ChyrenB Wrote:
The point
> is that Jimmy was a draft master.

Not for us. The first 4 rounds of the draft are where you build the core of your team. This is where you get your starters and regular contributors. You're going to miss occasionally, but these picks should contribute. In his Miami drafts, JJ's picks in rounds 1-4 were filled with busts. And in many cases, he traded down to draft these busts. JJ's drafting dominance is a myth. Look at all of JJ's picks in the first 4 rounds that either never made the team, never contributed in a meaningful way, or were busts relative to their draft position.

1996
CB Dorian Brew, acquired in a trade down
CB Kirk Pointer, acquired in a trade down
LB Lacurtis Jones, acquired in a trade down
That's 3 picks in the first 4 rounds, acquired by trading down in the draft, which means passing on other talent, and not one of them even made the team as rookies. We traded the #98 pick to KC for the two picks that resulted in Pointer and Jones. With the #98 pick, KC selected LB Donnie Edwards. And in trading out of that pick, we also missed out on RB Stephen Davis and OT Jon Runyan.

1997
WR Yatil Green
LB Ronnie Ward
G Jerome Daniels, acquired in a trade down

1998
RB John Avery, acquired in a trade down
LB Brad Jackson, acquired in a trade down
WR Larry Shannon
We traded from #19 to #29 to get Avery, and got an extra 2nd rounder. We traded that 2nd rounder (#60) for a 3rd and a 5th. The 3rd was Brad Jackson, and the 5th was G Scott Shaw, neither of whom ever made the team. So, in essence, we traded the #19 pick for nothing. By passing on the #19 pick, we missed out on Vonnie Holliday, Terry Fair, Randy Moss, Tebucky Jones, Donovan Darius, and Alan Faneca. And by trading out of the #60 spot, we missed out Pro Bowlers Mike Wahle, Jamal Williams, Olin Kreutz, Leonard Little, Jeremiah Trotter, and Ahman Green.

1999
RB JJ Johnson, acquired in a trade down
This draft was full of trade downs and trade ups. And all we got out of the whole draft was FB Rob Konrad. We traded down from 24 to 27, and then again to 39 before making Johnson our first pick. By doing so, we missed out on Patrick Kerney, Al Wilson, Mike Peterson, Jon Jansen, and Mike Rucker.

JJ's eye for talent was not nearly as good as he would like you to believe. And trading down doesn't do you any good if the guys you ultimately pick suck. Let's face it, in the day of the NFL Network, Sirius NFL Radio, internet message boards, and blogs, our current regime would be blasted for missing on so many high picks.

didn't he also draft steve walsh with a supplemental first rounder when they already had aikman? that would have been an all time bone head move except I think the saints traded a bunch of picks for walsh. however, if that hadn't happened they would have taken QBs with consecutive (or close to it) first rounders after already takign aikman---dumb!!

Back on topic - in general, I absolutely think keeping the #12 pick is the right thing to do. If you look at the past 5+ years the picks were:

Vilma
Merriman
Ngata
Lynch
Clady
Moreno

Moreover, when you look at the picks in the 10-14 range, it's absolutely full of probowlers. Plus, you get the talent at a much lower price than a top 5 pick.

I don't know if comparing past number 12's is a good assessment of the quality this year. The combine should shed more light as we see who rises and the players who come from former 2nd round projections to the 1st round or visa versa...look at Laurinaitus and Maualuga last year and how they fell or how Mathews Jr. rose.

It looks as though McClain may be dropping and Dez Bryant rising.

If you look at the projections for this year, the quality for what we need drops at around 10 or 11 or just isn't there.

NT: 12 may be too high to take Dan Williams. Word on him is he doesn't always show up.

OLB: now Kindle is on the map thanks to Mayock but we'll see if out scouting department agrees.

ILB: McClain may be a two-down player and 12 is way too high for that. Most say he is not as gifted as Willis or even Jon Beason and may run in the 4.7's.

WR: Only one player worthy as of today...could change after combine but a lot of depth and may have more value at end of round or in round 2.

FS: Only if Berry drops or Thomas dazzles at the combine. Probably more value in later rounds.

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“I'm here" You're welcome!" - Kenny Powers

Sure...in any given year, the 12 pick will have a varying level overall talent for the players projected in that range. I trust that the FO will analyze that in much more detail than I could. However, historically and pretty consistently, the 10-14 range has produced some really great and affordable talent. To me, it seems like you move past the high-risk/high-reward/(killer contract) players that some teams just can't not pass up, and the true value really appears.

with a lot of teams in front of us going public that they want to trade down. With no salary floor. Miami might be able to move up in the draft to get an Eric Berry, Dez Bryant or someone else they have eyeballed and not give up a lot to move up.

If teams want to move down just to save bucks, a team like Miami might be in a prime position to move up without giving up much if anything.

Something to keep an eye on

I don't see anyone in the draft worth trading up for that will fill a need for Miami.

Maybe if Dez Bryant had Larry Fitzgerald's maturity and attitude but he doesn't. I saw an interview with him and he seems kinda dumb to me.

If anything, I would trade up in the second if I could get Golden Tate.

.....................................................................................
“I'm here" You're welcome!" - Kenny Powers

eesti Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I don't see anyone in the draft worth trading up
> for that will fill a need for Miami.
>
> Maybe if Dez Bryant had Larry Fitzgerald's
> maturity and attitude but he doesn't. I saw an
> interview with him and he seems kinda dumb to me.
>
> If anything, I would trade up in the second if I
> could get Golden Tate.


Larry Fitzgerald's maturity?? Larry is a wife beater. He lacks maturity on every level. He's a criminal