In 2012 Miami’s receiving core was just a bunch of guys, who gave little help to then rookie QB Ryan Tannehill. Then in 2013 the Dolphins decided to make some investments in the wide receiver position, and the improvements were visible, however going into 2014, there is still room for more improvements. So even though wide receiver is not the biggest need for the Phins, going into the 2014 draft, football gambling fans should not be surprised if they decide to continue to look to improve the WR group and draft some young, cheap mid-round talent, since this is one of the deepest positions in the upcoming draft.
One possible prospect that the Phins have shown interest in is Martavius Bryant from Clemson. He is 6’3”, weighs 211 pounds, ran a 4.42 40 time and is projected to be drafted between the 2nd and 4th round. He is an interesting prospect, due to his unique combination of size and speed, and that is probably the main reason why Miami personally had him come in for a workout.
He played with this years top-rated WR Sammy Watkins, so it is hard to know what his production will be like in the pros, since he was not even the best receiver on his team. However, he had a decent 2013 season, racking up 42 catches for 828 yards and 7 touchdowns. The two biggest things that jump out about those stats are the 7 touchdowns, and the 20.7 average yards per catch. Those two things are exactly what the Dolphins receiving group was lacking last season; touchdowns and big plays.
His surprising 40 time at the combine, has definitely helped his draft stock, so it may be fair to say that if the Dolphins really want this kid, then they can’t wait until the 4th or even 3rd round to grab him. Whatever the Dolphins decide to do in the first round, one thing can not be denied, they will have to use one of their first 2 picks on an offensive lineman. So the only way I think that Bryant will become a Dolphin is if the phins draft a lineman in the first round, and select him in the second round. If the Dolphins do not decide to select him in the first two rounds, then it is going to be hard to believe that he will still be available when the Dolphins select in the bottom half of the third round.