Dolphins trade down in first round, select DE Jared Odrick at No. 28
By: Chris J. Nelson
It took a little longer than expected, but the Miami Dolphins finally a chose a player in the first round of the draft.
After trading down from No. 12 to No. 28 that also landed them linebacker Tim Dobbins from the Chargers, the Dolphins used San Diego’s pick to select Penn State defensive end Jared Odrick.
It was a questionable pick, to be sure, but I’ll get to that in a minute. First, a breakdown of the trade and some background info on the players Miami acquired tonight.
The Trade
Dolphins receives:
- San Diego’s first-round pick (28th overall — used to select Penn State defensive end Jared Odrick)
- San Diego’s second-round pick (4oth overall)
- San Diego’s fourth-round pick (126th overall)
- Linebacker Tim Dobbins
San Diego receives:
- Miami’s first-round pick (12th overall — used to select Fresno State running back Ryan Mathews)
- Miami’s fourth-round pick (110th overall)
- Miami’s sixth-round pick (173rd overall)
The Dolphins now have ten picks in the 2010 NFL Draft, including the one used to select Odrick. Their other picks are:
- Round 2, Pick 40 (from Seattle through San Diego)
- Round 3, Pick 73
- Round 4, Pick 126 (from San Diego)
- Round 5, Pick 145 (from San Francisco)
- Round 6, Pick 174 (from Washington)
- Round 6, Pick 179
- Round 7, Pick 212 (from Kansas City)
- Round 7, Pick 219
- Round 7, Pick 252 (compensatory selection)
Tim Dobbins
Tim Dobbins
A first-team All-Big 12 selection as a senior at Iowa State, Dobbins was selected by the San Diego Chargers in the fifth round (151st overall) of the 2006 NFL Draft.
Dobbins (6-1, 246) appeared in all 32 games during his first two seasons with the Chargers, recording 39 tackles and a forced fumble while primarily playing special teams.
Moving into the starting lineup with eight starts in 16 games in 2008, Dobbins totaled a career-high 57 tackles, three forced fumbles, one interception, and four pass deflections.
As a top backup linebacker behind starters Stephen Cooper and Brandon Siler in 2009, Dobbins racked up 55 tackles, a sack, a forced fumble, an interception, and a pass deflection.
A restricted free agent in the 2010 offseason, Dobbins was tendered a one-year contract by the Chargers and re-signed on April 19, 2010.
Jared Odrick
Jared Odrick
Odrick [pronounced ODD-rick] played in 12 games for the Nittany Lions as a true freshman, recording 12 tackles on the season and notching his first career sack against Minnesota.
Prior to suffering season-ending hand and ankle injuries in 2007, Odrick appeared in eight games and recorded 16 tackles, two sacks (one each against Florida International and Wisconsin) and a blocked kick.
Odrick experienced a breakout season as a junior in 2008, appeared in 13 games while recording 41 tackles (9.5 for a loss), 4.5 sacks, and a forced fumble on his way to first-team All-Big Ten honors.
As a senior in 2009, Odrick totaled 43 tackles (11 for a loss) and seven sacks while being named first-team All-Big Ten, Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year, Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, and a first-team All-American.
A 6-foot-5, 304-pound defensive tackle, Odrick drew interested from numerous teams prior to the 2010 NFL Draft as both a 3-4 defensive end and 4-3 defensive tackle prospect.
He was ranked the 25th-best prospect and fourth-best defensive tackle prospect at Scott Wright’s Draft Countdown, and the 27th best prospect by NFLDraftScout.com.
Analysis
While there were some prospects I wouldn’t have minded taking with the 12th pick, I was definitely open to the idea of a trade-down prior to the draft and was ecstatic when Miami made the move.
I think the Dolphins did a fairly good job in this trade, especially with getting back into the second round fairly early on with the 40th overall pick.
If you consider that the Dolphins acquired San Diego’s first- and second-round pick in exchange for Miami’s first and a swap of fourths, then the Dolphins essentially got linebacker Tim Dobbins for a sixth-rounder, which I’d say was a good move.
Dobbins, 27, is a solid special-teamer with starting experience. He could easily spell the end for overpaid backup Reggie Torbor, and could theoretically push the very average Channing Crowder for the starting inside linebacker spot opposite Karlos Dansby.
As for Odrick, I can’t say I’m happy with this move. It’s not that he isn’t a good player. A proven, strong, athletic, high-motor guy, Odrick was probably the best 3-4 defensive end prospect in this year’s class and is absolutely a perfect fit as a five technique in the Dolphins’ system. (For those of you wondering, no, he doesn’t fit the mold of a nose tackle or outside linebacker in our scheme.)
It’s just that he wasn’t needed. Even if you assume that 2008 second-rounder Phillip Merling hasn’t progressed as much as the team would have liked, starters Kendall Langford and Randy Starks have both been highly productive. Furthermore, Langford has four more years until he his unrestricted free agency, while Starks still has three years remaining on his contract.
Odrick is a safe pick and absolutely can be a productive player in Miami’s system. His addition obviously doesn’t bode well for Merling, as Odrick has all the talent to become a contributor in the Dolphins’ defensive line rotation.
I simply don’t understand the pick given a) Miami’s depth at the end position; and b) the fact that there were quality players at need positions, like Alabama nose tackle Terrence Cody, South Florida safety Nate Allen, and linebackers Sergio Kindle and Jerry Hughes of Texas and TCU, respectively.
The Dolphins also did well acquiring a high second-round pick after dealing theirs in the Brandon Marshall trade, but they now enter day two of the draft having taken a defensive player, yet not having addressed their three biggest needs on that side of the ball in nose tackle, outside linebacker, and free safety.
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