The New Guys addendum - The Undrafted Free Agents

CB/KR - A.J. WALLACE, PENN STATE - 6'1", 195 LBS 


CB - ROSS WEAVER, MICHIGAN STATE - 6'1", 208 LBS 

FS - JOHNATHAN AMAYA, NEVADA - 6'0", 203  LBS

 

NT - TRAVIS IVEY, MARYLAND - 6'3", 341 LBS


DT - VINCE OGHOBASSE, DUKE - 6'5", 305 LBS 


WR - ROBERTO WALLACE, SD STATE - 6'4", 223 LBS



WR - MARLON MOORE, FRESNO STATE - 6'0", 190 LBS


OT - ANDY LEAVINE, FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL - 6'5", 305 LBS

The New Guys

Upon completion of the 2010 NFL Draft, I feel like Miami did well but probably could've done better.  Ultimately we won't know how good a draft it was until a year or two have passed, but to me, none of the players really scream 'Pro-Bowler' to me.  But with that said, there should be improvement to the team overall, and thus I guess you would have to consider it a successful draft at this stage.  

The addition of the undrafted free agents shows that Miami did cover all their needs between Free Agency, Trade, Draft and subsequent free agent signings.  As we sit on April 25th, Miami can head straight to camp with 'all the bases covered'.

JARED ODRICK


KOA MISI


JOHN JERRY

AJ EDDS



NOLAN CARROLL



RESHAD JONES



CHRIS MCCOY 
 

AUSTIN SPITLER 

 

UNDRAFTED FREE AGENTS:

CB/KR - A.J. WALLACE, PENN STATE - 6'1", 195 LBS 
CB - ROSS WEAVER, MICHIGAN STATE - 6'1", 208 LBS

SS - JOHNATHAN AMAYA, NEVADA - 6'0", 203  LBS

NT - TRAVIS IVEY, MARYLAND - 6'3", 341 LBS
DT - VINCE OGHOBASSE, DUKE - 6'5", 305 LBS
WR - ROBERTO WALLACE, SD STATE - 6'4", 223 LBS
WR - MARLON MOORE, FRESNO STATE - 6'0", 190 LBS
OT - ANDY LEAVINE, FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL - 6'5", 305 LBS

New Dolphin - Brandon Marshall, WR

I knew a Brandon Marshall trade was imminent once he signed his RFA tender, and I knew if it came down to Miami vs Seattle, that Miami would win out, but I was still a bit shocked when I heard the news.

The Dolphins have traded their 2010 and 2011 2nd round draft picks for the services of the star Broncos wide receiver.

The truth is, this trade just about screwed up all the mock drafts out there, and also proves once and for all that the Trifecta a) never believed they had that #1 WR on the roster or that they didn't need to get one, b) weren't going to go between the Dansby signing and the Draft without another big move, and c) can never, ever, ever again say with a straight face that their number one concern is bringing in high character guys.

They've brought in some misfits in their time, but this move proves that in the end, talent wins out over good character, and on the field at least we should have a much improved team already with a now experienced rocket arm QB, a true #1 WR, a healthy and experienced o-line, a much improved interior linebacking group, and any secondary that doesn't include Gibril Wilson.  The Dolphins would do very well to wait out an extension on Marshall's contract to see if a new mature Marshall shows up or the same old locker room diva.  At least 'popcorn muscles' won't be in the locker room with him.

There is one thing this trade brings into focus.  It implies that the Dolphins are going to try to recover a 2nd or early 3rd round pick to sort of make-up for the one they lost.  It implies that WR is out of the running for the 1st and 3rd round picks they currently have.  It implies that OL, FS, DT, and LB are the only likely choices with those picks.  I'd go a little further than even that to suggest that the Dolphins will now most likely go with FS at the top of the draft.  I still think Brandon Graham is the safer choice, but someone like Eric Berry or Earl Thomas are rated higher as far as BPA goes.

I also think the Dolphins should hang on to Ted Ginn Jr now.  A combination of Marshall, Hartline, Bess and Ginn is the complete game-day foursome that covers any play-calling options you need.  Ginn could go back to returning kicks and punts full-time (he's more likely to score TDs that way anyway).

UPDATE:  Per Adam Shefter, "Brandon Marshall reaches agreement with Dolphins on four-year, $47.5 million extension, including $24 million guaranteed."  Personally I think that's a bad move by the Dolphins.  They should've either waited to see what version of Marshall shows up to camp or cut the guaranteed money.  This 5 year/$50M or $10M per year deal is insane.  How did the bank ok this?  Was it Washington Mutual?

