Without a first-round pick in the late April draft but with selections in the second round and two in the third, the Miami Dolphins could be looking to use some combination of those picks on a cornerback or inside linebacker.
Those appear to be the primary areas the Dolphins could use some new blood on a defense that will transition to being led by new defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, succeeding Josh Boyer.
As far as cornerbacks go, the Miami Hurricanes’ Tyrique Stevenson and Mississippi State’s Emmanuel Forbes were among draft prospects that said at Thursday media sessions at the NFL scouting combine that they’ve had conversations with the Dolphins.
If Stevenson, a physical 6-foot corner, were selected by the Dolphins, he would fulfill a South Florida trifecta of a football career, playing in high school at Miami Southridge, his final two years of college at UM and then the Dolphins.
“I’m down to go wherever, take my talents wherever,” Stevenson said Thursday at Indiana Convention Center, “but it would definitely mean a lot to me to be back in South Florida, give my family an opportunity to come, be closer, be able to get to games a lot easier, be able to have my great grandma, my grandma come to games. It would mean a whole lot to me.”
With the Hurricanes, Stevenson already plays his home games at the Dolphins’ Hard Rock Stadium. He said it has given him visions of playing in the pros.
“Every time I go in there — I been to a couple of games on Sunday — just seeing how fast that can switch around,” Stevenson said, “it just gave me the opportunity and the visualization where I can feel like I can play with any team in the pros.”
Stevenson played his first two college seasons at Georgia before transferring to Miami for a homecoming. He had three interceptions and 11 pass deflections in two years for the Hurricanes, but also had his share of coverage busts that led to big plays.
He excelled in coverage drills at the Senior Bowl, however, and a strong combine performance could elevate him into the end of the first round, although he’s more likely a Day 2 selections, where the Dolphins have their first picks.
Forbes was wearing a throwback Florida Marlins hat at his Thursday press conference with the media at the combine.
While he made clear the Marlins hat was not …read more
Source:: The Mercury News