Sports Buzz

Fins to sign Clabo; Golden quantifies NCAA damage; Shapiro explains K. Wright move; Fins, Heat, Marlins

The Sunday buzz column is below. First, some breaking Dolphins news:

The Dolphins addressed their void at offensive tackle on Sunday by agreeing to terms with veteran Tyson Clabo on a one-year deal.

Clabo, 31, has started every game at right tackle for the Atlanta Falcons over the past five seasons and was a Pro Bowl selection in 2010.

His signing means Jonathan Martin will shift to left tackle to replace Jake Long, who signed with St. Louis.

Clabo signed a five year, $25 million deal in 2011, but the Falcons released him last month in a move designed to give them additional salary cap space to sign their draft picks. “Tyson was a valuable contributor to our team,” Falcons coach Mike Smith said at the time.

Clabo, who auditioned for the Dolphins on Wednesday, graded out well the past two seasons, according to Pro Football Focus, which analyzes every play in every game. His 2012 performance ranked 14th among 80 tackles, and fifth-best among right tackles, behind Andre Smith, Gosder Cherilus, Anthony Davis and Sebastian Vollmer.

Clabo was ranked 23rd in pass protection (he allowed five sacks) and 21st in run blocking.
In 2011, Pro Football Focus rated him second overall among all tackles.

By contrast, PFF ranked Martin 76th among 80 tackles last season.

Undrafted out of Wake Forest, Clabo began his career in Denver and spent the past seven seasons with the Falcons.

The Dolphins tried to sign left tackle Bryant McKinnie earlier this week, but he opted for a slightly better deal with Baltimore. The Dolphins also explored trading for Kansas City’s Branden Albert, but did not offer the second-round pick that the Chiefs were seeking.

The Dolphins signed Clabo instead of two other right tackleswho auditioned: Eric Winston and Winston Justice.

Martin played left tackle at Stanford but began his Dolphins career as a right tackle before shifting to the left side when Long was injured in the 12th game last season.

Martin played well against Jacksonville and Buffalo but struggled against San Francisco and New England.

He said previously that he is more comfortable at left tackle than right tackle and has gained 20 pounds this offseason while increasing his strength.

Clabo reached out to the Dolphins shortly after being released, but the Dolphins never called his representation until last week, when they booked a workout with him.

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SUNDAY BUZZ COLUMN

As we reported in our last post, the NCAA this past week essentially ruled out UM’s hopes of the case against it being dismissed before a full hearing in front of the infractions committee in mid-June.

Meanwhile, for the first time, Al Golden is quantifying – with numbers -- the impact this case has had on recruiting.

“If you just take the number of kids that flipped on us in the last two years, that’s a big number,” Golden told us. “But I’m talking about kids [that say]: ‘I really like Miami, but I don’t know what’s going to happen’ [with the NCAA]. That number is well over 40. Easily over 40.

    “The further they get along in the decision-making process, the attacks on us grow exponentially once we’re identified as one of the players in their picks.”

Golden said he doesn’t believe the investigation has hurt the perception of the program but “the toxicity is the problem, whether it’s through the media or things the kids are exposed to. There hasn’t been a time where we haven’t had negative recruiting. It’s been difficult.”

UM basketball coaches say the NCAA mess has hurt them, too -- it’s one of the first questions that recruits keep asking about.

UM discussed modest scholarship reductions during settlement talks in February before the NCAA abruptly ended those talks. Now, president Donna Shalala says publicly UM deserves no additional punishment.

If UM is given another bowl ban, an appeal would not be surprising. The problem is that the appeals process can take a long time – seven months in Central Florida’s just-completed case --- which would carry UM through National Signing Day next February. (UCF won its appeal of a bowl ban, which is unusal.)

“It’s really important for us when we go to camp that that’s all in the rearview mirror,” Golden said.

But even if UM doesn’t appeal, it might not know its punishment before the season starts. North Carolina waited four months after its hearing before receiving its penalty. UM’s hearing is June 14-16, with a verdict expected between July and October.

Of course, this should have been over by May or June. The NCAA now admits its investigation “was virtually complete” last September, but the process was delayed for four months while the NCAA realized it obtained evidence improperly and began sorting through it.

UM athletic director Blake James said at a  Hurricanes Club luncheon: “We’re all tired of dealing with it. There’s no one who has had to deal with it more than Al Golden.”

And ACC Commissioner John Swofford told ESPN on Thursday: “It’s dragged on long enough. That’s a sanction it itself, which something of this nature drags on literally for years without being brought to a conclusion. So hopefully, we’re near the end of it.

“I think Miami has handled its part of this in a quality way and a very appropriate way and has addressed it head-up with self-imposed sanctions.”

### The NCAA confirmed to UM last week that it’s throwing out all of Kyle Wright’s incriminating claims against the Hurricanes because they may have resulted from Sean Allen’s improperly-obtained testimony. But if Nevin Shapiro had his way, Wright never would become embroiled in this.

Shapiro never implicated Wright to the NCAA –  though he allegedly accepting trips from Shapiro’s sports agency (to the Bahamas, a concert in Detroit). Why?

“Kyle got [expletive] by UM and Randy Shannon specifically,” Shapiro said, explaining why Wright was the only player he excluded. “UM really did that kid bad. He came from California and gave up a lot to do so and they [expletive] all over him. They left him to defend for himself against a clown like Randy Shannon.

“Kirby Freeman ahead of him in the quarterback competition? Get the [bleep] out of here. Kirby couldn’t beat me out and I’m 44,” claiming he out-threw Freeman in a competition on UM’s practice field. OK then.

Wright declined to comment, through his father. The NCAA claimed Wright called the NCAA to report UM; Wright told UM it was the other way around.

### Turns out, most of the basketball violations were revealed to the NCAA (involving use of airlines miles for Durand Scott, his AAU coach and Reggie Johnson’s mother and sister), because UM gave the NCAA e-mails “from Jorge Fernandez’s institutional account” when asked by the NCAA.

### For more on why the NCAA has punted on UM’s motion to dismiss, please see our last post.

CHATTER

### UM remains firmly behind baseball coach Jim Morris and his job is safe barring a surprising change of heart. Morris, who has said it irritates him when anyone asks about the topic, is trying to lead UM to its 41^st consecutive postseason appearance.

UM knows it’s not playing on a level field with the state schools (UF, FSU, etc.) because of its high cost of tuition. With teams permitted to split 11.7 scholarships among 30 players, some players simply cannot afford to pay a lot to attend UM. Miami has been left with a roster bereft of power; its eight homers entering the weekend were tied for fewest in a major conference.

### Several Dolphins players privately have voiced displeasure about the team cutting Karlos Dansby and Kevin Burnett, but Joe Philbin on Friday explained the overhaul and decision to add faster linebackers Dannell Ellerbe, Philip Wheeler and Jelani Jenkins.

“This is a passing league at this point,” Philbin said. And Miami wants “to have linebackers with that ability to do more than just play the run, and be multidimensional. Play man, zone, blitz effectively. The more skills you have as an athlete, the better you’ll be.”

### The Dolphins have $10 million in cap space and will have another $10 million after June 1, but need about $8 million of that to sign draft pick. Miami can carry over some of that space to next year, when they likely will need to address right tackle and re-sign Reshad Jones, Paul Soliai and/or Randy Starks, among other moves.

### Former MLB commissioner Fay Vincent, living in Vero Beach, said watching the Mets-at-Marlins series last week “was so sad. I could almost count the people in the stands. It’s tragic – so few people in that ballpark, no buzz. Both teams are pathetic.”

But he said he doesn’t believe there’s anything commissioner Bud Selig can do, and the players union hasn’t tried to pressure MLB to intervene. “It’s not Bud’s job to tell owners how to run their business, but other owners aren’t happy with a weak franchise,” Vincent said.

### Though Udonis Haslem’s percentage on all shots beyond two feet has dropped from 43 to 36.7 percent over the past four years, nobody was surprised to see him nail four jumpers in a row to help close out Milwaukee. “When it’s most stressful, he’s at his best,” assistant coach David Fizdale said.

