbaumsaid.“Thepeople that influencemein my career always talk about is takes three years to try to develop a player. … I think that’s a reasonable amount of time for the most part in our system.”
Many of the Dolphins’ 2016 draftees playedkey roles in the team’s10-6 finish and first playoff berth since 2008. But a few struggled.
“The best thing,” veteran quarterback MattMoore said of the 2016 draftees, “was we had guys come in and understand the culture, understand the way things need to be done.
“That’s a credit to the veteran players for kind of showing them how it’s done and those guys kind of fit right in and followed suit. Thatwas a nice thing to see. And again, a lot of those guys got experience, so just building fromthatwill be good.”
Tunsil, who fell to the Dolphins after a video of him smoking froma bong surfaced on draft night, was a starter at left guard and left tackle and by most accounts performed extremelywell.
Tunsil, projected as the No. 1 pick of the 2016 draft forweeks ahead of it, willmove to
“We’ll know in two more years. … I think that’s a reasonable amount of time.” Mike Tannenbaum, Dolphins executive vice president of football operations
left tackle in 2017 with the departure of veteran Branden Albert to Jacksonville.
“I think Tunsil’s a home run, and I think he’ll continue to be even though he’s moving to tackle,” said CharlesDavis, ananalyst for NFL Network and a former player.
“If you can survive the rigors of the NFL playing inside, playing inside at guard, dealing with the monsters you’re dealing with there, plus you know that in sub and nickel packages the best pass rushers are moving inside now, that’s a big deal.”
The Dolphins’ other 2016 picks couldn’t be evaluated as clearly as Tunsil.
Third-round running back Kenyan Drake flashed lots of potential, including a 96-yard fourth-quarter kickoff return touchdown against the New York Jets that helped deliver a 27-23 victory. He ended the season with 33 carries for 179 yards and two touchdowns and nine receptions for 46 yards.
“He had some good days and some bad days,” coach Adam Gase said at the NFL scouting combine inMarch. “He did a great jobwhenwe got him in the game. He
made some plays. He’s a guy thatwe’re looking to leanon a little bit more next year…Kenyan’s somebody that we’re really interested in trying to find some good matchups for.”
Second-round cornerback Xavien Howard remains a bit of an unknown because he spent a good portion of season battling a knee injury. He played in seven games, making six starts, and ended with 40 tackles and a forced fumble.
“Xavien Howard was a guy I really liked last year coming out of the draft,” Davis said. “He’s long, with quickness, and fearless in terms of playing the ball in the air and things of that nature. I think him, with health, that’s a major upgrade for Miami on the corner. But he’s got to go prove it because he missedmost of last year.”
Wide receiver Leonte Carroo, a third-round pick the Dolphins traded up to acquire, saw limited action, ending with three receptions for 29 yards and a touchdown. Wide receiver Jakeem Grant, one of two sixth-round picks, had a 74-yard punt-return touchdown against Tennessee while serving as the main punt returner, a job thatwas challenging at times.
Safety Jordan Lucas, the other sixth-round pick, saw most of his limited action on special teams. Quarterback Brandon Doughty and tight end Thomas Duarte, the seventh-round picks, spent most of their season on the practice squad.
As a whole, Tunsil seems to be the clear star of the 2016 draft class, with Howard and Drake showing promise. The rest are question marks for their 2016 contributions and 2017 projections.
“I think some exceeded guys’ expectations and some haven’t,” Tannenbaum said. “But again, I would say it’s a grade of incomplete as of now.”
“I think some exceeded guys’ expectations and some haven’t. But again, I would say it’s a grade of incomplete as of now.” Mike Tannenbaum, Dolphins executive vice president of football operations