National Football League

Senior Bowl duty guides Dolphins' draft decisions

Published Apr. 25, 2010 12:49 a.m. ET

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The day before the Senior Bowl in January, North team defensive end Jared Odrick crossed paths with South team coach Tony Sparano of the Miami Dolphins.

Odrick was in a feisty mood.

``I asked coach Sparano what the first play was going to be,'' Odrick recalled. ``He said, 'We're sure as heck not telling you.'''

Nearly three months later, Sparano and the Dolphins drafted Odrick because they liked what they saw up close - and not just his sense of humor.

In fact, the Dolphins devoted their first four picks in the NFL draft to Senior Bowl players. They were Penn State's Odrick, outside linebacker Koa Misi of Utah, guard John Jerry of Mississippi and linebacker A.J. Edds of Iowa.

Dolphins general manager Jeff Ireland, a placekicker in the Senior Bowl in 1992, said the Miami regime benefited from Sparano and his staff coaching at the game in Mobile, Ala.

``Being around as much as we were, you really find out a lot more about the kids,'' Ireland said. ``We really felt it was a competitive advantage for us over other teams to get to know these kids the way we did.''

The Dolphins addressed most of their glaring needs in the three-day draft ending Saturday, although they waited until late in the fifth round to take a safety - Reshad Jones of Georgia. They also drafted Maryland cornerback Nolan Carroll in the fifth round and made two seventh-round picks: Outside linebacker Chris McCoy of Middle Tennessee State and inside linebacker Austin Spitler of Ohio State.

Miami didn't draft a single player at a skill position. Seven of the eight selections were defensive players, which should help a team that gave up a franchise-record 140 points in the fourth quarter last season.

``There were some guys we targeted, and some guys we didn't think would be there,'' Ireland said. ``When they're there, you take them. You trust your board. That's why there was more defensive emphasis - it was just the way the chips fell.''

The Dolphins also acquired reserve inside linebacker Tim Dobbins from the San Diego Chargers when they traded down in the first round.

Odrick, Misi and Jerry are expected to contend for starting jobs. The Dolphins' long search for a playmaking receiver ended when they traded last week for two-time Pro Bowl wideout Brandon Marshall, and the addition of Odrick will allow veteran Randy Starks to move from defensive end to nose tackle, plugging another hole.

``We're a lot better team today than we were two months ago - a lot better,'' Ireland said. ``Offensively we have a lot more firepower. Defensively I think we're a lot more sound. We're younger and faster on defense. I feel real good about it.''

Misi and Edds are expected to provide immediate help for a linebacking corps depleted by the offseason departures of Joey Porter, who was released, and Jason Taylor, signed this week by the New York Jets. Porter led Miami in sacks the past two seasons, while Taylor is the NFL's active sack leader.

Edds provides playmaking potential, but primarily in pass coverage, where he made five interceptions last season. He met with Sparano and Ireland during Senior Bowl week.

``I must have done something to make an impression on them,'' Edds said. ``I told them on the phone just now that they're not going to regret their decision taking me.''

Ireland said Edds has a chance to play as a rookie in a third-down role.

``He's a very good cover linebacker,'' Ireland said. ``He probably had more interceptions than most of the top corners in the draft. He's very fast for the position.''

The Dolphins drafted Carroll based on his potential and anticipate he could help this year as a nickel back. Plagued by injuries, he had no interceptions in college and made only six career starts before breaking his leg early last season.

Carroll will put off a possible career in politics to pursue a job in the NFL. He's a native of Green Cove Spring, Fla., and his mother, Jennifer, is a Republican in the Florida House of Representatives.

``I keep seeing myself going down that road,'' Carroll said. ``If I go with her to any type of meeting or convention or something, I get the feel that 'I probably could be doing this.'''

Jones, who made 11 interceptions in college, decided after his junior year to turn pro and thought he might be drafted as early as the second round. Instead, he lasted until pick No. 163 and was the 13th safety taken.

``He needs to be a little more consistent in some aspects of his play,'' Ireland said, ``but he has a huge upside.''

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