Haslem admits his shot has been affected the past couple years partly because his role changed on pick-and-rolls: “I wasn’t able to get that rhythm. Fans need to understand I might get only one shot. I’m not in the same role. I’m not the same player. My job is to set screens, go to basket” rebound, etc.  

### I'm on Twitter now: @flasportsbuzz

Saturday update: NCAA punts on UM case; Ross reacts to stadium setback;Fins, Heat

In a move that was disappointing but not surprising to UM, the NCAA this week ruled out Miami’s slim hopes of the case being dismissed before UM and former Hurricanes coaches have a full hearing in front of the infractions committee on June 14-16 in Indianapolis, according to multiple sources.

Temple law professor Eleanor Myers, a member of the NCAA’s infractions committee, informed UM and four former Hurricanes coaches that she does not believe she has the authority to dismiss the case pre-hearing. The infractions committee had given Myers the assignment of ruling on UM’s and the coaches’ motions to dismiss.

It always seemed unlikely to everyone involved that Myers would take the step of dismissing the case on her own – even though UM and the coaches presented compelling evidence for why the case has been tainted.

Myers told the parties they still have the option to present the motion to dismiss at the full hearing, and UM and the four coaches (Frank Haith, Jorge Fernandez, Jake Morton and Aubrey Hill) will again try to get the case dismissed then.

But it’s considered unlikely that the infraction committee would dismiss the case several hours into the hearing on June 14. What’s more likely is that the eight infractions committee members who are assigned to the case would hear all of the evidence from UM, the coaches, and the NCAA’s enforcement staff and then make a decision in the aftermath – a decision that could take weeks or a few months.

The hearing, at NCAA headquarters in Indianapolis, is expected to last two or three days.

### The Dolphins are still reeling this morning after the state House speaker refused to let the full House vote on changing a law that would permit Miami-Dade voters to vote on raising a tourist tax to help finance the Dolphins stadium.

Here is owner Steve Ross’ full statement reacting to the news: “Speaker [Will] Weatherford did far more than just deny the people of Miami Dade the right to vote on an issue critical to the future of our local economy.  The Speaker singlehandedly put the future of Super Bowls and other big events at risk for Miami Dade and for all of Florida.

“He put politics before the people and the 4,000 jobs this project would have created for Miami Dade, and that is just wrong. I am deeply disappointed by the Speaker's decision. He gave me and many others his word that this legislation would go to the floor of the House for a vote, where I know, and he knows, we had the votes to win by a margin as large as we did in the Senate. 

“It’s hard to understand why he would stop an election already in process and disenfranchise the 40,000 people who have already voted. I can only assume he felt it was in his political interest to do so. Time will tell if that is the case, but I am certain this decision will follow Speaker Weatherford for many years to come.  I want to thank Mayor Gimenez for his leadership. He was a tough negotiator whose persistence led to an agreement that offered taxpayers the strongest protections of any agreement of this kind in the country.

“I also want to thank our bill sponsors and supporters in Tallahassee, especially Senator Oscar Braynon, Representative Erik Fresen and Representative Eddy Gonzalez; our County Commission sponsors, Commissioners Jordan, Diaz and Barreiro, as well as all of our supporters on the County Commission;  HT Smith and Jorge Arrizurietta, the Co-Chairs of the Miami First Campaign; The University of Miami; The Orange Bowl Committee; The Greater Miami Hotel Association; the many volunteers who lent their support to our campaign, and the members of the Dolphins organization and our campaign team who worked so hard in the last several weeks. I believe without a doubt that the voters would have supported this project if given a chance to vote.

“In the weeks ahead, I will do all I can to convince my fellow owners to bring the Super Bowl back to Miami Dade. The Bid Committee has done a tremendous job to give us a great shot, and my only hope is that it is enough to overcome the terrible message Speaker Weatherford has sent to the NFL tonight. In addition, I will continue to do all I can to build a winning team for the people of Miami Dade. In the future, I will look to play an important role in fixing the dysfunction in Tallahassee and will continue to work to create good jobs in Miami Dade and throughout South Florida.”

### A few players who stood out to us at Friday’s Dolphins rookie minicamp, besides Mike Gillislee and Caleb Sturgis: third-round cornerback Will Davis (interception), undrafted Michigan safety Jordan Kovacs (interception; showed good instincts), undrafted Arkansas State receiver Taylor Stockemer (a couple nice catches). The final two days of the minicamp are closed to both the media and fans.

### Everyone practiced for the Heat today, including Dwyane Wade, who had missed some practice time this week because of a bone bruise in his knee. He should be ready to go for Game 1 Monday.

### You’ve got to love Chris Bosh’s honesty. Asked if he will watch Game 7 of the Bulls-Nets series tonight – with the winner advancing to play the Heat – he said probably not. “I’m tired of watching them play,” he said. “I can check the score and watch highlights. It’s even better than watching them play.” He said it’s his son’s birthday and he would rather play video games with him.   

### Check back later for the Sunday buzz, with a lot more UM news and Fins, Heat, Marlins.

Also, please follow me on Twitter: @flasportsbuzz

NFL encouraged by UM's talent; Dolphins, Heat, Marlins chatter

FRIDAY BUZZ COLUMN

ESPN’s Trey Wingo cracked during the third round of the NFL draft that “two of the last three picks have been from Connecticut and we’re still waiting for one pick from the University of Michigan or Miami. Things are changing.”

The fact Miami had only two draft picks (Rams fifth-rounder Brandon McGee, Buccaneers sixth-rounder Mike James) was primarily a result of its small senior class and the previous year’s early departures. Still, UM now has gone five years in a row without a first-rounder after having one every year from 1995 to 2008.

And though the Hurricanes might not have one next year, evaluators see encouraging signs. “Things are changing with the talent level there, especially offensively,” said one NFL scout who studies UM a lot. “They can have at least five kids drafted next year.”

CBS’ Rob Rang lists defensive end Anthony Chickillo as the 45^th-best overall prospect in next year’s draft (should he turn pro early) and Seantrel Henderson 49^th.

CBS also lists Henderson the No. 5 senior tackle, Stephen Morris the No. 10 quarterback, Allen Hurns the No. 11 receiver, Asante Cleveland the No. 12 tight end and Brandon Linder the No. 16 guard. An NFC scout said he’s intrigued by tight end Clive Walford – “very talented” – and that Henderson can be a first-rounder if he plays to his potential.

Though he’s not there yet, the NFC scout said Morris could make himself a second-rounder if he keeps improving: “He will have the strongest arm in the draft next year.” And “he can move,” another scout said of his mobility. “He wins games.”

Morris will be part of a deep quarterback class, headlined by Louisville’s Teddy Bridgewater, Alabama’s A.J. McCarron, Georgia’s Aaron Murray and Clemson’s Tajh Boyd. UM’s most electrifying player, running back Duke Johnson, will not be eligible for next year’s draft.

CHATTER

So have the Dolphins done enough to legitimately challenge the Patriots? “Absolutely,” ESPN’s Ron Jaworski said. “Jeff Ireland did a heck of a job building this team.” But Mel Kiper cautioned: “To say they’re going to challenge New England, it’s two years away…. Mike Wallace was underrated at Ole Miss. He’s overrated now.”

### Among the undrafted players added by the Dolphins, National Football Post’s Russ Lande said keep an eye on Michigan’s Jordan Kovacs (“tough, instinctive, good chance to make it as third safety”), BYU linebacker Brandon Ogletree (“could be special teams ace, Larry Izzo type”); Arizona State running back Cameron Marshall (4.7 career per-carry average; “physical runner; can become a productive No. 2”); and Arkansas linebacker Alonzo Highsmith, son of the UM great…. Duquesne defensive back Zach Richert, Dan Marino’s nephew, will audition for the Dolphins this weekend but is a major long shot.

### Chris Andersen said one of the great things about his Heat experience has been “they let me be me. You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” He said Pat Riley told him “we want you to be you, [but also] somewhere along the lines of, ‘Don’t grow out your beard, don’t grow out your hair, don’t grow out that awesome mustache you had.'”

