13 might be a cursed number for some people, but the Dolphins hope the No. 13 selection in the NFL draft will bring them a star player.
The Dolphins insist they aren’t trying to tank in 2019, but owner Stephen Ross does admit that he’s fully committed to the idea of a “rebuild” in Miami. The franchise hope that first year head coach Brian Flores can help accelerate that process in South Florida.
As you might expect, the Dolphins have plenty of holes to fill in the draft. The team signed Ryan Fitzpatrick to be their starting quarterback this season, but they still need to identify a signal caller of the future. It’s unclear whether or not Miami believes they can get good value at quarterback with the No. 13 selection.
Given Flores’ background as a defensive-minded coach, it’s also possible the Dolphins will look to add an impact player on that side of the ball. The team really lacks talent on the defensive front so they could easily look to take advantage of the great group of edge rushers available in this year’s draft class. The truth is the Dolphins should just concern themselves with taking the best player available. It’s likely to be one of the five following players.
5. Ed Oliver
Oliver is arguably the most talented defensive lineman in this draft. Questions about his attitude will keep him from being the first edge rusher drafted, but it’s still unlikely he’ll last all the way to No. 13.
If he does, the Dolphins should end his slide in a hurry. They desperately need a guy on the defensive line who can draw consistent double teams and make the game easier for his teammates. Oliver likely represents Miami’s best potential option in the draft. They’ll need a lot of things to go their way to end up with Oliver though.