Miami Dolphins: 2018 NFL Draft targets to speed up rebuild

Tremaine Edmunds, LB, Virginia Tech

Trading for Robert Quinn and adding him to that defensive line gave the Fins an excellent front. Now with Suh gone, there’s a void in the middle, but they still have a great a great rotation at defensive end. With the disappointing play of Lawrence Timmons, Kiko Alonso and the injury to second-round pick Raekwon McMillan showed just how terrible the linebacker corps in Miami.

Timmons is gone and they are stuck with Alonso, who’s value is in the fact he can run and chase, but that’s it. Fortunately for the Fins, this draft is loaded with guys who can come in and change the complexity of the defense.

Virginia Tech linebacker Tremaine Edmunds is a guy who can make up for the lost talent that exists within the Fins linebacker corps. There aren’t many linebackers that can compare to his style of play and how he projects at the next level. Rolando McClain and Brian Urlacher are two that come to mind.

Both guys were exceptional athletes with fantastic size and power. Edmunds, at 6-5, 253 pounds, compares favorably because he can move laterally take on blockers and drop into coverage. With the No. 11 pick, the Fins should take Edmunds if they aren’t in the market for a quarterback.

Other options are Georgia linebacker Roquan Smith, who is a fantastic athlete. He’s a safety in a linebacker’s body who flies to the ball. His power goes beyond his 6-1, 236-pound frame that makes him an attractive option as an inside line or outside.