Lashoure Taking His Talents To South Beach?

The Dolphins are an enigmatic team.  One was never sure which team would show up-- the team that beat the World Champion Green Bay Packers, or the one that lost to up-and-comers Cleveland, Detroit, and Buffalo?


The biggest need for this team is running back.  Mark Ingram is the best back available, but it’s actually a pretty crowded position with Illinois' Mikel Leshoure and Virgina Tech's Ryan Williams leading the rest of the pack.

Let’s not forget the dolphins lost Vernon Carey at right tackle and had a bunch of other injuries on the OL.

They also were fairly thin at wide receiver and had some erratic quarterback play to say the least.

So do you stand with Chad Henne as QB of the future ?  Do you go and get him another target at WR after Davonne Bess and Brandon Marshall ? Do you let Rickey Williams and Ronnie Brown go ? Do you try to help the defense with a cornerback or an inside linebacker? Miami’s defensive backs should have gotten to more balls considering the pass rush of Cameron Wake and Kosa Misi and the play of the front 3?

If the Dolphins want to improve the team, the quickest way to do that is by staying home and drafting cornerback Brandon Harris from The U. Harris had trouble against bigger wide receivers like Notre Dame's Michael Floyd, but the Dolphins have 6’3” Sean Smith on the other side.  He’d send a strong message to Vontae Davis.

However, the best long term value is running back at this spot. Contrary to popular opinion it’s Leshoure, not Ingram that should go here.

Leshoure is bigger. He’s virtually the same speed and he has one advantage – everyone in Alabama could block right down to the receivers, who kept the safeties playing deep and who were big enough to crackback on a linebacker.  Last season (the season on which we should be basing their decision), Trent Richardson was arguably the better back in the Tide backfield (better YPC and a better receiver out of the backfield plus more size).  Sure Ingram was keyed on; nobody at Alabama got keyed on with  5 running backs, enough wide receivers to out-class most NFL teams, a tight end combo of two players who will probably see time on Sundays, and an offensive line featuring ten 300 pounders.

Sure Ingram is good.  Leshoure is better.  He was the best player on his team.  Ingram  may have not been in the top 5 on his.  Plus, he has recent history on his side.  Just look at Rashad Mendenhall in Pittsburgh.