Ranking the 10 Best Dolphins First-Round Picks

The Miami Dolphins have had their share of hits and misses in the draft through the years, which makes them just like any other franchise around the NFL.

Since the start of the "common draft" in 1967, the Dolphins have made 55 first-round selections, starting with Bob Griese in 1967 all the way to Kenneth Grant last year.

Here is a ranking of the top 10 first-round picks, judged not solely on Dolphins career but rather what kind of NFL player the prospect became.

THE TOP 10 DOLPHINS FIRST-ROUND PICKS

1. QB Dan Marino, 1983, 27th overall

Yeah, like there was much doubt about this one, right? The Dolphins quite frankly lucked out when Marino somehow lasted until the 27th (and next-to-last) pick of the first round, handing a Hall of Fame quarterback to a team that had gone to the Super Bowl a

2. QB Bob Griese, 1967, 4th overall

In the first draft where the AFL and NFL didn't each pick the same players, the Dolphins had the fourth overall selection and landing a future Hall of Fame quarterback to lead a second-year franchise was pretty good work.

3. T Richmond Webb, 1990, 9th overall

After the first two very obvious choices in this ranking, third place is trickier, but we'll go here with Webb as the ninth overall pick in the 1990 draft. Webb was the perfect addition as the blinside protector for Marino and was a star from the beginning.

4. FB Larry Csonka, 1968, 8th overall

Though some of the team's younger fans might have a tough time believing this, there was a time the Dolphins were very good at this drafting thing. Getting Csonka was the eighth overall pick one year after drafting Griese helped the Dolphins build a great offensive nucleus.

5. DE Bill Stanfill, 1969, 11th overall

Among the players most responsible for the Super Bowl titles of the 1970s, Stanfill too often gets overlooked, but the reality is he was one of the best pass rushers in team history.

6. T Laremy Tunsil, 2016, 13th overall

The Dolphins truly lucked out because of the infamous "gas mask" video on the night of the 2016 draft and 10 years later Tunsil has firmly established himself as one of the top tackles in the NFL. The Dolphins got three good seasons out of him before they were able to get a treasure trove of draft capital in that memorable trade with the Houston Texans.

7. S Minkah Fitzpatrick, 2018, 11th overall

While Fitzpatrick had quite the cross-starred career with the Dolphins with two stints that failed to last more than 18 games, the fact remains that Fitzpatrick has been a very, very good NFL player.

8. DT Tim Bowens, 1994, 20th overall

Maybe one of the most underappreciated defensive players the Dolphins have ever had (except for Zach Thomas, among others), Bowens was a bit of an unknown coming out of the University of Mississippi. But he was a rock in the middle of the defensive line.

9. LB A.J. Duhe, 1977, 13th overall

His performance in the 1982 AFC Championship Game alone — the famous three-INT game against the New York Jets — might be enough to earn him a spot on this list. But Duhe also was a key member of the Killer B's defense.

10. T Jake Long, 2008, 1st overall

Where to put Long was very tricky because his time with the Dolphins didn't last very long because of knee issues and because maybe the Dolphins should have taken Matt Ryan instead, but the fact remains that Long was on his way to a Hall of Fame career (four Pro Bowls in his first four seasons) before the injuries stopped him.

Honorable mention: DE Kim Bokamper, 1976; T Jon Giesler, 1979; G Roy Foster, 1982; CB Troy Vincent, 1992; C Mike Pouncey, 2011

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