The 2018 NFL Draft is over and the Miami Dolphins wrapped up Day 3 with some solid picks. Lets take a look at those picks and see what they came away with.
The Miami Dolphins wrapped up their 2018 NFL Draft class on Saturday with a handful of solid players after a very strong first three rounds. I know many fans don’t know all — if any — of these players and the final day of the draft isn’t nearly as exciting as Round 1-3, but teams are still built on Day 3.
Special teamers, depth and even the occasional star are snagged in the later rounds, so it’s important not to overlook them.
I’m going to do a quick overview of each Day 3 pick so we can know what were heading into training camp with and if any of these kids will be building blocks for the future.
Round 4, Pick 123: Durham Smythe, TE, Notre Dame
With this pick Miami added the counter balance to second-round pick Mike Gesicki. While Mike Gesicki is a game-breaking tight end with almost no ability to block, Smythe is a glorified offensive lineman who may occasionally catch a few passes. Look for head coach Adam Gase to deploy more two tight end sets this season with Smythe being an anchor as a blocker.
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He reminds me a bit of Dion Sims when the Dolphins drafted him actually. It wouldn’t be shocking to see him catch a handful of passes but don’t anticipate him being on anybody’s fantasy radar any time soon.
Round 4, Pick 131: Kalen Ballage, RB, Arizona State
Ballage is the prototype of what Gase wants in his offense and, not only can be paired with Kenyan Drake, he will also be a nice depth piece in case Drake goes down. Many consider him a diamond in the rough as an underutilized stud in a bad college situation.
He can do at all as a runner, pass-catcher and returner. Physically he’s a 6-2, 228-pound back that runs a 4.46-second 40-yard dash. The knocks on him are mostly mental issues, like indecisiveness and lack of vision. With a bit of maturity and nuance he can become a legitimate offensive contributor.
Round 6, Pick 209: Cornell Armstrong, DB, Southern Miss
Armstrong was a key defensive piece at Southern Miss for all four years of his college career. He developed into a shutdown corner and most already believe he’ll be making the Dolphins 53-man roster this season, or at the very least will earn a spot on the practice squad. There is a good chance as a rookie he becomes a special teams contributor and may even push for some defensive snaps if the stars align.
Round 7, Pick 227: Quentin Poling, LB, Ohio
Poling is viewed as more of a special teamer with some potential to be a backup linebacker. He has shown elite athletic ability but his game is flawed, especially attacking running backs around the line of scrimmage. Aggressive assault on backs nor being a sure tackler are his strengths. However, he has shown a strong ability in pass coverage. At Ohio he excelled in both man and zone coverage and the Dolphins could use a guy like that on the roster for depth and special teams.
Next: NFL Power Rankings 2018: Post-draft edition
Round 7, Pick 229: Jason Sanders, K, New Mexico
Sanders wasn’t a super accurate kicker, connecting on just 25-of-35 attempts with the Lobos. With that said, he does have a massive league and is believed to have the capability of connecting on a 60-plus yarder. He will compete for the job in training camp.