2018 NFL Draft: Miami Dolphins 7-round mock draft in November

Round 4: Frank Ragnow, C, Arkansas

Like I detailed earlier this week, the lion’s share of the blame for this year’s disaster has been placed squarely at the feet of Jay Cutler. And not for nothing. Cutler has been terrible this season, and the experiment has failed. But Ryan Tannehill will be back next season. That’s not going to be the cure-all that a lot of Dolphins fans want to think it is. Tannehill and his athleticism mask a lot of problems. Problems that have been exposed over and over again this season. Problems that are a real threat to Tannehill’s continued success.

The interior of the offensive line has been a disaster. None of the options the Dolphins have used at guard has been serviceable, let alone good. Dolphins former Pro Bowl center Mike Pouncey hasn’t been good this year either, leading many to believe that his best days are behind him. I’m inclined to agree. That leaves three positions that need a major overhaul, and not a lot of options. Fixing the offensive line in earnest is likely a multi-year project, but the first step in that process is admitting it’s a problem. Next is to bring in an influx of talent along the line.

The team isn’t likely to spend early draft capital to address the position. They don’t have a great history of developing talent from the later rounds either. It’s a catch-22 of the worst kind. Though I’d prefer for the team to select an offensive lineman earlier, I’m realistic. Knowing they’re unlikely to address the position until late, the best of the likely options would be Arkansas’ Frank Ragnow.

Ragnow is listed as a center, but could be a candidate to move to guard at the next level. Whether they move him to guard or keep him at center, he would provide a significant upgrade over what’s currently there. He would likely provide more value at guard than center, but he has the skill-set to succeed at both.