New Dolphin - Richie Incognito, G

I really can't be bothered to write about this, I think we've already said all there is to be said, so here is a brilliant cut and paste job instead:

"In a continued effort to strengthen its offensive line, the Miami Dolphins on Wednesday reached agreement on a one-year contract with temperamental guard Richie Incognito, a league source told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter.

The 26-year-old Incognito, a five-year veteran, spent his entire career with St. Louis after being drafted in the third round in 2005, but his tenure ended late last season following his second benching of the season by the Rams.

In a 40-point December loss to the Titans, Incognito drew two personal foul penalties for head-butting opponents, was benched by coach Steve Spagnuolo and watched the second half from the bench with a poncho over his head.

Incognito, who was named the dirtiest player in the NFL earlier in 2009 by The Sporting News, was later fined $50,000 by the NFL for the head butts.

Two days after the loss to Tennessee, Incognito was waived by the Rams, then claimed by the Bills the following day. He started the final three games for Buffalo.

In 2008, Incognito criticized the Rams' dwindling fan base in 2008, made an obscene gesture to a TV cameraman during practice and encouraged hecklers by cupping his hands to his ears while leaving the field after a loss.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report."

New Dolphin - Jason Ferguson?

According to preliminary reports, the Dolphins have re-signed Nose Tackle, Jason Ferguson, to a new contract.  This comes in the same week he was suspended by the NFL for violating the illegal substances policy.  He will miss the first 8 games of the season which means he can rehab through training camp/pre-season and be placed on the PUP list, thereby technically only 'missing' 2 extra games.

The Dolphins will likely still draft a replacement in April.

New Dolphin, Again - Chad Pennington, QB

Since I started this blog after the 2008 season, I never got to welcome Pennington to the fold officially.  When he was signed in 2008, it took me at least 2 months to get over him being a NY Jet.  But his apparent desire to stay in Miami as a back-up has cemented his status as a loyal Dolphin in my mind, or at least a loyal Trifectanite, which is the same thing for now.  

And ultimately the news today that Pennington will be the 3rd string QB behind Tyler Thigpen has made my heart all a flutter.  Henne #1, Thigpen #2 - the way it should have been all along.  And as harsh as it may sound, goodbye to Pat White as a QB.  Originally I thought that Thigpen was going to be traded (and he still might), but for now it looks like White is the one on the chopping block, at least as a quarterback.

Many of us, myself included, thought that the Trifecta would never admit failure on the infamous 2009 2nd round draft pick, but in a move that clearly shows a lack of confidence in White's ability, and possibly indicates that Parcells won't allow his man-crush-itis too seep into the 2010 draft, the Dolphins management have righted the track again.  

After 2009's early going, and the subsequent injury and surgery, I'm not going to lie to you - I don't want Pennington to play in 2010.  But his locker room presence, his maturity, and his cheerleading/mentoring on the sidelines could be worth the couple of million dollars he's been awarded.

Breaking News! Dolphins sign a Fullback.

B.C. Lions lose Rolly Lumbala to Miami Dolphins

Wednesday, January 6th, 2010 | 12:40 pm

Canwest News Service

VANCOUVER - Rolly Lumbala is hoping his second go-round with the Miami Dolphins is finally a charm.

The second-year B.C. Lions fullback decided to sign a two-year contract with Miami following a workout Tuesday in Pittsburgh, his second with a National Football League team in the span of a month.

Lumbala said the offers from the Dolphins and Steelers were essentially the same, but he chose Miami after concluding that the Dolphins were a better fit. It will be his second try at making the 'Phins. Lumbala signed with Miami in 2008 after the NFL draft but was released soon after following a three-day mini- camp. He then signed with the Lions, who selected him ninth overall in the 2008 CFL college draft from the University of Idaho.

The African-born, Calgary-raised running back spent two seasons with the Lions as a blocking back and special teams player.

"I grew up watching the CFL and loving the CFL," Lumbala said. "But I just couldn't pass up this opportunity. I'm still young [he turns 24 on Jan. 30] and I would kick myself if I didn't take the chance. It's really just a beginning. I haven't accomplished anything yet. It's just the first step in trying to make the team."

Lumbala worked out with the Dolphins just before Christmas on a tryout arranged by his agent, Ty Barnes. The option-year signing period for CFL players began on Monday and goes until Feb. 15.

