Miami, FL
Potential Dolphins Draft Target: LB Darrian Beavers
The 2022 NFL draft is not going to be as eventful as ordinary for the Miami Dolphins as the results of not having a first- or second-round decide.
That is an inexpensive value to pay, nevertheless, to have the ability to land dynamic playmaker Tyreek Hill from the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs.
As issues stand proper now, the Dolphins will not make their first choice till the latter levels of the third spherical, the 102nd decide total, and can decide once more within the fourth spherical earlier than then having to attend till the seventh spherical.
Within the days main as much as the draft, we’ll proceed profiling prospects who the Dolphins may take into account both within the third or fourth spherical.
Draft Profile: Darrian Beavers, linebacker, Cincinnati
Darrian Beavers’ Background
Beavers spent three years beginning at linebacker for one of many nation’s greatest defenses. Earlier than that, he spent two years at UConn, the place he performed in 24 video games as a real freshman and sophomore.
Earlier than committing to UConn, Beavers performed security and huge receiver for Coletrain Excessive College in Cincinnati, Ohio. Beavers was a consensus three-star recruit and in addition performed basketball and observe and area.
The fifth-year senior was a Dick Butkus Award finalist and first-team All-AAC choice. He additionally was chosen to take part within the 2021 Reese’s Senior Bowl in Cell, Alabama. He completed the 2021 season with 99 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, 5 sacks, two pressured fumbles, and two fumble recoveries.
Beavers didn’t run the 40-yard sprint on the mix, however he did bounce 36.5 inches within the vertical bounce and 125 inches within the broad bounce.
Darrian Beavers’ Scouting Report
Run Protection: That is Beavers’ greatest trait. He’s a stalwart run defender with the smarts, body and approach to be efficient at each shedding blocks and taking pictures gaps. He can course of run keys rapidly and get into the backfield to create tackles for loss. His solely limitations are attending to the boundary and his lack of deal with radius.
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Go Protection: Beavers understands his zone drops fairly properly. He’s not often within the unsuitable place or getting moved out of his zone by play motion. The problem is he simply doesn’t have the pure pace and quickness to make influence performs in protection. He lacks the pace to show and run with tight ends down the seam. He’s satisfactory briefly zones, however that is in no way a power of his sport.
Versatility: Beavers is a strongside linebacker on the subsequent degree. I may see the argument for taking part in him on the MIKE due to his excessive soccer IQ, however these guys are requested to do plenty of operating sideline to sideline, one thing Beavers isn’t going to be nice at. The place he does provide versatility is as a move rusher. Beavers can line up as an edge rusher and is an skilled blitzer from the second degree.
Vary: Beavers’ vary is a little bit underwhelming, particularly by trendy NFL requirements on the linebacker place. He’s in a position to prolong outdoors the C-gap a little bit bit to cease some outdoors runs. Nonetheless, relating to beating NFL-caliber operating backs to the nook, Beavers will in all probability battle. He’s a lot better shifting downhill in direction of the road of scrimmage.
Spherical Grade: 4th
Projected Position: Developmental beginning SAM linebacker
How He Matches on the Dolphins
Miami introduced again plenty of its protection from final season, together with defensive coordinator Josh Boyer. In Boyer’s scheme, Miami nonetheless wants a long-term operating mate for Jerome Baker in the course of its protection.
Beavers has the scale and bodily mentality that might match properly subsequent to Baker. He’s an identical participant, stylistically, to Elandon Roberts, a participant Miami’s teaching workers clearly likes. Beavers would perform because the downhill thumper whereas Baker is tasked with extra protection and sideline-to-sideline accountability.
Not solely does Beavers venture as a very good downhill run defender, Beavers’ move rush capability needs to be extremely valued in Miami’s scheme. The Dolphins ranked close to the highest of the NFL in blitz proportion, and Beavers’ capability to lineup within the A-gap and on the sting as a move rusher will solely permit them to diversify these blitzes.
Making the Case for Drafting Darrian Beavers
Drafting Beavers is sensible for each the long run and the current. Sooner or later, he can function a low-cost substitute with extra upside than Miami’s present choices at inside linebacker. For the current, Beavers offers Miami with extra pass-rush versatility on the second degree and somebody who is an ideal scheme match.
With Miami selecting outdoors the highest 100, discovering a participant with the potential to contribute instantly — even in a rotational position — is extremely precious.
