Should the Miami Dolphins draft Michael Sam?
Vernon was drafted in the third round and some viewed it as a reach because he, like Sam, is about 6’2″ and 260 pounds.
CBS projected Vernon as a 5th or 6th round pick, and they have Sam projected as a 5th rounder.
I expect the Michael Sam draft watch to begin in the second round as I have seen him, in the past, projected as high as the late second to third round range.
Miami has good reasons not to make the pick in the third or fourth round, but if he is still available in the fifth round it would be a solid pick from a football perspective.
Pass rushing, the front seven and defense in general are very important and the team should build on their strength.
Nine of the top eleven teams in defensive points allowed made in the playoffs, with the 10 win Arizona Cardinals and the Miami Dolphins, who seemed headed for 10 wins late in the season, as the lone exceptions.
Some scouts project him as an interior or outside linebacker, where the team is not as deep.
Immediately he would contribute on special teams, but I would not be surprised if he became an every down player down the road.
Also, what better way is there to create the kind of professional locker room that Joe Philbin wants?
The team already learned that the politically incorrect stuff will not fly and they can now set an example for the entire sports community.
In this case, I could see Jonathan Martin wanting to be a part of the new culture and the Dolphins would have gained an extra second round pick in the process.