While he didn't receive the offer of a signing bonus from either the Steelers or Dolphins, Lumbala said he was encouraged by the example of former Lions teammate Stefan Logan. The pair met up Tuesday in Pittsburgh. Like Lumbala, Logan didn't get a signing bonus from Steelers. But he made the team following an eye-opening 2009 pre-season campaign and finished his first season as the NFL's No. 3 leader in kickoff return yardage, setting a Pittsburgh single-season record in the process.

"Stefan went out and competed and look what happened," Lumbala said. "You can get all the signing bonus you want, but you still have to make the team."

Lumbala hasn't had the opportunity yet to break the news to Lions head coach and GM Wally Buono or assistant Neil McEvoy, both of whom are on vacation.

mbeamish@vancouversun.com

New Dolphin - Evan Oglesby, CB

The Dolphins have signed a new cornerback, and it's undrafted journeyman, Evan Oglesby, who played for the Ravens, then the Cowboys who tried to trade him last year but had to cut him to make room for safety Keith Davis (remember him?).  He then was re-signed by the Ravens again in March 2009 only to be cut in final pre-season cuts.  He worked out for the Arizona Cardinals less than a month ago.

He is 27 years old, 5'10", 190lbs, runs a 4.53 forty, and played for The University of North Alabama.

Oglesby will wear number 41.

Safety, Nate Ness, was released from the 53 man roster.

New Dolphin - Jason Taylor

Jason Taylor is a Dolphin. Again. I'm not going to freak out, or float in exultation either. We all know what Jason has done as a Miami Dolphin. We don't know if he can still do it. He might be able to, he might not.

The real question for me is if he's going to attend the OTAs that he famously skipped last year. He was remarkably out of football shape last year and it ended his season very quickly, after suffering two injuries in a month's time.

I do find it somewhat ironic that as we spent the last two days here discussing the new up and coming pass rushers on this team, the team was hammering out the contract terms to bring Taylor back. Does that mean our discussions have been in vain? Didn't they say that they would wait to see how Wake and Bake (these things write themselves!) turned out before making a decision on Taylor? They obviously didn't wait. Maybe they thought the Pats were about to make their move.

When I see him actually attending the OTAs and Camp and 'showing up' I will be as giddy as the rest of the fans. But until then, I'll move with cautious optimism, and hope for a re-birth of the Dolphins' sack monster.

New Dolphin - Cameron Wake

To the left, Cameron Wake (#94) lets out a scream after a tackle in a Penn State/Iowa game. #99 looks like he's about to take notes on how to scream after a tackle. Not known as a fan favorite because he apparently sucked at football, Wake did manage to get 191 tackles in 2 years as a starter at WLB. (he missed his sophomore year with a torn MCL, and was a reserve in his freshman year). He was known more for his athletic ability than anything, posting amazing numbers at the Combine and his pro day: 4.49 40, 45.5" vertical, 10'10" broad jump (say what!!) to name a few.

But after his collegiate career he went undrafted and joined the NY Giants, did not make a splash, and was cut after the June mini-camp. Why he didn't get picked up by another team is a bit of a question mark, but after doing some investigating, I discovered that in addition to Wake actually showing up at the wrong place for his CFL work-out audition, he had a history of not being a gym guy, and also being slow to pick up schemes and read plays.

And then he sat on his butt for a year.

This is where his story starts to sound like a Hollywood movie.

Because this is when the Earthq'WAKE was born. Like a phoenix rising from the ashes (after spending a year doing nothing but lifting weights and staying up all night imagining himself playing professional football, yearning for it 24 hours a day), a phoenix with a new moniker (changed from Derek to Cameron), a new body (put on 25 lbs of muscle), and a new attitude. An attitude of being not only 'good enough' but striving to be the best. Not his own personal best, but better than anyone else, too.

This is a story of a man completely changing himself for the better. That's a hard thing to do. Most people if put under pressure, could turn it up a notch, maybe give '110 percent'. Wake, under no other pressure than wanting it badly, turned it up to 200 percent. And it worked. He became an overnight success in the CFL, so popular that fans made ridiculous photo-shop wall papers of him (see orange monstrosity above - like anyone would want an orange computer screen...).