Owner Micky Arison told 790 The Ticket this week “there was a lot of concern about his past.” But the Heat researched him more than it has any player in recent years. At his Heat audition, “it took less than five minutes for me to be totally comfortable with the guy,” Arison said. “Genuinely nice person.”

### Arison, by the way, was asked by 790 about the prospect of keeping together the Big Three in 2014, when all three can become free agents and the luxury tax becomes more punitive. “It is do-able. Next question,” he said. “… Why worry 15 months ahead of time?” Regarding the impact of the tax in general, he said his front office “is going to have to be very creative.”

### What did Arison think of Riley telling Boston’s Danny Ainge “to shut the [expletive] up” after Ainge criticized LeBron James for voicing displeasure about hard fouls against him? “I thought it was terrific – couldn’t have said it better myself.”

### When James’ MVP award is announced – possibly Sunday – he will join Bill Russell as the second player to win it four times in five years.

### The Marlins hope either Zack Cox or Derek Dietrich becomes their eventual third baseman, and both are flourishing at Double A: Cox is at .328; Dietrich – who is playing second and – is at .281, three homers, 11 RBI. If Cox pans out, Dietrich could be challenge Donovan Solano at second.

### Besides newly-signed 17-year-old Belgian Emmanuel LeComte, UM’s other only natural point guard who will definitely be eligible next season is three-star Corn Elder, who is on football scholarship and will play either running back or receiver. Elder was recruited for basketball by Purdue but not by UM, but UM will allow him to play both sports. Considering LeComte needs time to adapt, Elder might end up being more of a factor in basketball than UM expected.

Thursday Tebow/McKinnie update; Heat update; Ireland speaks out; UM adds European player

Some Dolphins and Canes quick hits:

### Contrary to Internet speculation today, Tim Tebow did not visit the Dolphins and there are no plans for him to do so. The team has not expressed interest in him, and the Dolphins are happy with their quarterback situation as it stands.

So where did all the Tebow talk come from? Part of it was a hoax. Part of it resulted from a couple of national media outlets suggesting that the Dolphins' refusal to state on-the-record that they're not interested in Tebow suggested that they might be. But saying something like that on the record is not the Dolphins' way of doing business. And even though they haven't said it, they have not pursued Tebow and aren't expected to.

### Bryant McKinnie re-signed with Ravens, spurning offers from the Dolphins and Chargers. The Dolphins' offer didn't measure up to San Diego's. Miami also has been considering the three right tackles it worked out yesterday - Tyson Clabo, Eric Winston and Winston Justice.

### The NBA announced that the Heat's first two games of the next round will be at 7 p.m. Monday and Wednesday at AA Arena. The rest of the schedule - against the Bulls or Nets - hasn't been announced.

### Dolphins general manager Jeff Ireland, appearing Wednesday on the team-owned radio show on WINZ 940, suggested that one indication that the team is deeper and better is the fact he can’t come up with a final roster, or anything close to it, in his mind.

“I try to cut the team two days after the draft,” he said of a mental exercise he likes performing this time of year. “It’s great that I can’t. In years past, I can cut it down to 57, 58 players. It will be a lot deeper team. There will be position battles.”

### Asked if he felt obligated to fill needs in the draft, Ireland said: “I really didn’t. I never go into a draft thinking I have to address needs. The board has to fall the right way to address needs. I don’t want to pass up good football players to draft a need. You make mistakes if you do that.”

### He said he asks him scouts “to create a vision for the player. What are they going to do on third down? And if they’re a young developing player, what are they going to do on fourth down?”

 ### Asked if there was one player he really wanted but couldn’t get, he said: “This year, I went into this draft saying I’m not going to let that happen. And I got him. Dion Jordan. Dion Jordan was the player I didn’t want to pass up.”

When reminded that many TV pundits thought he was trading up for Lane Johnson, he said: “Lane Johnson is going to be a fine player, a tremendous athlete. But the pass rushers, the versatility of Dion’s skill set is unique. I wasn’t going to pass that up.”

### Ireland said linebacker Jelani Jenkins “will probably back up at multiple positions and has a chance to start in the future.”

### Ireland said Dion Sims “played [last season] at a much heavier weight than I would suggest he came in at.” But since the season ended, he dropped from 280 to 260, which leaves Ireland encouraged about his commitment.

### Asked if Miami might go back to using more 3-4 defense instead of last year’s 4-3 approach, he said: “There are some pieces you can look at it. We came from a 3-4 a year ago. We joked as a scouting staff we changed a year too late. Joe Philbin and Kevin Coyle will put together a creative defense. I’m excited about this defense because we can come at you from multiple different places.”

CANES CHATTER

### We mentioned two weeks ago that UM was expecting to add a European point guard. That guard is Emmanuel LeComte, a 17-year-old who plays in the Ethias League in Belgium. UM confirmed that he has signed with the program.

"Manu LeComte is a true point guard," UM coach Jim Larranaga told our Michelle Kaufman. "He is quick and fast and can shoot. He will have to learn the American college game. But with the loss of Shane Larkin and Angel Rodriguez having to sit a year, it is nice to have a point guard who can play right away."

The Belgian Youth Basketball Blog described him as "very, very talented" with a "ton of experience for his age" and "can take over a game."

LeComte, 5-11, told stateoftheu.com: "I'm quick. I can shoot from everywhere. I will need to improve my body, get more in the weight room."

### David Thompson, who is attempting to play both baseball and football at UM, has a difficult decision ahead: determining whether to play in a summer baseball league or begin honing his skills and body for the football season. Thompson, a quarterback, has a chance to be a holder on field goals this season.

“I know he’s a good player, can be a better player,” baseball coach Jim Morris told several media outlets today. “He just needs to work more on baseball right now.” Morris stopped short of saying a decision had been made about his baseball involvement this summer.

Thompson, who leads UM with 28 RBI but has been slumping recently, told Canesport.com: “Pretty much when baseball is over, I’ll be walking across the outfield and going right to football. Hope to compete for the No. 2 spot.”

### The transfer guard that UM is hoping to lure from Texas – Sheldon McClellan – averaged a team-high 13.5 points last season but also drew the ire of coach Rick Barnes because of lack of intensity and effort at times. Others – including Illinois, Marquette and Oregon – are also in the mix. 

Wed. night update: Fins mull decision; Story of how player slipped to Fins;Heat, Canes

Updating three issues from Wednesday (the Wednesday buzz column can be found below that):

### The Dolphins hope to strike a deal with an offensive tackle very soon after working out right tackles Eric Winston, Tyson Clabo and Winston Justice on Wednesday and left tackle Bryant McKinnie earlier in the week.

The Dolphins prefer to do a short term deal (one or two years) at modest money. Financial parameters were discussed with agents for some, but not all, of the four players.

The Dolphins are considering not only what player would be the best fit on the field, but also what would make the most sense financially. The Dolphins want to leave their options open to be able to acquire a long-term answer at tackle next offseason, but they also have not ruled out trading for a longterm tackle this offseason.

Even while the three right tackles were visiting Wednesday, the Dolphins continued discussions with the representative for McKinnie, who also is considering San Diego, Baltimore and recent overtures from Dallas. Serious negotiations are underway with the Chargers.

McKinnie's appeal to the Dolphins is that he can play left tackle well, unlike the others. But they might be reluctant to pay what he can get elsewhere, including San Diego; that remains fluid. And the right tackles remain under consideration, too. 

Clabo started every game for the Falcons the past five seasons and was rated 14^th among 80 tackles by Pro Football Focus for 2012. Winston started 15 games for the Chiefs and was ranked 26^th by PFF.

Justice started 12 games for the Colts and was rated 45th. McKinnie started for the Ravens during their playoff run last season after not starting a game during the regular season.

### Point guard Angel Rodriguez, who is transferring from Kansas State, has signed with UM, according to his Miami Tropics coach, Art Alvarez. Rodriguez, who was second-team All Big 12 last season, wanted to attend school closer to his family in Puerto Rico. He will apply for a family hardship in an attempt to become eligible this season, but it's questionable if that will be granted. Rodriguez visited UM Wednesday, Alvarez said.

