Will Grier possesses many of the qualities this regime is looking for
The Miami Dolphins have been ‘attached’ to three quarterbacks in this coming draft far: Kyler Murray, Drew Lock, and Daniel Jones.
The one that has received little fanfare is Will Grier… and he’s the one Phins Fans should have their eye on.
Murray will be gone long before #13 and I don’t see the Dolphins throwing multiple picks to go up and get him.
could be there when Miami picks and has a cannon arm, but he lacks accuracy. On the NFL level that’s a major concern.
Jones has many of the ‘Patriot QB metrics’, but he’s a reserved leader in the Eli Manning mold. For those who haven’t met Eli, his personality can be… off-putting. It was for me. His uncomfortable nature doesn’t mean he won’t be successful–Eli won two rings.
But after what Chris Grier said Day 1 of the combine about the quarterbacks he’s looking for, Jones might not be his cup of tea.
“… Everyone knows the mental part of the game, especially for the quarterbacks, plays a huge part. How they are going to be in the locker room? What kind of leadership they are going to bring? Because the intangibles are what makes players great. A lot of guys come through the league with big arms that can make every throw. But if they aren’t wired right upstairs… they aren’t going to make it.”
I can see Jones being an asset to an NFL team…. But I like Grier more.
Will Grier is a real dark horse in this quarterback class
There are many advantages that picking Grier brings to the table:
- After being suspended for performance-enhancing drugs, sitting a year, and transferring to a new school, Grier had two outstanding seasons. Having the character to overcome adversity is a key trait that this regime is looking for in their players… especially at QB.
- One of the best deep ball throwers and across the middle on intermediate routes in college because of his accuracy and anticipation.
- He’s married with a child, so the likelihood of him studying the playbook and not the nightlife is increased.
- One of the best High School QBs in history.
- His lower stock will allow the Dolphins to trade back from #13 and still acquire him.
- Grier was injured and missed time because of a finger injury. While no injury or missed time is optimal, the injury wasn’t on his throwing shoulder or knee, which would be a real concern.
- Has enough athleticism to be elusive and to be a minor threat on RPOs.
Causes for concern with Grier:
- Grier doesn’t have a cannon for an arm, he relies on accuracy and ball placement.
- At 24-years-old, he’s a tad late in the development path for an NFL QB.
- Missed near a year and a half of time because of suspension and injury.
- Had an excellent Offensive Line to protect him that consistently gave him time to make his throws and reads. So the line between the chicken and the egg is a bit blurry.
The more I study Grier, the more I want to see him in orange and aqua
The Miami Dolphins must find a quality quarterback at some point. Even in the ‘Glory Days’, Don Shula looked to upgrade the QB position. While they shouldn’t mortgage the future to trade up, they can’t just use back-end-picks or put everything on the hope that maybe down the road the right one will land in their lap.
Grier and Flores must be wise and patient, but they must also put themselves in a position to pick a QB every year till they find a couple of capable ones. Quarterbacks are THE premier commodity in the NFL, so it’s a safe bet with the pay per head services that too many good QB is never a negative.
I won’t pretend that I’m an expert at college QB evaluation. I’m not. But, trading back and drafting Grier will give Miami a quality role of the dice to find a starter, gain extra picks on the trade back, or even a commodity to move at a later date should they upgrade down the road.
Finding their quarterback of the future would start the clock on expectations, but it’s better than never finding the right one at all! ‘You gotta’ be in it to win it’ they say. Go Phins!!!