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Miami Dolphins: 7-Round 2019 NFL mock draft starts rebuild

By Cody Williams

ATLANTA, GEORGIA - DECEMBER 29: Jordan Scarlett #25 of the Florida Gators scores a third quarter rushing touchdown against the Michigan Wolverines during the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on December 29, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Mike Zarrilli/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - DECEMBER 29: Jordan Scarlett #25 of the Florida Gators scores a third quarter rushing touchdown against the Michigan Wolverines during the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on December 29, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Mike Zarrilli/Getty Images) /
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MIAMI, FL – OCTOBER 06: Brian Burns #99 of the Florida State Seminoles causes a fumble by N’Kosi Perry #5 of the Miami Hurricanes in the first half at Hard Rock Stadium on October 6, 2018 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images)
MIAMI, FL – OCTOBER 06: Brian Burns #99 of the Florida State Seminoles causes a fumble by N’Kosi Perry #5 of the Miami Hurricanes in the first half at Hard Rock Stadium on October 6, 2018 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images) /

Round 1, Pick 13: Brian Burns, EDGE, Florida State

In the modern NFL, there are a select few things that are more important than getting a rush on the passer. This is a pass-happy league that is hard to defend given the current set of rules, but the best way to do so is to harass quarterbacks into mistakes and make splash plays in that regard. Unfortunately for the Miami Dolphins, their pass-rush right now is not well suited to do that at all.

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As of right now, the defensive ends on the Dolphins roster are as follows: Charles Harris (2017 first-round pick), Jonathan Woodard, Tank Carradine and Jeremiah Valoaga. If you’re thinking that group is underwhelming, you’d be right. Harris may still have upside, but the early returns on him make his first-round draft status look like a mistake.

With all of that in play for Miami, taking Brian Burns with the 13th overall pick in this mock draft was an incredibly easy call. While the hierarchy of edge rushers in the 2019 NFL Draft class often goes as Nick Bosa, Josh Allen and then a cluster after those two, the Florida State product is the second-best at his position in this class to me.

Burns is an elite athlete with the speed and burst to win off the edge consistently at any level. More than that, though, his set of pass-rush moves is well-developed for a young player just entering the NFL, and he may be the best pure pass-rusher in this class.

The Dolphins severely need to do something to give this defensive front a piece that they can feel confident in building around and, while Burns’ size may sour some on him playing in a 4-3 front, he has the tools in his arsenal to still succeed.

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