### After receiving permission from UM to talk to other schools - and having conversations with several of those schools this week - quarterback Preston Dewey has decided to stay at UM, his father told me today. That's a surprise to UM people. UM was prepared to grant him his release.

Several UM people expected he would leave after he asked for permission to contact other schools about transferring. Dewey received that permission Monday and spoke to several schools this week. UM specified some schools with whom he could not speak.

Dewey's father declined to explain why Preston asked for permission to speak to other schools, or why the conversations with other schools didn't materialize into a transfer.

His father said he was comfortable saying only this: "Preston loves the U, is making good grades and has no plans to transfer. And yes, he would be willing to stay at Miami even in the event he is not a starter."

Asked if Preston would be comfortable here even if he doesn't play, his father said "yes" but then said he didn't want to answer that question. 

It's unclear how Preston feels about everything, because he was not available for comment. He likes attending UM and likes the players and coaches but has been frustrated at times about his situation, according to a very close associate.

UM's Al Golden does not pull scholarships from players unless they've committed a violation, so it's unlikely Dewey's scholarship would be yanked now that he has declined the opportunity to transfer. 

Recruited by former coordinator Jedd Fisch, Dewey is unlikely to play at UM anytime soon, if at all. He's fourth on the depth chart (behind Stephen Morris, Ryan Williams and Gray Crow) and could fall further when David Thompson moves over from baseball and top prospect Kevin Olsen joins the team this summer. Dewey was an All-American in high school in Austin, Tx., and is considered a highly intelligent quarterback. But arm strength has been a question. 

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WEDNESDAY BUZZ COLUMN

If medical tests at the NFL Combine hadn’t turned up a worrisome red flag, the player that the Dolphins hope will become a long-term starting cornerback might still be on the road toward a transplant. And that health scare contributed to Jamar Taylor sliding into the Dolphins’ lap at No. 54 in the draft.

According to a source, here’s the behind-the-scenes story that played out with Miami’s second-round pick: Taylor has had high blood pressure since high school. He was placed on medication that has serious side effects for some, especially black males.

The medication damaged his kidneys. Anti-inflammatories made matters worse. When he was tested at the Combine in February, his kidneys were functioning at 42 percent efficiency, alarming both Taylor and NFL teams.

When Taylor had a biopsy, it was determined the blood pressure medication was causing the problem, and there was no pre-existing kidney condition. So he was placed on new blood pressure medication and told not to take anti-inflammatories.

His kidneys were left with scar tissue, but doctors expect their operating efficiency to improve. He’ll have another test in a few months.

This was explained to teams, but several picking between 25 and 45 nevertheless voiced concern about his kidneys in deciding to pass on a player many considered a first-round talent.

So at 54, the Dolphins came away with “good value” and a likely starter, as Mel Kiper said. And more importantly, as a friend of Taylor said, “the Combine helped him from needing a kidney transplant in 10 years.”

CHATTER

### Kiper gave the Dolphins’ draft a B-, asserting that though Dion Jordan “is a gifted athlete that can help their pass rush, I can’t totally disagree with Jon Gruden, who was critical of the move. I’m not sure you can cast him in a 4-3 defensive end role, because he could be a physical liability against the run. But I don’t think Miami will.”

### A longtime NFC scout who we trust said “Mike Gillislee could play 8 to 10 years as a backup. He’s similar to [UM’s] Mike James, but more explosive. Neither is special. I see Jelani Jenkins as a cover guy who will play a lot against a Tom Brady, not nearly as much against power teams.

“We thought at most Dallas Thomas would be a starting guard and backup tackle, not a starting tackle. We considered Dion Sims but had concerns about his speed.”

### Please see our last post for news on three more free agents visiting the Dolphins.

### Remember how former Canes Ray Ray Armstrong and Vaughn Telemaque talked about being one of the great safety tandems in college football? Telemaque still hasn’t found a team willing to invite him to rookie minicamp; Armstrong went undrafted and signed with the Rams… Here the final list of where the undrafted Canes ended up: Ramon Buchanon (Seattle contract), Jeremy Lewis (Tampa tryout), Kendal Thompkins (Kansas City tryout), Dalton Botts (Saints and Buccaneers tryouts). Jake Wieclaw has found nothing, his agent said.

### The Heat went from last in the league in rebounding during the regular season to outrebounding Milwaukee by 35 in the first round. But Chris Bosh said he saw this coming because “we’re a different team in the playoffs. It’s different when you know you have to get the rebound.”

### Celtics coach Doc Rivers doesn’t agree with the notion that a team with a good post presence is better equipped to beat Miami. “It’s going to be team toughness and mental toughness,” Rivers said. “You can have great size, but if you are not mentally tough, you are going to get smacked by them.”

### Predictably, Heat players insisted Tuesday they don't have a preference for their next opponent, though Miami was 3-0 against the Nets and 2-2 against the Bulls. The Heat will play the winner of the Bulls-Nets series, with Game 1 set for Monday in Miami. The rest of the schedule hasn't been announced.

### Marlins advisor Jack McKeon said outfield prospect Marcell Ozuna – promoted to the Marlins Tuesday – reminds me [of two-time American League home run champ] Tony Armas, with his power and speed.”

One NL scout said he believes Ozuna has more upside than Christian Yelich, the Marlins’ top position prospect. Ozuna hit 22, 23 and 24 home runs the past three seasons. “Ozuna can do it all – can run, can hit, can throw,” manager Mike Redmond said.

Ozuna was promoted ahead of Yelich for three reasons: Yelich recently returned from injury; he wasn't hitting as well as Ozuna, who was hitting .333 with five homers and 15 RBI; and unlike Ozuna, Yelich isn't yet required to be on the 40-man roster, so the Marlins would have needed to make room for him by purging a player.

### Miami Tropics coach Art Alvarez said point guard Angel Rodriguez, who is leaving Kansas State after being named second-team Big 12 to be closer to family in Puerto Rico, plans to commit to UM during his visit this week and then apply for a family hardship exception to try to become eligible this season.

### Former NBA All-Star Kenny Anderson, arrested for DUI in Pembroke Pines this past weekend -- he was more than twice the legal limit -- will not be retained as coach at Jewish Day School in Davie. He was the most famous high school basketball coach in Florida.

### I'm on Twitter now: @flasportsbuzz

Tuesday update: Fins bringing in three more tackles; NBA announces Heat date; Canes

Quick Tuesday update before we post a full buzz column later this evening:

### The NBA announced that the Heat will begin its next series next Monday, regardless of whether the Brooklyn-Chicago series ends Thursday in Game 6 or Saturday in a potential Game 7.

The Dolphins will continue their parade of free agent tackles on Wednesday when they bring in free agent tackles Tyson Clabo, Eric Winston and Winston Justice for visits.

Clabo was cut by the Falcons this offseason, and Winston by the Chiefs. Justice started 12 games for the Colts last season.

Winston visited the Dolphins in March, but the Dolphins at that time were unwilling to give him a deal any better than one year at low money.

Bryant McKinnie visited the Dolphins on Monday, then flew to San Diego to visit the Chargers.

The Dolphins had shown zero interest in McKinnie or Clabo until this week.

The Dolphins plan to add a veteran tackle as soon as they decide who's the best fit - both in terms of ability and financially.

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Some Monday notes:

### Veteran offensive tackle and former UM star Bryant McKinnie completed a one-day visit with the Dolphins this afternoon, and dialogue between the sides will continue in the coming days.

The Dolphins, San Diego and Baltimore are all possibilities for McKinnie, and there's a good chance he will visit San Diego in the next couple of days. The Ravens have discussed the possibility of re-signing him.

McKinnie met with Jeff Ireland and Dolphins coaches during his visit. 

McKinnie, 33, said two weeks ago he would welcome overtures from the Dolphins. Miami didn't contact him in the weeks before the draft but decided to consider him after failing to acquire a tackle during the draft and after declining to give the Chiefs a second-round pick this past weekend in exchange for Branden Albert.

McKinnie came to camp with a back injury last July - suffered when he fell down stairs at his South Florida home - and didn't start a game in the regular season. But he started at left tackle throughout Baltimore's run to the Super Bowl, when the Ravens offense was rolling.

