Mansoor Delane
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Mansoor Delane
This offseason, the Miami Dolphins have acquiesced to new GM Jon-Eric Sullivan’s demands. After going into the offseason with several pieces to potentially build around, they have trimmed a lot of dead weight to open up new opportunities on their roster. The draft could end up being a premier chance to acquire and develop talent.
With the Dolphins picking at No. 11, they have an incredible opportunity not just to get an elite draft prospect but most importantly, address a position of need. The cornerback room is in dire need of help, and a gem of an option could end up being there for them in Mansoor Delane.
As of right now, the Dolphins’ best cornerback may just JuJu Brents, who they picked up on waivers from Indianapolis. Outside of him, the room is made up young talent, with no one having more than eight years in the league. With a lot of them being journeymen, it is difficult to see anyone truly stepping up as a CB1.
A True CB1 Solution Within Reach
That is why drafting Delane could be the smartest move for the Dolphins to address that need. He is an elite boundary corner who can match up against elite competition and is fluid in and out of breaks. However, a potential roadblock could get in the way of the Dolphins selecting him.
The fact that the draft class is very deep in terms of corner talent, the Dolphins could be forced to look at several Day 2 guys should Delane go higher than expected. With Delane seen by many as a potential top 5 draft prospect and a top 20 draft selection, the Dolphins could be on the outside looking in. Should that happen, they may have to do their due diligence in analyzing the depth of this class.
Draft Day Variables Could Alter Miami’s Plans
Still, new head coach Jeff Hafley requires an elite cornerback who understands the game at the highest level. Should the Dolphins get Delane, they would at least have someone who can marshal the back end of that defense. Not only would he have all the attributes that Hafley wants, he can make an inexperienced secondary more confident with his level of play.
For a player who does not allow big plays downfield and also was not called for a single penalty last season, Delane could immediately step into the Dolphins’ secondary and perform against elite NFL talent, especially considering the receivers in the NFC East.
The one true hope for the Dolphins lies in other teams around them in the draft not needing the corner talent as badly as them. Because of this, Sullivan can view this pick as a no-brainer without having any pressure to take the best available player. While that could be the approach the Dolphins take later on in the draft, if Delane falls to 11, that would be the pick.
The bottom line is the Dolphins simply need building blocks to set a foundation for the new regime. There is none better in the draft…and at corner…than Mansoor Delane.