USA Today SATURDAY Mock Draft for the Dolphins

NFL.com Draft Profile

Overview

Long, instinctive cornerback who can be a disruptive press corner or scan the field for ball production in zone. Strong has average play strength getting off of blocks and tackling, but it doesn’t bother his press redirect or ability to effectively contest catches. He has issues matching route breaks and flipping to sprint against deep targets due to average hips and foot quickness. He plays with adequate field awareness and anticipation in reading the quarterback. Strong should begin his career as a backup, but his cover talent could ultimately overcome any coverage concerns on the next level.

Strengths

• Effective jab with lateral slide to sidetrack release and route timing.
• Studies quarterback from deep zone and anticipates his action.
• Plays with plus instincts and route anticipation in his drops.
• Stays tight to wideout’s chest when phasing the route.
• Takes clues from receiver’s eyes to time his turn and locate.
• Hand swipes at catch point are accurate and well-timed.
• Drops low and takes out runner’s legs with a wrap or chop.

Weaknesses

• Leggy movements create lagging change of direction in space.
• Small stalls with his turn-and-run and lateral transitions.
• Greedy intentions create opportunity to beat him with high/low and double-moves.
• Targeted by physical perimeter blocking from Vanderbilt.
• Flies into run support with steep angles and will lose contain.

Round 5, Pick #143: Brashard Smith, RB, SMU

NFL.com Draft Profile

Overview

Undersized running back who transferred from Miami and switched positions from wide receiver. Smith lacks ideal size and displays some hesitation in his early reads but is slippery over the first two levels, using quick cuts and spin moves to elude tacklers. He has a feel for finding soft spots along the interior but has average speed to turn the corner on wide runs. He could get pushed up a full round thanks to his ball skills and ability to run routes in space. Smith shined as a kick returner at Miami and will likely get that chance in the pros as a third-down back with room for development.

Strengths

• Fresh legs with only 253 career carries.
• Very good stop-and-start quickness when probing.
• Above-average ability to get to the smoothest path on interior runs.
• Processes second level quickly to spin around or side step defenders.
• Former wideout with outstanding hands and ball skills.
• Able to line up and run a variety of routes from the slot.
• Showed off kick-return and punt-cover talent during his career at Miami.

Weaknesses

• Below-average size to take on a heavier workload.
• Runs with a little too much hesitation in his approach.
• Has a tough time outrunning pursuit to the corner.
• Requires better understanding to read and set up block development.
• Below-average leg drive to break through arm tackles.
• Doesn’t offer up enough effort in pass protection.

Round 5, Pick #150: Tez Johnson, WR, Oregon

NFL.com Draft Profile

Overview

Productive, high-volume slot receiver whose evaluation will include balancing the playmaking against his lack of traits. Johnson is thin-limbed with average suddenness and benefited from a scheme allowing him to run free in space. He’s clever and instinctive with his routes, finding ways to uncover over the first two levels. His hands are below average and he struggles when contested, but he’s tough to find and tackle quickly after the catch. Johnson’s lack of size, strength and NFL ball skills mean he’s likely to profile as a good community target rather than succeeding independent of the talent around him.

Strengths

• High-volume target his entire career.
• Ability to play inside a variety of passing concepts.
• Adequate early acceleration to create push.
• Has the agility and balance for complex routes.
• Alters stride length to disguise timing of breaks underneath.
• Opens safeties up downfield with leverage and stem fakes.
• Too slippery to apprehend quickly after catch.

Weaknesses

• Slight frame with skinny limbs.
• Release can be slowed by committed press.
• Average suddenness for a smaller slot target.
• Rounded route turns allow undercutting by defenders.
• Body-catcher with too many bobbles and drops.
• Lacks strength to maintain catch space when contested.

Round 5, Pick #155: Aeneas Peebles, DT, Virginia Tech

NFL.com Draft Profile for Aeneas Peebles

Overview

Even-front defensive tackle who lacks measurables but makes up for it with an off-the-charts work rate. Peebles plays like a boxer who constantly comes forward and keeps the pressure on his opponent. He doesn’t have the length to stack and secure gaps as a read-and-react defender, but he can play in the gaps and up the field. He’ll fight hard, but he has no real chance against NFL double teams. However, he consistently battles his way off single blocks and toward the ball. He has an eclectic rush package fueled by motor, power and elusiveness that could translate. He has a decent chance of outplaying his draft slotting if teams get too hung up on his measurables and fail to trust their eyes.