He started every game for Baltimore at left tackle in 2011, and Pro Football Focus ranked him 42nd among 66 tackles that season.

### Jeff Ireland feels very good about his collection of cornerbacks: Brent Grimes, Dimitri Patterson, Richard Marshall, Nolan Carroll, a couple of young holdovers (including DeAndre Presley) and draft picks Jamar Taylor, Will Davis and Don Jones.

“I think there is a lot of competition,” Ireland said. “You’ve got some real good veterans that have played very good football in their career. Obviously, we had some guys that didn’t finish the season  but have shown a lot of productivity in their careers. Then, you have some young guys we’ve drafted.

“We’ve got some core special teams players and guys that have had some highlights in their careers as well. I feel good about the position. I think we’ve got a lot of talent over there. We’ve got to get these guys healthy, which, I think, a majority of them they are, and I look forward to seeing how that position plays out. But I think there’s a good mix of vets and young players that can fill out the roster from the cornerback position.”

### Ireland’s final assessment on the third day of the Dolphins draft: “I feel really good about it. Jelani Jenkins is very quick, very athletic, very versatile. He’s a great kid, very educated, smart. He’s going to be a core special teams player for us. He’s going to compete for obviously an outside linebacker position. I think he’s pretty versatile. I think he can back up inside and outside, but I think the guy’s got a chance to be a starter in the future.

“[Michigan State tight end] Dion Sims is a very intriguing prospect. He’s physical. He’s got very good hands. He’s a former basketball player. Very intriguing. He played at probably a little heavier weight in college than what we saw here in the last spring and that’s what really intrigued us about him is he lost some weight, showed us some discipline in that regard and moved around very well in the spring."

More Ireland: “I really like Mike Gillislee. He’s got a very good skillset for the running back position. He can pass protect. Kind of paid his dues there at Florida. He was a one-year starter. He catches the ball well and he pass protects. He runs it very well as well. He’s tough.”

Ireland said rookie Caleb Sturgis and veteran Dan Carpenter “are going to be in pretty good competition in camp and we look forward to that.”

Ireland, on the team’s final draft pick, Arkansas State’s Jones: “This kid really jumped out on the screen for us with his speed and physicality. He played kind of a nickel back for Arkansas State, kind of a hybrid safety position. We brought him here on a visit and got to know the kid. He was a non-combine workout guy and really kind of liked the kid. We’re going to try him at corner and see if we can put him over there. He’s played corner and safety in his career, so looking forward to that transition as well.”

### Gators coach Will Muschamp spoke to Dolphins writers today about the three Gators picked by the Dolphins. Among the highlights:

Muschamp said: “They got three great people, three great guys in the locker. Jelani Jenkins is an every down linebacker. The guy can really run and play in space. He has improved his physicality. He can play every down. In a spread league, you have to have guys who can play in a box and play every down. He can do that.”

He said Caleb Sturgis “is the best kicker I’ve ever been around. Accurate, strong leg. No issues. The confidence level I’ve had in him, I’ve never had in a kicker.”

He had three kicks blocked last season, but Muschamp said: “One was a snap issue, one was a protection issue. And the one blocked in the Missouri game wasn’t his fault because he had an ankle injury.”

On running back Mike Gillislee: “He was nowhere on the radar at this time last year. Good lateral quickness, can get vertical in a hole quickly. Can play every down, because he can protect. He’s got really good lower body flexibility and good punch and power on all blocks. Tough, hard nosed runner. Gets stronger as the game goes.”

### Among undrafted Canes players, Epicagents.com said two of its clients will join teams this week: linebacker Ramon Buchanan signed with Seattle and offensive lineman (and former defensive lineman) Jeremy Lewis will attend Tampa's rookie minicamp.

Receiver Kendal Thompkins will attend Chiefs’ rookie minicamp, and punter Dalton Botts was invited to the Saints’ rookie minicamp.

### The Heat is now 12-2 this year without Dwyane Wade and 29-7 without Wade since LeBron James joined the franchise.

### With Shane Larkin leaving, what will the UM backcourt look like?

“Ask me in November, because right now we don’t know the answer to that,” coach Jim Larranaga said. “We’re not finished recruiting. There are a lot of pieces to the puzzle we have to figure out.”

Rion Brown assuredly will start, and incoming DeAndre Burnett likely will play a lot. Garrius Adams can play small forward or shooting guard.

Analysts break down Fins' draft picks; How Cavs' move affects LeBron;Canes decline overtures

SUNDAY BUZZ COLUMN

What the evaluators are saying about the Dolphins’ Friday and Saturday draft picks:

### ESPN’s Mel Kiper rated Jamar Taylor fourth among all cornerbacks and said “he went from a fifth-round to a second-round pick on his performance this season. One of the stronger cornerbacks you’ll find. Plays the ball well. Good instincts.”… CBS’ Rob Rang: “Every bit as impressive in zone, press and off-man coverage as well as run support.”…

ESPN’s Todd McShay: “Will be a really good player.”… NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah: “Consistent on every tape I studied. Rock solid.”… Pro Football Weekly: “Short arms” but “desirable speed, cover skills. Can play outside or inside” and will “become a solid No. 2 corner.”.. Had four picks, 2.5 sacks and three forced fumbles in 2012.

### NFL Network’s Mike Mayock had only a fifth-round grade on third-round cornerback Will Davis. “I kept getting mixed messages,” NFL Network’s Charles Davis said. “One guy liked him a lot. Next guy, not so much.”… Rang compared him to Dolphins cornerback Richard Marshall, in that both have good coverage skills “and may only need greater physicality to emerge as a starter.”….

Pro Football Weekly: “Finesse corner. Needs to get stronger to jam stronger receivers and shed blocks. Average timed speed. [But] should contribute immediately in sub-packages before developing into a No. 2.”… Five picks, 17 pass breakups last year.

### Mayock and Davis agreed Tennessee’s Dallas Thomas is better at guard than tackle. If Dolphins coaches agree, he could replace Richie Incognito in a year…. Mayock: “If they think he’s the answer at tackle, I would disagree.”… As an example, Davis said Thomas “played appreciably better” at guard than tackle against Florida….

The good news: Thomas did not allow a sack either at left tackle in 2011 or at left guard in 2012. But Rang said he is “vulnerable to outside speed rushers” at tackle…. More Rang: “Explosive punch, which he often uses, to knock defenders back in run game.”… Pro Football Weekly: “Clear starter potential” but “looked more comfortable at guard” than tackle. He graded out at 98 percent at left guard in 2012.

### Kiper said Gators linebacker Jelani Jenkins is “a good cover guy, can run. Durability concerns. He could have been a first- or second-rounder if he returned to Florida. You added Philip Wheeler, Dannell Ellerbe at linebacker, and you have Koa Misi. Incredibly strong in the upper body.”…

Mayock: “Jenkins is going to make a living on special teams.”… Pro Football Weekly: “Agile, smart and good closing speed. Can run with backs/TEs” but “lacks ideal height [6-0], length and bulk. Poor body fat (18 percent) raises questions about conditioning. Can be overpowered facing inside runs.”

(Jeff Ireland, by the way, said tonight Jenkins "has a chance to be a starter" in the future.)

### Kiper said tight end Dion Sims “can stretch the deep middle, which is rare for a kid this size. Ryan Tannehill will like his big frame and soft hands and ability he brings in the pass offense.”… Twenty nine of his 36 catches in 2012 went for first downs or touchdowns.

But evaluators disagree about his blocking skills. McShay said “he’s going to have to improve as a blocker” and Kiper said “I’d like to see him dominate more as a blocker.” But Mayock said: “He and [Cincinnati’s Travis Kelcie] are the two best in-line blocking tight ends in this draft.”… Pro Football Weekly also said he needs to improve his blocking technique but he's "a load to bring down after the catch. Three-down potential, given size and athleticism.” But he has “concentration drops” and “immaturity could be limiting.”