And then....I discovered Wake through reading about the Arizona Cardinals. They were very big on this guy, and I thought little of it. Until the South Florida media stated he was working out for the Dolphins. And then, a week later, he was a Dolphin. Still wearing his CFL number, 91, Wake will likely back-up Joey Porter this year, a perfect mentoring situation, allowing him to learn the speed of the game for a year before growing into a starting role. I do, however expect him to get a lot of snaps, as he could be in the nickel package right away as he is known for being good at covering underneath.

As much as it shocked me that I hadn't done a 'New Dolphin' segment on Wake yet, I believe I passed on it initially because there was a media frenzy at first, and then by the draft most people had forgotten about him. Well, while I don't want to jump the boat and say he'll be the next big thing for Miami, I don't think I'll be taking a significant risk when I order my #91 jersey this fall. I will of course wait until then just in case he gets hurt during camp and put on IR.

So, are you ready for the EarthQ'Wake? :)

Tin-Bits for Tin-co de Mayo

• The dreaded Patriots will play in throwback uniforms for four games this season, including the December 6th match-up with the Miami Dolphins. Question is, will the Dolphins be doing the same?

• "On Nov. 1, the Miami Dolphins, who joined the AFL as an expansion team in 1966, visit the Jets. On Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 26, Oakland visits the Cowboys. Three days later, Miami is at Buffalo. On Dec. 8, the final legacy game has New England at Miami."~Palm Beach Post. It seems that only the original eight AFL teams will be wearing the throwback jerseys.
  

• I know it's a bit redundant to post a link to Omar Kelly's blog at the Sun-Sentinel, but to me, the fact that he actually wrote about Tearrius George deserves a link.

• As soon as I have enough free-time to figure out how to do some flash animation, I'm going to attempt to do a semi-animated depth chart for the site. Ultimately I want to be able to scroll onto a player and see an actual image of the player. If anyone knows how to do this, I'd love any advice and/or help.
  

• I checked in with rookie free agent signing, Louis Ellis, from Shaw University. He just officially notified friends and fans alike that he is a Miami Dolphin (for now). It seems like he's coming into the NFL with a big chip on his shoulder. Hopefully I'll get a chance to talk more in-depth with him throughout the summer. Here he is (#92)in high school in some of the most unusual DT action I've ever seen. (Get a load of #97 with his pants falling off at about 0:21).
  

He really shows a lot of athleticism and motor to me. I'm not convinced he's here to be a nose tackle. The way he gets off of blocks suggests he could be a good 3-4 end. Also Sparano has now said three times that he wants Ellis to shed a bunch of weight, possibly getting him back down near his high school playing weight. I'm not ruling out the Nose for Ellis, just throwing something out there.

New Dolphin - Chris Clemons, FS

I make no bones about the fact that I thought Clemons was the only 'solid' pick on the second day of the draft for Miami. While I think both he and Andrew Gardner presented good value where they were chosen, Clemons is probably the only one who is a near-guarantee to make the roster (yes, that includes Turner and Hartline).

Clemons came into Clemson as a cornerback so he has cover skills, and his hit-first, ask questions later style of football is something we've been sorely missing at the free-safety spot. Last year you could see the gears turning in Renaldo Hill's helmet. With the addition of Gibril Wilson, and Vontae Davis we brought in a more physical starting secondary, but do not be surprised to hear this guy's name called a lot during 2009 as he likely comes off the bench behind Wilson and could spell Bell as well.

He amassed 270+ tackles as a 3 year starter alongside another Clemson safety you may have heard of (Hamlin), but he knew from a very young age he wanted to be an NFL player.

"The thought takes his mother, Lillie Gulledge, back to when Clemons was a 4-year-old. She scolded him one night when she found him sleeping with a dirty football in his bed.

Clemons told her he wanted to be a football player one day, and she flippantly responded he didn’t know a thing about football. After making him put away the football, she discovered in the morning he had retrieved it during the night.

“I wish now that I had kept that ball, because his childhood dream has come true,” Gulledge said."

