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Miami Dolphins: Should Todd Gurley be the pick?

By Ryan Ratty

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Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

In Dane Brugler’s latest mock draft, the Miami Dolphins are selecting Todd Gurley. Would the Georgia running back be a good fit?

It’s no secret that Todd Gurley is one of the better players in this draft class. With an excellent combination of size and speed, as well as explosiveness and incredible vision, Gurley is one of the better running backs to to enter the league in the last few years.

Considering how the position has basically devalued over the past decade, it should be said that’s extremely risky for a team to select a running back in the first round. Gurley has the talent to be special, but there are questions over his health as well as durability, considering he ran the ball over 500 times in just two and a half seasons.

Nevertheless, NFLDraftScout.com Analyst Dane Brugler of CBSSports.com has the Miami Dolphins selecting the University of Georgia running back in his latest mock draft.

Here’s what Brugler had to say about Gurley and the analysis of the Dolphins and how he mocked the running back to them.

"“The Dolphins could go in several directions with this pick, including the top talent on the board, which will likely be Gurley. If the trainers and doctors give the front office two thumbs up, this becomes a much easier selection to project.”"

Although Gurley would immediately help this offense and he could very well end up being better than Lamar Miller, the fact of the matter is that spending a first-round pick on a running back doesn’t make a lot of sense. The Dolphins already have Miller, who ran for over 1,000 yards last year.

Dec 28, 2014; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Miami Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill (17) throws a pass in the second half at Sun Life Stadium. The Jets defeated Miami 37-24. Mandatory Credit: Brad Barr-USA TODAY Sports

Last year, the Dolphins finished with an 8-8 record and are going into the fourth year of the Ryan Tannehill experiment. Results will need to be better, as this is basically the year where not only Tannehill but head coach Joe Philbin is examined as well. The NFL is a league based on results and although the tandem of Tannehill and Philbin have flashed potential, the team has not had a winning season under their guidance.

Sometimes, a quarterback needs a competent running game to help him out. It helps limit the turnovers and the amount of times a quarterback passes the ball during a game. Last year, Tony Romo thrived with the help of his running game. Unfortunately, the Dolphins can’t use Miller like the Cowboys did with DeMarco Murray last year as the former isn’t that type of player. The reality is that the Dolphins have too many other needs to address, especially on the defensive side of the ball, and selecting Gurley even when they have a solid player in Miller would be a questionable move.

The Dolphins need to improve their defense before selecting a running back in the first round. And there are far too many good defensive players that would help Philbin’s team more than a talented running back.

Next: Miami Dolphins: Top 5 Draft Needs

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