### Mayock calls Mike Gillislee “an underlooked, bigger back that does everything well without one spectacular trait. Will pass protect. Catches the ball well.” … Davis: “You know what I love most about him? His odometer is low. One year as a featured runner.”… Has a sterling 5.3 career yards-per-carry average, with four fumbles in 421 touches…

McShay: “Some guys have a nose for the end zone. He does [11 touchdowns last season].” Perfect change of pace back."... Kiper notes he has some kickoff return experience, with modest results…. Pro Football Weekly: “Lacks ‘wow’ factor and top end finishing speed. [But] good instincts, vision… Very consistent across the board in every area and has tools to become a very dependable backup. Could prove to be a better pro than college player.”

### Pro Football Weekly on kicker Caleb Sturgis: “Excelled from distance. Experienced, dependable kicker whose strong leg and consistent accuracy give him the look of a longtime pro.” Missed only four of 28 field goals in 2012, but three were blocked…. Was 17 for 22 on field goals of 40 or more last two years. Ireland said it will be a competition between Sturgis and Dan Carpenter.

###### Kiper called Arkansas State safety Don Jones "underrated." (In fact, he was the first under-the-radar prospect I mentioned the FIns were looking hard at more than a month ago.) He has 4.4 speed in the 40 and an impressive 42-inch vertical jump, and the Dolphins will use him at corner, likely in the slot. NFL.com's Gil Brandt said he projects as a fifth or sixth corner. It won't be surprising if he makes the team as a seventh rounder, like Jimmy Wilson did.

CHATTER

### As of last week, Miami hadn’t offered Eric Winston anything more than a one-year deal at very low money, but Winston remains an option unless Miami and the Chiefs revive talks on Branden Albert. The Dolphins and Chiefs discussed the 54^th pick, but Miami ultimately decided not to offer it, though they did reach a financial understanding with Albert had a trade gone down.

Jon Gruden said Winston’s play was a “disaster” last year, but keep in mind Pro Football Focus ranked him a solid 26th of 80 tackles (allowed three sacks, 25 quarterback hurries). By comparison, Albert was 25th (1 sack, 12 hurries). Miami hadn't called Bryant McKinnie as of last week and also hasn’t called former Falcons starter Tyson Clabo, among the best free agent tackles left.

### The Fins are giving a tryout next week to Duquesne DB Zach Richert, who is Dan Marino's nephew... The Fins added several undrafted receivers: Arkansas State's Taylor Stockemer, Mississippi State's Chad Bumphis, Northern Iowa's Terrell Sinkfield and Mount Union's Jasper Collins.... Arkansas OLB Alonzo Highsmith, who missed most of last season with a foot injury, also signed with Miami after the draft. He's the son of the former UM great, now a Packers executive.

### Though he was a good team guy, a Dolphins player said Davone Bess grew frustrated at times the past two years after some games when he wasn’t involved as much in the offense as he would like. Bottom line: If he hadn’t been traded, being a fourth receiver likely wouldn’t have sat well with him.

Ireland said tonight he's comfortable with what Miami has at the position. The Dolphins see upside in Rishard Matthews and Armon Binns, who will compete with the undrafted rookies and former practice squad members Jeff Fuller and Brian Tyms for the No. 4 and No. 5 receiver jobs. With Miami using a lot of two tight-end sets, the fourth receiver could end up playing less than last year (16.6 percent of offensive snaps last season for the No. 4 receiver).

### A friend of LeBron James said Cleveland’s re-hiring of coach Mike Brown doesn’t hurt the Cavaliers’ chances of luring James back in 2014 but doesn’t tilt the odds toward Cleveland, either. “He left Cleveland with good feelings for Mike and speaks highly of him [privately],” the friend said.

James’ friend makes the Heat the front-runner to keep him when he can become a free agent in 2014, but also said Cleveland cannot be ruled out because of “his love for Akron – how special it is to him. I’d be very surprised if he considers anywhere but Miami and Cleveland.”

### James, by the way, surprised teammates by giving each of them a new pair of snazzy headsets before the playoffs. Rashard Lewis said that’s the sixth gift he has given teammates this season.

### Remarkable: Chris Andersen has 31 points and 19 rebounds in 42 playoff minutes, and the Heat has outscored the Bucks by 37 points during those minutes. That means he’s averaging a ridiculous 38 points and 22 rebounds per 48 minutes. For perspective, Joel Anthony averaged 8.0 and 7.9 per 48 minutes in a similar role last postseason.

### UM declined overtures to open the 2014 season against LSU at Houston’s Reliant Stadium – smart, considering it will be the first game for Stephen Morris’ successor at quarterback. UM doesn’t need him opening against a usually-stout LSU defense.

### Though Marlins pitcher Ricky Nolasco said previously he expects to be traded at some point, no team had inquired as of late this week and the Marlins expect talks won’t heat up until the summer, when a contender needs a starter. The Marlins, on a historically anemic pace offensively, hadn't actively looked to trade for a hitter as of Friday.      

### Please follow me on Twitter: @flasportsbuzz

Jeff Ireland address Friday night's Dolphins draft picks; Stephen Ross speaks out

Some quick comments from Dolphins general manager Jeff Ireland on his three picks Friday:

### On Boise State cornerback Jamar Taylor: "Great kid.  Prototypical size and speed.  Very smart.  Very physical.  Can play inside and outside.  He plays with a great awareness, instinct."

### On Utah State cornerback Will Davis: "Can play inside or outside. Very skilled athlete. Doesn't have a lot of experience. Really came on the scene this year.

"Obviously with his experience level you would think that he may be a little bit of a developmental player, but I think the guy has the skill set to play in this league. I think that with the great coaching that we have and the players around him, he will develop fast.” 

### Ireland said Tennessee offensive lineman Dallas Thomas would play on the left side, but he was non-committal about whether he will play guard or tackle. He said the coaches would determine that.

“We spent a lot of time watching him play in 2011 and 2012. I  love the versatility. When you see a big guy that can pull and move his feet and play guard and tackle on the left side, that’s pretty unique."

Ireland suggested he doesn't expect a trade for Kansas City's Branden Albert, but he also said nothing was going on with Davone Bess a day before was traded. He wouldn't rule out a trade for Albert.

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Dolphins owner Stephen Ross made some interesting revelations and comments in a studio appearance on Dan Le Batard’s show on 790 The Ticket today. Among them:

### “This organization is functioning the best since the Shula days, [because] I picked the head coach with Jeff Ireland. People see this organization is really on the uptick.”

### On Ireland: “People wanted to blame our losing on somebody, and he was the easy person to blame it on. I believe in Jeff, and you’re seeing today what Jeff Ireland can really do. This past year is the first year, under my [ownership] this organization is coming into its own.”

### He said No. 1 draft pick Dion Jordan reminded the front office of Jason Taylor and DeMarcus Ware.

### He said during his first year as owner, “Everybody had me walking on eggshells... or we were going to lose Bill Parcells.”... He disagreed with Le Batard's assertion that Parcells is a fraud: "I have a lot of respect for the guy. I like the guy. He didn't stay with it for personal reasons."

### On his trip to visit then-Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh when Tony Sparano was still the team’s coach: “I got blasted for Harbaugh. He turned out to be a pretty darn good coach. It wasn’t like I was looking in the wrong direction. Everyone said, ‘This guy doesn’t know what he’s doing.’… I learned a lot. I knew this guy would be a great head coach. We have one now.”

Ross said he quickly learned he was being used by Harbaugh's agent. Soon after, Harbaugh became head coach of the 49ers.

### Ross criticized former coach Tony Sparano: “The way Tony reacted to [the Harbaugh interview] damaged the whole organization. He could never put it behind him. I don’t think he was right head coach for Miami Dolphins. I didn’t hire him. We’re a much better organization today than then.”

Sparano was upset that Ross interviewed Harbaugh while Sparano was still employed, then was rewarded with a one-year extension that apparently didn’t soothe his feelings as much as Ross expected it would.

By the way, Ross openly questioned Sparano's coaching decisions around confidantes. He thought Sparano's teams played below their talent level.

### He said his pitch to Peyton Manning during free agency last spring included a role with the Dolphins after he retired. “I got to know Archie Manning. I tried every angle. You have to be tenacious. I thought we had a shot at him. We went up to Indianapolis. I then flew him from Indianapolis to North Carolina, to Duke, and he and I spent some time together.

