5 Best Drafts in Dolphins history

Plenty of room for debate on this:

https://www.si.com/nfl/dolphins/news/counting-down-the-five-best-drafts-in-miami-dolphins-history

Myself:

2016 did turn out to be very productive, but there wasn't a Hall of Famer out of that one, so 1967, 1980 and likely 1996 would have to be considered. I think I'd put 1967 ahead of it, if you get a Bob Griese you could whiff on every other pick and still have an all time draft, but Miami also came up with Riley, Richardson and Seiple.

2018 actually looks sneaky good right now 2016 will always be remembered for what Grier got for Tunsil, not for what Tunsil did for this team. I'm actually partial to '83. If it was just landing Marino in such a way that people are still saying it's a conspiracy today that would be good enough for the top 5 but they also got Clayton and Roby and Anthony Carter, since this article likes to count players who actually played very little or not at all for Miami.

I'd definitely put '83 above '97 just because of the massive letdown of the Green pick which I still remember to this day. It just ruined the entire rest of the draft for me. Plus in those days I wasn't nearly as obsessed with prospect info (neither were a lot of other people I suspect) so when I watched the rest of it in a club and saw Taylor's and Madison's names I was like, "that's nice, I guess." Did I mention how bummed I was at the Green pick? Hell, I even prefer the '96 draft above '97 because I felt a lot more excited about it.

There's a tendency by people to think the '72 team was pretty much already assembled by the time Shula took over (even by George Wilson himself) but yeah, that '70 draft deserves its place in the top 5.

While Grant has his limitations as a wide receiver, getting the best returner in team history in the sixth round makes it a great pick.

That one's for you Jmp, since I know you're such a big Grant fan

But seriously, getting the franchise's all-time punt return score leader as well as combined punt/kick return score leader in the 6th round is as good a use of that pick as this team's done this century.

Hard for me to argue against 1983. Taking Marino after 5 other QBs were already selected would make almost it the best by default, but then you also add Roby and Clayton...wow! (And I know Roby was a punter...but he was damn good.)

JMP wrote:Hard for me to argue against 1983.  Taking Marino after 5 other QBs were already selected would make almost it the best by default, but then you also add Roby and Clayton...wow!  (And I know Roby was a punter...but he was damn good.)

'83 is definitely my favorite draft since I wasn't around in '70 and now that I think about it, that might have actually been the last time the Fins took a player I wanted them to with the first pick It's been WAY too long, I know that much! #gosmithgo #orpitts

It makes a difference for sure if one is willing to consider what the players did in the NFL period and not just for Miami. No doubt keeping Fencik would have made 1976 a contender, and keeping Leon Gray would have made 1973 rival 1990 for O-line production.

2006 remains the very worst in team history. Just a wasteland. How Saban could have blown that so completely one year removed from the SEC will never stop baffling me.

To quote Nick Saban, he was what he was. He's a college coach. He didn't know talent very well, and couldn't use the same techniques in pro that he used in college. Guys in pro aren't looking for a surrogate daddy.

Loved the 83 Draft and the Comments afterwards when Zimmerman said who is going to Coach up Marino , Shula isn’t going to Do it. Talk about being so Wrong. 90 Draft was Pretty Good with getting Webb and Sims on the First Two Picks. In 92 Had Two First Rd Picks But took the Wrong DL in Coleman.

It's hard for me to find fault with 1992. Vincent was probably the best player in that draft. He was the best in the entire first round according to AV, anyway. Coleman was 5th best in the first round, and not that far behind McGlockton though McGlockton went to the PB more often. Coleman was the defensive rookie of the year, so the success of that 1992 team had a lot to do with his selection.

DolFan 316 wrote:

While Grant has his limitations as a wide receiver, getting the best returner in team history in the sixth round makes it a great pick.

That one's for you Jmp, since I know you're such a big Grant fan

But seriously, getting the franchise's all-time punt return score leader as well as combined punt/kick return score leader in the 6th round is as good a use of that pick as this team's done this century.

Yes, Grant as a 6th rounder ended up being a great value. The only mistake the team has made with him is thinking he's actually a reliable wide receiver!

I still have nightmares about that gorgeous 45-yard bomb that Tua dropped right into Grant's hands...and Grant, of course, dropped it.