Beavers isn’t going to be a dominant modern-day linebacker, however he’s precisely the kind of versatile and good linebacker Miami has succeeded with in recent times. Linebacker isn’t a extremely valued place, so taking one with starter upside within the late third or fourth spherical makes plenty of sense.
Miami, FL
Is Tua Tagovailoa Playing Hardball – The Splash Zone 5/18/24
The Miami Dolphins and Tua Tagovailoa have been a big talking point this offseason as the team tries to get their quarterback an extension. Tua is currently playing on the fifth-year option but would love to be rewarded with a new contract. Last month, Tua stated he would show up to OTA’s and let his agent deal with contract details. The Dolphins began their offseason program last month and while Tua showed up, he has decided to sit out most of it. It is voluntary though but perhaps the quarterback is protesting his contract status. We’ll have a better understanding of how Tua feels when he decides whether or not to show up for Dolphins OTA’s next week.
You can check out that story here, and the rest of the day’s round-up below.
Is Tua Tagovailoa Playing Hardball With Miami Dolphins?
Tua Tagovailoa’s resolve to get a new contract this offseason has apparently stiffened. The QB has sat out much of the Miami Dolphins’ offseason program.
Dolphins Quarterbacks
Kelly: Tagovailoa should skip Dolphins offseason work until a deal gets done | Opinion – Yahoo Sports
As quarterbacks continue to land mega extensions, the Dolphins and Tua Tagovailoa continue to drag out negotiations on his extension.
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Phinsider News You May Have Missed
Toughest games on Dolphins schedule – Miami Dolphins News 5/17/24 – The Phinsider
Welcome to the Splash Zone, the quickest way to get your day started off right. We bring you a rundown of Miami Dolphins news from the last 24 hours.
How many miles will the Miami Dolphins travel in 2024? – The Phinsider
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Join us every (almost every) Friday evening to share your VOTW!
Miami, FL
Police chief: ‘Gang nexus’ prompts shooting in Miami Gardens
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – Chief Delma K. Noel-Pratt said on Friday a “gang nexus” caused the shooting that woke up residents on Wednesday in Miami Gardens.
Surveillance video shows the flashes of light from the propellant gases that exited the firearms near Northwest 196 Street and 42 Avenue.
“There were flashes all over the place,” Luis Rivera said. “I could see it through the curtains.”
The area is home to Miami Gardens Elementary School and the Tender Loving Care Preschool. Bullets damaged cars and houses. Rivera lives with a 6-year-old girl who is undergoing cancer treatment.
After the shooting, the driver of a Nissan crashed into a fence and intruders ran. Rivera said he feared they were going to break into his home.
It’s unclear if other recent shootings in Miami Gardens have been gang-related too.
In April, a shooting injured two teens and three adults near Northwest 197 Street and 14 Avenue after a fight at Miami Norland Senior High School, at 1193 NW 193 St.
In March, the city had two shootings injuring four in one morning. Three were wounded near Northwest 198 Street and Sixth Place, and a man was shot near Northwest 210 Street and 38 Avenue.
Two men were shot dead on Jan. 13: Reynaldo Romanez was shot near Northwest 207 Street and 27 Avenue, and Javares Williams near Northwest 209 Terrace and 34 Court.
Federal, state, and local law enforcement partners reported “various street gangs” operated in and around Miami Gardens when a grand jury indicted 22 allegedly associated with the Zone 3 gang in 2019.
The Miami Gardens Police Department’s street intelligence unit has also been working with the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office’s Gang Strike Force.
Detectives asked anyone with information to call police at 305-474-6473 or Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-8477.
Copyright 2024 by WPLG Local10.com – All rights reserved.
Miami, FL
Cam Ward and company: Previewing the Miami Hurricanes’ 2024 quarterbacks
The 2024 season is on the horizon, and Hurricanes fans hope to see a major step forward in Year 3 of the Mario Cristobal era.
As Miami keeps adding talent through high school and transfer portal recruiting, UM appears poised to be a major contender in the ACC this season.
This summer, we will take a look at a different position group each week to see who departed, who arrived and who should have big impacts this year.
We will start with perhaps the biggest reason for optimism in Coral Gables: Miami’s quarterback room.
Who left
The Hurricanes had two key members of the quarterback room leave in the offseason, but neither departure was particularly surprising.
Tyler Van Dyke, who had been the Hurricanes’ primary starting quarterback since early in the 2021 season, left UM for Wisconsin via the transfer portal.