“I know the reason why he made the decision. I made an offer I thought would get him there [with a post-playing career role that Ross did not specify on the radio]. He wrote me a letter: ‘I would love to come with you, but I guess that would mean I have to play for you.’

He said one of the main reasons Manning chose Denver was “his familiarity with the coaches and their [offensive] systems. He didn’t know our coaches or our system.”

### When Manning returned to Miami after meeting with the Dolphins and other teams, TV reporters cascaded on him, and helicopters followed his car back home.

“The helicopters really spooked him,” Ross said. “He wants privacy. He takes his profession very seriously. He didn’t want all that in Miami. There were a number of factors why we didn’t get him.”

### Ross revealed the team “hired five quarterback experts” last offseason to study available quarterback options. The reason? He said the Dolphins wanted “to leave no stone unturned, because we couldn’t make a mistake.” He said his experts liked Andrew Luck No. 1, Robert Griffin No. 2 and Tannehill third among quarterbacks in the 2012 draft.

### He said Tannehill “will turn out to be a great quarterback.”

### He said: “I don’t know if there’s a fair argument against” the team’s public financing plan. The Miami-Dade referendum is scheduled for May 14.

### What if the stadium financing plan is voted down? "There isn't a backup plan. If we don't get it, I'll have to figure it out."

### Why not pay for the whole project himself? "I'm paying much, much more than the percentage I would possibly benefit. It's not the community paying me. It's the tourists who stay in the hotels who are paying."

### He admitted he "absolutely" wishes there wasn't a vote on the issue. "The county commission could have voted for it, but we agreed to a referendum because of the Marlins deal. It's not even close to the Marlins [ballpark] deal. If it were close to the Marlins deal, it wouldn't even be [given] to the voters. Why should anybody be against it? If you really love Dade County, you shouldn't be against it. They're the beneficiaries."

### If fans feel hopeful about the team, does that help with the vote? "I would hope so. [But] I will be judged on if we have a winning team, not on the stadium. If we fail [with the stadium], I'm still trying to put a winning team on the field.... The challenge is great, but we're going to succeed."

### Please see our last post for analysis from pundits on the Dion Jordan pick; some players the Dolphins checked out at key positions; and an agent ripping the Marlins.

Mixed reaction on Dion Jordan pick; Fins draft notes; Agent rips Marlins

FRIDAY BUZZ COLUMN

Some reaction to the Dolphins’ selection of Oregon defensive end/linebacker Dion Jordan:

### NFL Network’s Mike Mayock: “He’s breathtaking off the edge. He’s got the potential to be Jason Taylor. He looks a little bit like an Aldon Smith. If he puts 20 pounds on that 6-7 frame, someday he might even be a DeMarcus Ware. He’s got that edge speed. The motor is excellent. At Oregon, they even put him over the slot and had him disrupt the slot in pass coverage. They’ve got Jared Odrick, who’s more of a defensive tackle than an end. They needed an edge presence, but they have to have a plan for left tackle.”

### ESPN’s Jon Gruden: “I really like Jordan’s athleticism but I’m shocked by this pick. [At Oregon] he plays six plays, he’s out six plays. When you watch Jordan play 70 snaps in an NFL game, that will be first time you ever seen him do it. He’s narrow. He’s got a shoulder problem. There’s a lot of unknown right now.

“No question he’s a great edge rusher, does an excellent job getting off the ball and beating tackles with edge pressure. [But] I don’t see inside moves. Everything is to the outside. For him to be a great pro, he will have to do more than just rush around the edge.”

### ESPN’s Mel Kiper said he’s best suited to be a 3-4 outside linebacker instead of a defensive end in a 4-3.

“At less than 250 pounds, can he hold up at the point of attack?” Kiper wonders. “Can he be a down guy against power tackles in the NFL?” But Kiper likes that "he made a lot of run stops behind the line of scrimmage – 23 tackles for loss the last two years.”

### NFL Network’s Steve Mariucci: “When he puts on a little muscle, he’s going to be dynamite. They’re going to find a way to have this guy on the field most downs.”

### Before the draft, NFLdraftscout.com’s Rob Rang predicted Jordan will be “exposed as overrated” and wonders why he wasn’t more productive. “Far from the sure thing that his cut-ups have led some to believe,” Rang said. “Rather than actually make plays in coverage, Jordan simply took up space.”

### NFL Network’s Marshall Faulk: “If you’re going to compete against the Patriots two times a year, you have to be able to beat a guy one-on-one and not blitz Tom Brady. You need this guy.”

### Pro Football Weekly called Jordan a “long-limbed, fluid moving athlete with surprising play strength given his linear frame… Could require patience to develop but could become a difference maker in two years given his natural explosion and raw physical skills…. Cannot fight through blocks… Does not disengage well once he’s locked up…. Sudden first step… Can cover tight ends and keep stride with backs.”

### NFL.com noted Jordan was rarely asked to play with a hand in the dirt as a traditional defensive end. But he said tonight that won’t be a problem. And Jeff Ireland said there's a possibility he might play linebacker. The coaching staff will determine that… Let’s hope Jordan ends up better than the other two Oregon players who went third overall: Joey Harrington and Akili Smith…. None of Jordan’s five sacks last season came against a double team.

### Here's what Dolphins owner Steve Ross said about the pick: “I’m very pleased. I’m really surprised. We had a dinner with the coaches and Jeff last week. At the end of the dinner, we went around asking, I asked them who they’d pick around there and the first choice was Dion Jordan. Everybody thought, ‘Hey, we’ll never get him.’ And it was like, just sitting in there and it was like Jeff said, ‘Let me just try it based on the things I hear.’

"I thought he was kidding and sure enough when [Oakland] called back I think everybody in that room was shocked. Joe (Philbin) will tell you that’s one player they really liked. They thought he was really different and I think it’s a great move. This is an impact player. There’s nothing better when you’re really drafting and you’re getting what you think is…with the third pick in the draft and the guy who you really loved… It’s a great thing. It’s a great day and the value, giving up as little as they had to give for him and looking at the numbers and how they assess things, these are incredible. Good day.” 

DRAFT TALK

Among the names still available that the Dolphins have spent extra time with at different positions:

### Running back: Had a private workout with Clemson’s Andre Ellington and spent a lot of time with North Carolina’s Giovani Bernard.

### Receiver: Washington State’s Marquess Wilson and junior college standout Courtney Gardner visited team headquarters. Miami also met multiple times with Lehigh’s Ryan Spadola and had a private audition with Texas A&M’s Ryan Swope and West Virginia’s Stedman Bailey. Among others on their radar: Louisiana Tech’s Quinton Patton and Utah All-American kick returner Reggie Dunn.

### Tight end: UF’s Jordan Reed and Michigan State’s Dion Sims visited, as did H-back/tight end Kyle Juszczyk, who could be the first player drafted from Harvard since Ryan Fitzpatrick in 2005. Among others they’ve shown interest in: Stanford’s Zach Ertz, Cincinnati’s Travis Kelcie, South Carolina’s Justice Cunningham, Maryland’s Matt Furstenburg.

### Offensive line: Too many to name all, but CSU-Pueblo’s Ryan Jansen, Chadron State’s Garrett Gilkey and FSU’s Menelik Watson visited. Among those with private Dolphins workouts: North Carolina’s Brennan Williams and Travis Bond, San Jose State’s David Quessenberry (Miami likes him) and West Virginia’s Jeff Braun.

### Linebackers: UF’s Jelani Jenkins and Jon Bostic visited. They’ve shown interest in Texas A&M Jonathan Stewart, Oregon’s Kiko Alonso and Ohio State’s Nate Williams, among others.

### Cornerbacks: Boise State’s Jamar Taylor, Houston’s DJ Hayden and Southeast Louisiana’s Robert Alford visited, and the Dolphins expressed interest in Mississippi State’s Darius Slay, Utah State's Will Davis, Oregon State’s Jordan Poyer and Cal’s Steve Williams, among others. "I don't know that [cornerback] is a huge need," Ireland said late Thursday night.