Strengths

• Adequate first-step quickness with good pad level.
• Great pound-for-pound strength with above-average contact balance.
• Plays with eyes, hands and feet to make plays between the tackles.
• Chalked up above-average pressure rate for an interior rusher.
• Relentless effort brings sacks with secondary rush.
• Do not sleep on his silky smooth spin counter.

Weaknesses

• Plugger body type, lacking NFL mass as an inside prospect.
• Short arms are unable to punch, press and lock out blocks.
• Unable to hold his ground against a committed down block.
• Could have issues getting to rush counters against NFL length.

Round 7, Pick #224: Rayuan Lane III, S, Navy

NFL.com Draft Profile

Overview

A mainstay of the Navy defense, Lane roams the field with ball-hawking instincts and an impressive special teams résumé. Lane lacks length but is well-built and moves fluidly in space. He does a nice job of reading quarterbacks and getting early jumps on the throw from his zone perch but will occasionally allow the action to get behind him when he lingers with his eyes. He plays ready football in run support but needs to improve his pacing and technique as an open-field tackler. Lane has enough talent to land as a backup safety and will likely stand out as a gunner on special teams.

Strengths

• Made 43 consecutive starts dating back to his freshman year.
• Stud on kick cover teams with elite gunner potential.
• Runs the alley with inside leverage and good decisiveness.
• Coverage fueled by twitchy feet and good balance.
• Possesses NFL-caliber instincts and ball skills.
• Reads quarterback and bursts into passing lanes looking for action.
• Makes lateral adjustments to mirror cuts as open-field tackler.

Weaknesses

• Takes occasional poor angles on the throw that cost his team.
• Declares hips early and gets spun around by the route.
• Allows targets to get behind him in two-high coverages.
• Moved out of position when coverage discipline wanes.
• Absorbs more contact than he delivers in collisions.
• Comes in too low and hot, leading to higher missed tackle total.

Round 7, Pick #231:  Ajani Cornelius, OT, Oregon

NFL.com Draft Profile

Overview

A durable lineman with NFL traits and four years of starting experience, Cornelius lacks standout flashes on tape. He has been a full-time right tackle but lacks protection talent to stay outside as a pro. He has access to physical tools but needs to play with better bend and hand quickness to help stabilize his play. He can cover up defenders with size but is frequently out-leveraged at the point of attack. His average body control and slide quickness should be mitigated in smaller spaces but those issues will still be concerning against explosive interior rushers. The traits should make him a Day 3 target, but his ceiling might be as a backup.

Strengths

• Good heft in lower half with broad waist and long arms.
• Rolls hips into angle blocks and runs his feet.
• Clean skip-pulls to get around the corner as a lead blocker.
• Able to set a late anchor if needed.
• Big hands gain wrist control at the point of attack.
• Long arms can buy him time when the punch is timed well.

Weaknesses

• Subpar foot quickness and body control in space.
• Tardy with hand strike and beaten to placement.
• Drive power and contact balance sapped by tall pad level.
• Doesn’t play with enough control of hands/feet in protection.
• Gets knocked backward and into the pocket by power.
• Mirror can get pretty raggedy against counters.

Round 7, Pick #253: Francisco Mauigoa, LB, Miami (FL)

NFL.com Draft Profile

Overview

Productive three-year starter with the frame and physicality of a throwback banger. Mauigoa is limited athletically but works around it using his football intelligence and feel for blocking schemes. He’s proactive downhill but too slow to patrol sideline to sideline and lacks the agility to tackle shifty runners in space. He’s too limited for third-down duties as a pro, so he’ll have to prove he’s a capable backup as a two-down run thumper and quality special-teams player.

Strengths

• Built like a banger inside.
• Has a nose for the football and makes plays.
• Reads blocking schemes and shoots downhill into soft spots.
• Patience/instincts keep him from drifting into blocks unnecessarily.
• Can play on all special-teams groupings.

Weaknesses

• Heavy feet to slide or change direction in space.
• Lacks adequate speed for sideline-to-sideline range.
• Missing twitch to strike and play quickly off of blocks.
• Below-average body control for open-field tackles.
• Will be mismatched if asked to man cover in the pros.