Miami Dolphins Draft Preview: Denzel Perryman (Video)

With the Miami Dolphins season coming to an end a couple of weeks back they will have extra time to study game footage for the upcoming NFL Draft. The Draft, which will take place in May, will give the Dolphins an excellent chance to fill a serious position of need – inside linebacker, as the experiment of transitioning Koa Misi to an inside linebacker did not go so well. This is one of the most important positions on the team as they are responsible for informing their peers of the defensive play call while also calling out audibles.

Luckily for the Dolphins there are options in this year’s draft. With a good group of prospects, the Dolphins must be willing to select one come May. It is imperative to their defense that they at least attempt to fix what could be holding them back.

One potential draftee for the Miami Dolphins is four year starter at the University of Miami, Denzel Perryman. At UM, Perryman lined his bedroom with accolades. In his final two seasons with the Hurricanes, Perryman was selected to the First-Team All-ACC and was a Butkus Award Finalist.

It is without question that over the last two seasons Perryman has been the best player on the defensive side of the ball, but arguably the most important player on the team. Two years ago the Hurricanes featured one of the worst defenses in the NCAA; even with Perryman. This year was a bit different, however, as they showed great improvements as a defense, finishing as a top fifteen unit. One of the most consistent players and leader was Perryman.

Perryman closed out his impressive career at “The U’ with 110 tackles. When it comes to instincts, Perryman separates himself from the rest. He has incredible closing speed and has a knack for properly stuffing the hole. His ability to stop the run was one of the causes for the improvement of the defense. His run stuffing ability can be shown in the video below:

Perryman doesn’t only succeed in stopping the run. He does a good job at covering receivers, tight ends and backs; making him one of the most all around middle linebackers in college.

Another plus for Perryman will be his familiarity with the team that he would play for. He played his high school and college football in Miami. The last few picks made by the Dolphins of former Miami Hurricanes have all panned out. Vernon Carey was one of their most consistent offensive lineman for a period of time, Lamar Miller recently ran for over 1,000 yards and Olivier Vernon has produced a 11.5 sack season. I’m not saying that drafting a Hurricane will automatically be successful but there is something to be said for players coming out of South Florida.

Denzel Perryman could potentially make a lot of sense for the Miami Dolphins. Drafting the fourth year senior will help fill the glaring need at the middle linebacker position. Doing so should be one of Miami’s main priorities moving forward. It is hard to claim an elite defense when the core of it is weak. Upgrading the position is a must for the Miami Dolphins and they could do so by selecting Perryman as a potential day two draft selection.