### Safety: Arkansas State’s under-the-radar Don Jones visited. Miami privately auditioned Michigan’s Jordan Kovacs and expressed interest in FIU’s Jonathan Cyprien, UCF’s Kemal Ishmael (Conference USA player of year) and Rutgers’ Duron Harmon.

### Specialists: Among kickers the Dolphins like: UF’s Caleb Sturgis (24 for 28 on field goals last year, and 17 of 22 beyond 40 last two seasons). Dan Carpenter likely will have competition. 

CHATTER

### Jeff Ireland said tonight that the Dolphins are "nowhere" on a Davone Bess trade, with one source saying Miami wants a higher pick than Cleveland has offered. Though Miami has the cap space, his salary of $2.7 million would be a bit pricey for a potential fourth receiver. And keep in mind Miami’s fourth receiver played just 16.6 percent of their offensive snaps last season.

The Dolphins signed Brandon Gibson with the clear intent of playing him quite a bit behind starters Mike Wallace and Brian Hartline.

### Dwyane Wade's 1 for 12 shooting in Game 3 against Milwaukee tonight was the second-worst of his career, barely ahead of a 1 for 13 night against Indiana in 2010. But "we had other guys who filled in the gaps," said Ray Allen, who led Miami with 23 points. "That's what this team is made of."

Said Wade: "After the game, I told [Allen], 'Thanks for picking me up.'"

But Wade helped a lot in other ways, with 11 assists, 9 rebounds, 5 steals and 2 blocks.

### Ricky Nolasco’s agent on Thursday lashed out at the Marlins for Tuesday’s unfortunate incident in which Nolasco came to Target Field in Minneapolis expecting to pitch the first game of a double-header, but then was sent back to the hotel so Jose Fernandez could pitch the first game, in sunny conditions, with Nolasco pitching the second game.

“To be told two or 2 ½ hours before a start that you’re starting eight or nine hours from now [instead] is a bunch of [expletive],” agent Matt Sosnick said, adding this “is very much in line with the message the Marlins have sent to veteran players.”

Sosnick doesn’t blame the baseball staff: “I know it wasn’t the manager’s decision, and [front-office executives] Larry Beinfest and Mike Hill have too much integrity to make that type of call. Whoever made the choice would have to have so little social and emotional awareness that would totally have a lack of understanding of how it would affect Ricky and the manager.”

 ### Please follow me on Twitter: @flasportsbuzz

Draft prospects the Dolphins have summoned; UM commitment; Heat playoff news, notes

Some Wednesday night Dolphins/Heat tidbits, as the Dolphins shop Davone Bess around the league and continue talks with Kansas City about Branden Albert:

NFL teams are permitted to bring 30 non-local draft prospects to team headquarters to meet with team officials and do medical tests. The Dolphins are interested in some (such as DJ Hayden and Kenny Vaccaro) more than others, but all piqued Miami’s interest enough to bring them in.

The Dolphins never release the names, but 19 of them ultimately leaked. Here are the 16 that I found:

Texas S Vaccaro

Houston CB Hayden

Arkansas State S Don Jones

Boise State CB Jamar Taylor

Washington State QB Jeff Tuel

Washington State WR Marquess Wilson

Southeast Louisiana CB Robert Alford

Alabama CB Dee Milliner

Utah DT Star Lotulelei

FSU OT Menelik Watson

Florida LB Jelani Jenkins

Florida TE Jordan Reed

Harvard H-Back/TE Kyle Juszczyk

Chadron State OT Garrett Gilkey

Michigan State TE Dion Sims

Sierra (CC) WR Courtney Gardner (considered of the draft’s top sleeper WRs; would have gone to Oklahoma if he had qualified academically).

### Credit Ben Volin of the Palm Beach Post (and soon to be Boston Globe) for unearthing Dolphins visits for Missouri DT Sheldon Richardson, Notre Dame LB Manti Te’o and Colorado State University-Pueblo OG Ryan Jensen.

The Dolphins could bring in as many players with local ties as they want for workouts on their local Pro Day April 3. But they spent extra time with a few on different days, including North Carolina RB Giovani Bernard (Miami likes him), Auburn DE Corey Lemonier and UF safety Matt Elam.

### The Dolphins spent some private time on campus with West Virginia's Tavon Austin, for those enamored with the speedy slot receiver.

UM COMMITMENT

Pearl River Community College defensive tackle Dalvon Stuckey, who was once a three-star FSU commitment, told Canesport.com on Wednesday that he will enroll at UM in January. Defensive tackle remains a UM priority in recruiting. He had 15 tackles for loss and eight sacks last season. He was rated by rivals.com as the 23rd-best defensive tackle out of high school a year ago.

HEAT CHATTER

LeBron James is widely expected to be named NBA Most Valuable Player sometime in the next couple of weeks. But he had to settle for finishing second to Memphis center Marc Gasol for the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award, which was announced Wednesday.

Gasol, who anchored the league’s stingiest defense, received 30 first-place votes and 212 points overall in a voting of media members. James had 18 and 149.

But James wasn’t listed in the top three of 74 of the 121 ballots cast.

James finished fourth for Defensive Player of the Year last season and ninth in his first season with the Heat. He finished second one other time -- in 2008-09, behind Dwight Howard.

“I would like to see him achieve Defensive Player of the Year. He’s deserving,” coach Erik Spoelstra said. “What you love about LeBron – the best player in the game – is how he values that side of the floor as a star player. A true two-way player.

“It’s not a coincidence the type of players we try to recruit into our system are two-way players who take as much pride on the defensive end.

“Also, the thing about LeBron is he was coached very well… [in] high school and the pros. [Cleveland coach] Mike Brown did a great job instilling a defensive background. You take for granted his impact defensively. He guards [every position] every night. In the fourth quarter, it’s whoever is the biggest threat against us – that’s who he’s guarding.”

Heat guard Dwyane Wade finished 16^th in the voting.

### Former NBA guard Baron Davis said on NBA TV’s postgame show Tuesday: “I think LeBron is going to be the greatest [of all time]. He’s definitely going to surpass Michael Jordan.”    

### The Heat did not practice Wednesday, and Spoelstra said the team’s day included “rest, treatment and flying.”

Wade, who missed six of the final 11 regular season games with a bone bruise in the right knee, said after Tuesday’s game: “I have a lot more improving to do with my health. Hopefully, I continue to feel better. I’m not where I want to be.”

### Shane Battier, who needed four stitches on his chin after a collision with Milwaukee center Larry Sanders, said he will be fine. 

### During the regular season, the Heat finished 30th in rebounding and the Bucks fifth. But the Heat has outrebounded them by 20 through two games.

Chris Andersen has 13 rebounds in 28 minutes – the same number Bosh has in 59.

### Here's more perspective on Birdman's impact: In Game 2, the Bucks shot 37.6 percent and were outscored by 14 during Andersen’s 12 minutes. Milwaukee shot 53.6 percent and outscored the Heat by two the rest of the time.

### Spoelstra stuck with Norris Cole for the entire fourth quarter of Game 2, after Cole scored five points during Miami’s 12-0 spurt to start the quarter.

“I had every intention of putting Mario Chalmers back in the there,” Spoelstra said. “The minutes and spark Norris gave us with the second unit obviously impacted the game.”

Chalmers has admitted that he sometimes has said something to Spoelstra this season when he wants to get back in the game.

“He’ll give me the look, makes sure he’s the first one I see,” Spoelstra said, leaning his head out to replicate what Chalmers does when Spoelstra peers down his bench.

“But it’s all in good nature. He’s rooting for Norris. They cheer for each other as much as anybody. I’ve enjoyed seeing that point guard relationship group.”

### Contrary to radio speculation, the Heat said the fact it’s not staying at Milwaukee’s Pfister Hotel – where it often stays – has nothing to do with folklore that the place is haunted by ghosts, but instead because the Milwaukee Dancesport Competition is being held there this weekend.

### The 15.6 TV rating for Game 2 – equaling 15.6 percent of all Dade/Broward homes with TV sets – was the highest ever for a Heat game on Sun Sports.