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

By Chris Spooner

CLEMSON, SC - NOVEMBER 11: Hunter Renfrow #13 of the Clemson Tigers tries to make a catch against Derwin James #3 of the Florida State Seminoles during their game at Memorial Stadium on November 11, 2017 in Clemson, South Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
CLEMSON, SC - NOVEMBER 11: Hunter Renfrow #13 of the Clemson Tigers tries to make a catch against Derwin James #3 of the Florida State Seminoles during their game at Memorial Stadium on November 11, 2017 in Clemson, South Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /
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AUBURN, AL – NOVEMBER 25: Bo Scarbrough #9 of the Alabama Crimson Tide rushes for a touchdown during the third quarter against the Auburn Tigers at Jordan Hare Stadium on November 25, 2017 in Auburn, Alabama. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
AUBURN, AL – NOVEMBER 25: Bo Scarbrough #9 of the Alabama Crimson Tide rushes for a touchdown during the third quarter against the Auburn Tigers at Jordan Hare Stadium on November 25, 2017 in Auburn, Alabama. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /

Round 4: Bo Scarbrough, RB, Alabama

If I had put out this mock draft piece at the beginning of the month, I would have had the Dolphins selecting a running back long before the first round. The team had just traded starting running back Jay Ajayi to the Philadelphia Eagles, and I’ll be the first to admit I was a prisoner of the moment. I was shocked at the move and thought that it immediately made the running back position one of the primary needs heading into the draft.

After several weeks of watching Kenyan Drake and Damien Williams co-manning the position, I’ve cooled off a lot on that take. Drake and Williams feel like they’ve settled into the “running back by committee” role nicely. Both backs also have the feel of an Adam Gase-type running back, in that they are useful in both the running and passing game. Running back has slid down the list of needs for this team, but that doesn’t mean they should ignore the position all-together.

I don’t expect the Dolphins to prioritize the position early, as there is a ton of depth in this draft class at running back. Running back has seen somewhat of a resurgence in recent season, with guys like Todd Gurley and Zeke Elliott leading the charge. This year’s class is dominated by the likes of Saquon Barkley, Derrius Guice, Ronald Jones and Bryce Love. One of the seemingly forgotten backs in the class is Alabama’s Bo Scarbrough.

Had Scarbrough come along a year or two earlier, he’d likely be thought of as a potential first-round selection. He’s build in the same mold as a Derrick Henry, but has found himself lost in the shuffle of a dominant class. Further hurting his case for a high draft pick is the reliance on Jalen Hurts as more or less a second running back in the Crimson Tide offense. Don’t let his misuse fool you. Don’t let metrics lead you astray, either. Scarbrough is a fantastic back and would be a great fit in the Dolphins offense.

Scarbrough would be able to provide an element that the Dolphins offense is sorely lacking in the running game, physicality. He’s a larger back who can take a beating just as well as he dishes it out. His size and strength would be a welcomed weapon in goal-line situations. He’s also an underrated participant in the passing game, an element crucial to how Adam Gase wants to use his running backs. A win-win.

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