Dolphins Pass on Foster and take Charles Harris 22nd Overall
Like most Dolphins fans I watched this last NFL draft with a “what bad decision are we going to make this year?” mentality. As Reuben Foster remained on the board much longer than expected, I prayed that my Dolphins would finally get it right this year and take him.
The Dolphins pass defense finished 30th in the league last year so a linebacker would fill a huge need. When pick 22 appeared on my TV screen, I slid to the edge of my seat, only to be disappointed yet again as I heard Roger Goodell announce Charles Harris’s name. No disrespect intended to the Missouri defensive end. On the surface it’s not a terrible pick. He is a solid player who competed in the toughest conference in college football, the SEC.
Cameron Wake continues to defy age with his stellar play but he is 35 years old. It makes sense to bring in a young player for Wake to take under his wing. Planning for the future isn’t a bad thing, but your number one pick, in this modern era of NFL, needs to be someone who can make a huge impact fast. I felt despite the facts that Foster provided a “diluted sample” and a reluctantly revealed shoulder injury, he was the best player on the board for our immediate needs.
In my opinion the Dolphins demonstrated their usual timidity with their first pick. Even though so many offensive players were taken ahead of our first pick, The Fins still didn’t manage to get the best defensive player on the board. Only time will tell if this was the right decision, but history is not in the Dolphins’ favor.