(click here for the rest of Clemon's background story, and to better understand why he will make sure he makes the roster)

Round Up - New Dolphin Jersey Numbers

Right now the customized jerseys are on sale everywhere and the Dolphins have assigned numbers to their new players. They may not be wearing the same numbers come opening day if they make the cut, but after looking it over, I see no reason why 99% of them would be changed. So without further ado, here are the new players with their jersey numbers:

Jy Bond, #3
Pat White, #6
Brennan Marion, #14
Eric Green, #21
Vontae Davis, #24
Gibril Wilson, #28
Chris Clemons, #30
Sean Smith, #31
Anthony Kimble, #45
Orion Martin, #48
Tearrius George, #49
J.D. Folsom, #59
Mark Lewis, #60
Andrew Gardner, #63
Jake Grove #64
Joe Berger #67
SirVincent Rogers, #73
Tony McDaniel, #78
Ryan Baker, #79
Brian Hartline, #82
Patrick Turner, #84
John Nalbone, #86
Chris Williams, #87
Jared Bronson, #89
Cameron Wake, #91
Louis Ellis, #93

Cameron Wake played under #91 in Canada, so I'd bet he requested that number. And THAT's why they cut Vonnie Holliday! It all makes perfect sense now. So for any of you who may have an old Holliday jersey, you know what to do...

I'm tempted to do a Jy Bond jersey, just so a few years down the road, I'll get puzzled looks from people while wearing it...

New Dolphin - Vontae Davis, CB

Better get used to seeing this guy, Vontae, you just got drafted by the same team!

One thing you notice right away from watching these high school videos of Vontae Davis playing football is that he's got his eye on the ball and on the receiver at the same time. He is known for closing on the receiver and closing on the ball. He is also known for smacking people in the mouth and for being a trash talker at the LOS.

Vontae chose Illinois over Maryland, Michigan State, and Virginia and was the top rated player coming out of Washington, D.C. in 2006. After his 3 year stint there, which included 206 tackles and 7 interceptions (he probably dropped another 7, you can see his inconsistent hands in the videos).

Here, Vontae knocks some poor fella into the middle ages. Makes me want to play again. Who's up for it?

Sean Smith will come in as a reserve, initially battling with Nate Jones, Scorpio Babers, Joey Thomas and Will Billingsley. Davis will come in as a potential starter from day one. I know you're thinking he's a first rounder, he's supposed to start. Well that isn't generally true with cornerbacks, as they now have to learn different schemes, improve their technique, match up against faster, taller, stronger receivers and can often times look bad when first starting out. At this point, I see Davis as part of an open competition with Jason Allen and Eric Green. He might well win out in the end, but don't give him the job before he's earned it.

In any event, I'd be much happier with the following secondary than we were before:

LCB Will Allen, Vontae Davis
SS Yeremiah Bell, Tyrone Culver
FS Gibril Wilson, Chris Clemons
RCB Jason Allen, Eric Green

NCB Nathan Jones, Sean Smith

What do you think?

New Dolphin - Pat White, QB

(shudder) (twitch) (eek!) ok, so we've drafted Pat White out of West Virginia. It happened, I'm ok with it (not really, but I'm going to have to get used to it).

I suppose it happens every year, a draft pick that makes you go "hmmm..." or more accurately, one that makes you start crying into your hands in front of your friends and family. Imagine what you would do if you were all alone....

Well, for the Tin-man, THIS was that pick. And not because of the reasons you may think. It's not because it take away from Henne's development, or because it implies the Wildcat will be focused on more than hard-nose football that we thought we were working towards. I fully understand the concept of a three-dimensional offense and allowing playmakers to make plays and getting the yards and TDs however you can get them. I understand that. Here's what I don't understand.

Pat White hysteria.

I have watched this guy for his entire career, and not once did I think 'NFL'. He has had some big games and some not so good games versus my USF Bulls in the last 4 years. We beat them twice, and they beat us twice. I have also seen him in Bowl games, as well as the odd random Big East match-up. And my impression has always been the same - "Damn, this kid is tiny and feeble, we /the defense should knock the bejeezus out of him!" He is small, skinny, not particularly 'speedy', has an average arm at best (accurate, but not strong/zippy), and has never looked for contact. He runs out of bounds more than Ted Ginn's entire family. And a lot if not most of his TDs were on blown defensive plays.

'But, Tinshaker, he holds all these records and dominated the Big East!'

True, he does hold a few records, but two of them will be surpassed easily by Matt Grothe this season (Passing TDs and overall yards) and Grothe is a better runner, in my opinion, and looks for contact. And White only passed for 300+ yards ONCE in four years, in his final Bowl game. He only threw for 200+ yards 5 times in the regular season in four years. Is he really an NFL QB?

Or was he a product of the system he played under at WVU. Defenses would have nightmares trying to contain the two headed monster of White and Steve Slaton. When Slaton left, White had to focus more on the passing game, but if you look at his stats over his career, they always dipped considerably against Big East opponents, and were often inflated against lesser opponents.

