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Fins' pick already being questioned

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Sound_n_Fury Veteran

Sound_n_Fury

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In light of all the "pundits" mulling the quality/wisdom of the Bills' top pick Saturday (both national and TSW variety), I thought the following article would be fun reading! <_<

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IN MY OPINION

 

 

I'm taken aback by Dolphins' pick

 

GREG COTE

Miami Herald

gcote@herald.com

 

 

Seeing both players every day for four seasons, the people who run the football program at Auburn judged that Carnell ''Cadillac'' Williams could run the football better than Ronnie Brown.

 

So we must ask in the wake of Saturday's first round of the NFL draft:

 

Did the Dolphins just spend the No. 2 overall pick on a Buick?

 

Has any team -- ever -- invested so high a choice on a college backup?

 

The skepticism here comes with a shade of guilt, we'll admit. The first round of the draft is a National Day of Hope for woebegone teams that have dubiously earned a very high pick. Dolfans accustomed to winning and instead smarting from the rare ignominy of a Bengal-esque 4-12 season surely want to believe Saturday's highest franchise pick since birth-year 1966 might be some sort of instant panacea.

 

And Brown might prove to be just that yadayadayada because a requisite caveat in the instant (team or fan or media) judging of any pick is that none of us really know right away. Can't. Most every year, guys destined to be draft busts or to have a bust in Canton are selected minutes apart. Brown might prove to be a productive player -- perhaps even one who truly commits to the team and doesn't decide after two seasons he'd rather quit and hole up in a tent in Australia, explore holistic healing or study yoga in India.

 

Heck, today, with as little yawning notice as was paid fifth-round pick Zach Thomas in 1996, Miami might draft itself an anonymous gem. Holy Ryan Leaf! Can you say Jackie Shipp? That's how little we know for sure right away.

 

But enough with the disclaimers.

 

Ronnie Brown?

 

PROVING GROUND

 

The Dolphins, Brown and new coach Nick Saban are on the clock to prove why this was a smart pick.

 

It's a bit unsettling to hear your top choice say he didn't expect to be drafted that high and that he was surprised the Dolphins took him. Brown admitted as much Saturday, fomenting the idea his selection was a risk or a reach, shortly after Saban professed, ''We always felt like this was our guy.'' Even though the club had had no contact with Brown since shortly after the February scouting combine.

 

Versatility is the word Saban put forth a lot Saturday. Brown runs. Catches. Blocks. OK, good. But, again: If the totality of his game wasn't sufficient to unseat Williams at Auburn, is that impact commensurate with a No. 2 overall pick?

 

Saban talked about Brown being a workhorse-type back. Yet durability is a question dogging the player. And, asked if Saturday's top choice should mercifully end all speculation about Ricky Williams' possible return, Saban said, ``No. Why would it? Two are better than one.''

 

It would have been splendidly and surprisingly adult-like if Ricky Wanderlust had made his intentions on a return to the NFL firmly known to Saban before the draft. That's the thing about Ricky's selfishness, though. It just keeps giving and giving.

 

Even as it was, with counting on Ricky as risky as counting on a lottery hit to pay the mortgage, from this vantage it seems the Dolphins would have been smarter Saturday to draft impact receiver Braylon Edwards from Michigan (who went third to Cleveland). You knew for sure a handful of teams coveted Edwards, and that having him in hand would give you more bargaining power than any implicit, doubted threat that you might draft him.

 

Pick Edwards, and you have teams outbidding each other to get him. You then probably pick up extra draft picks, and likely still get Brown. Or at least Cadillac Williams or Cedric Benson, runners who went fourth and fifth.

 

CAN'T-LOSE SCENARIO

 

If no deal materializes -- worst case meets best case? -- you keep Edwards and instantly have a more explosive, vertical offense. A.J. Feeley is suddenly a better quarterback, and Chris Chambers sees single coverage.

 

Chambers-Edwards? Only the best wideout duo Miami has presented since Duper-Clayton, that's all.

 

Hey, two seasons of Ricky Williams' ultra-productivity failed to get Miami to a playoff game, right? Maybe Saturday was a shot to try a bolder approach.

 

Saban reiterated that his conservative, run-first reputation is a misnomer.

 

But he let slip the perfect chance to prove it.

 

He might have selected, in Edwards -- as game-breaker or at least trade bait -- a receiver who some draftniks rated on the Randy Moss/Terrell Owens echelon.

 

Instead he opted for a runner who evidently wasn't even the best ballcarrier on his own college team.

 

Ronnie Brown might prove someday to have been a terrific pick -- and here's sincerely hoping that's the case.

 

For now, though, as the draft's No. 2 overall pick, make it clear the first thing Brown carries for Miami isn't the ball. It is the burden to prove he's worth it.

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Mark VI Veteran

Mark VI

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Opinion is subjective and few sports writers impress me with actual knowledge of the game. Most remind me of the limited knowledge, hot pockets crowd (" Wait , I've heard of him !" ) .

 

Time will only tell if Brown pans out. Auburn had an enviable "problem" with 2 magnificent talents at RB. Personally, I'm glad the Dolphins passed on Braylon Edwards , who I thought was the best player in this draft .

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obie_wan Veteran

obie_wan

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Opinion is subjective and few sports writers impress me with actual knowledge of the game. Most remind me of the limited knowledge, hot pockets crowd  (" Wait , I've heard of him !" ) .

 

Time will only tell if Brown pans out. Auburn had an enviable "problem" with 2 magnificent talents at RB. Personally, I'm glad the Dolphins passed on Braylon Edwards , who I thought was the best player in this draft .

318888[/snapback]

 

Brown will be a bust. He may have speed, but he has no wiggle and can't make tacklers miss. This will be compounded by the putrid Miami OL.

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d_wag Veteran

d_wag

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Brown will be a bust. He may have speed, but he has no wiggle and can't make tacklers miss. This will be compounded by the putrid Miami OL.

318950[/snapback]

 

don't discount their new o-line coach -- hudson houck.......best in the league IMO.......

 

with SD last year he turned a pretty average looking group of OL into a very solid unit.........he got 16 starts out of 7th round pick Shane Olivea at RT, and 14 starts out of 3rd round pick Nick Hardwick at C.........not to mention turning around the career of roman oben, who was castoff from LT needy tampa bay......

 

if that doesn't convince you he knows his stuff, just look at some of the lines he put together while with dallas......

 

the phins didn't gave him a contract at almost 1M per year for no reason........

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