Van Dyke had moments of brilliance in his Miami career, including early last year. He finished the season with 2,703 passing yards, 19 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in 2024.
The second departure came later, as rising third-year quarterback Jacurri Brown entered the transfer portal after spring practice ended. Brown played in one game last year, starting the Pinstripe Bowl against Rutgers. He wound up transferring to UCF.
The two departures would have left Miami shorthanded at quarterback, but they added several new signal-callers to make up for the losses.
Who returns
The Hurricanes have just one scholarship quarterback returning from last year’s team: sophomore quarterback Emory Williams.
Williams arrived as an unheralded three-star prospect a year ago but grew into Van Dyke’s primary backup. After earning late reps in three early-season wins, Williams got the start against Clemson when Van Dyke was dealing with an injury.
Williams led Miami to a win over the Tigers — their first since 2010 — with 24 completions on 33 attempts for 151 yards, one touchdown and one interception. But Williams went back to the bench after Van Dyke returned.
The Hurricanes put Williams back in the starting role as Van Dyke struggled in the second half of the season, and the freshman started on the road against Florida State. He completed just 8 of 23 passes for 175 yards and two touchdowns before he suffered an arm injury that knocked him out for the remainder of the season.
Williams completed 62 percent of his passes for 470 yards and three touchdowns with one interception last year. Pro Football Focus gave him a 66.8 offensive grade in his limited time.
Williams returned to the practice field for spring camp, and he battled it out with transfer Reese Poffenbarger for the backup spot.
“Both Emory and Reese have really done a good job of staying on those heels of (transfer Cam Ward),” Cristobal said in the spring.
Who arrived
The biggest news of Miami’s offseason appeared to come on New Year’s Day. Former Washington State quarterback Cam Ward announced that he would enter the NFL draft instead of using his last year of college eligibility.
But that did not last long. Less than two weeks later, Ward changed his mind and committed to Miami, dramatically changing the outlook for the Hurricanes this season.
“That was probably one of the hardest decisions I’ve had to make,” Ward said in the spring. “From thinking I was ready for the NFL draft to knowing that I’m still not done yet in college. There’s still food left on the table for myself, for this team.”
Ward spent two seasons at Washington State after transferring there from FCS Incarnate Word. While playing for the Cougars, Ward became one of the PAC-12’s top quarterbacks. He racked up 3,736 passing yards with 25 touchdowns and seven picks in 2023. He also scored eight rushing touchdowns. Pro Football Focus gave him an 81.1 offensive grade with a 78.6 passing grade.
“Guys like that … that can make change, that can make a big difference, not just as a player but as a human being, they come around not too often,” Cristobal said.
Since arriving on Miami’s campus this winter, Ward has received rave reviews from his coaches and teammates.
“He can throw the ball, man,” linebacker Wesley Bissainthe said. “He’s putting the ball in places, very tight places. That shows me all I needed to see. He can throw the ball. Deep … whatever you need.”
Ward was not the only quarterback transfer. In the two weeks between Ward’s NFL draft announcement and his UM commitment, Miami received a transfer pledge from Poffenbarger, who arrived from Albany.
Poffenbarger did not have the name recognition that Ward did, but he has had a successful career so far. In 2023, he led FCS in passing touchdowns (36) and passing yards (3,603).
Like Ward, Poffenbarger has gotten praise from teammates and coaches.
“Competitor, man,” offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson said in the spring. “He’s got a live arm. He’s played a lot of football, too. Football IQ is very high.”
The final newcomer to the quarterback room is freshman Judd Anderson. A three-star prospect from Georgia, Anderson was one of UM’s longest-tenured 2024 commits.
Playing behind Ward, Poffenbarger, Williams and Brown during the spring, Anderson did not get many reps during spring practice. However, his 6-foot-6 frame lends well to developing at the position.
“Judd Anderson impressed us from Day 1 with a couple of different things,” Cristobal said at his early signing day press conference. “No. 1 is leadership skills. We saw him play basketball, as well. His ability to move, make people miss, balance, body control, to be able to twist, bend and then get out of just really difficult body position was impressive. And then he was relatively new at quarterback in a particular high school before he made the move to another one and before long, you saw statistically what he did. It’s hard to do that: that many yards, that type of completion percentage, that many touchdowns. Natural leadership skills and just flat-out tough, unfazed, and there’s something he said about that. When you’re the one touching the football on every single play, it’s got to show, and your teammates got to feel that, and it just oozes out of him. Very hungry, tremendous appetite for betterment.”
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