Anyway, this is not a competition, but an introduction to a player that most people know through the highlight reels. But I've seen alot more than highlight reels over the years.

One thing you get from watching Pat White over the years is that he's not necessarily a 'leader' and he never takes the ball from center (to me this another indicator that he won't be in the running as a proper QB), but he does have a quiet, modest, get-the-job-done demeanor that the Trifecta probably values above all else.

West Virginia fans love this guy like he's the second coming, and the Miami Dolphins just found themselves with a few thousand new hillbilly fans.



And here is why:

New Dolphin - Tony McDaniel, DE - Updated

The Dolphins traded a 7th round pick for Jacksonville Defensive Tackle, Tony McDaniel. Besides a high salary, a horrible injury history, and basic limited production, McDaniel also has a criminal past. In 2005, while attending the University of Tennessee (are we on a Tennessee streak here or what?), McDaniel was charged with aggravated assault after sucker punching a co-student during a pickup basketball game. The action happens at the 20 second mark of the video right underneath the basket. The scary part is the non-action of all the other people. The victim had a broken jaw in four places. McDaniel got a $3000 fine and probation.

UPDATE: After the incident, McDaniel chose to enter the NFL draft early, which prompted a civil lawsuit being filed by the victim for $800k in 2006. The civil lawsuit was settled in January 2008. Terms were undisclosed.

New Dolphin - GIBRIL WILSON, Safety

Gibril Wilson, the most recent addition to the Dolphins' secondary, speaks with an accent. He was born in Sierra Leone but grew up in Northern California before turning down USC, UF, and Oregon to play at Tennessee.

The poor guy probably actually wanted to be a Raider growing up in San Jose. He got to play there for one year after winning the Super Bowl with the New York Giants.

I have to be honest, if I were Wilson, I'd have wanted to stay in New York. He is a New York kind of guy. Metropolitan, to say the least. Brandon London is not the only model/football player on the Dolphins roster. While I've seen the likes of Jake Long posing for sports-related advertisements, I doubt you'd see Long or Chad Henne walking the catwalk anytime soon. Wilson is the face of NYC's Eredi Pisano, an Italian upscale men's clothing line and store. So while Brandon London likes to take his shirt off, Wilson likes to dress up in a three-piece suit.

But what about his football side?

The first thing you notice about Wilson is that he's a lot bigger than recently-turned-Bronco, Renaldo Hill. He's not huge by any means, but Hill was an undersized Safety. Wilson is known as a strong tackler and can play both safety positions. With the re-signing of Yeremiah Bell, Wilson will likely move back to Free Safety, the position he played for the Giants.

After searching through dozens of photos of Wilson playing football, I was a bit distressed as it seemed that in 95% of them he was dropping the ball, getting scored on, or missing a tackle. I don't remember how he played against us last year, but I know we won the game. I also know from reading the Raider's injury report from 2008 that he had a terrible year health-wise, injuring an elbow, a knee, his back, a toe and missing time due to illness. All that time off allowed a rookie to come in and steal his job.

The truth is, Wilson is not by any means someone we can immediately consider an 'upgrade' over Hill at this point. This is a definite wait and see position we have put ourselves in. I think at this point we will be looking for more competition at Safety, as we now have Kilmer, Culver, and Bryan as our reserves, with Bell and Wilson starting. That is not a particularly solid group.

In any event, Wilson is here now in Aqua and Orange and will hope to make a 'splash' as a Dolphin.

New Dolphin - JAKE GROVE, Center

Jake Grove recently became extremely higher paid than Samson Satele, thus making him the starting Center for the Miami Dolphins. As a Virginia Tech stand-out, he was called a "Great leader who really set the pace for the rest of the offensive line...A relentless warrior on the field, Jake has everything you want a center to have."

When he was drafted in 2004 he was ranked essentially the same as Alex Mack is in 2009. But there's no doubt he's much more physical than Mack. And he has 4 seasons (or partial seasons) under his belt. So there's no question as to his ability. It's all up to chemistry and good health at this point. Below is a look into where Grove comes from and a taste of his personality as it was in 2004. He definitely looks a bit more grizzled and hardened now, what with the scars and facial hair. But he's not a trouble-maker, despite his 'nasty' reputation, which he explains in the video.

Welcome to the team, Jake! (btw, this works out well for me since you know it's my ultimate goal to have as few first names as possible on the team, and now we have two jakes on the o-line)

Click here to read an interview with Grove in 2006, talking about his small town roots and his football career.