The Miami Dolphins will have an important pick to make at No. 11 overall, but a new update from a draft expert points to the team being in play for Caleb Downs.
The Miami Dolphins have a lot of draft needs, and the team will have an important decision to make when they pick at No. 11 overall.
Any way the Dolphins choose to go will be welcomed, but they may be in play for a blue-chip player in safety Caleb Downs. Draft expert Daniel Jeremiah believes the confusing aspect of evaluating safeties could lead to the Ohio Buckeyes prospect falling out of the top 10.
The nature of evaluating talent might be a bit odd at times. From running the 40-yard dash, to measuring arm length, college prospects move up or fall down draft boards all the time.
Downs' measurables could be a major reason for his falling out of the top 10, and if he sits there at No. 11 overall, the Dolphins would be smart to jump on bringing him in.
The state of the secondary is also in flux, especially at the safety position. Dante Trader Jr. is still an unknown, and Minkah Fitzpatrick was traded to the New York Jets. Bringing in Downs could offer a potential plug-and-play day-one starter.
As Jeremiah put it, Downs' draft stock may be a bit unfair due to his size and arm length, leaving him to be a pick for the Dolphins at No. 11.
Jeremiah was speaking to 105.3 The Fan, and the hosts were asking about whether Downs would be there at No. 12 for the Dallas Cowboys. The draft expert did indicate its possible, but this leads to the idea that the Dolphins would be first and could instead choose the Buckeyes defender.
"I think historically, when I — look, I call the Chargers games as my little side gig. If you’d have told me before that draft and being on the set that Derwin James was gonna fall to I believe 17, Kyle Hamilton fell to 14, Nick Emmanwori was my 15th or 16th player and fell to the second round. Weird stuff happens and the safety position, I don’t agree with it, has been pushed down to some degree.
"And then with Downs, you’re looking at someone who’s not big, he’s under six feet, he’s a little over 200 pounds, he’s got short arms. He doesn’t have a ton of splash plays…look I have Downs as my top safety, then McNeil-Warren, then Thieneman. But the fact that we’ve seen safeties historically drop a little bit…I think he’s more likely to go 10 to 20 than he is to go in the top-10," Jeremiah said.
The fact that Downs may be hit with some harsh criticism and drop out of the top 10 is not out of the realm of possibility. The same is currently being said about defensive end Rueben Bain Jr., who might also be the pick for the Dolphins at No. 11.
Miami has a ton of roster holes, and if general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan wants to make a splash with this first pick, that would be Downs.
Downs brought in 68 total tackles, five tackles for loss, one sack, and two interceptions. He is a dynamic safety whose versatility would be a huge aspect of this defensive rebuild that the Dolphins need to engage in.
If Down is there at No. 11, it would be a slam-dunk pick for Sullivan.
