Tweet
"The receivers in the league are getting much bigger now. Obviously, you look for good players first. If they have the size you want its prototype," Joseph said Saturday on the second day of Dolphins rookie minicamp. "But you want guys who can cover first. Quickness, ball skills, good lateral movement. The size is extra."
And that's exactly what the Dolphins added this offseason when Miami traded for Byron Maxwell, and last week by drafting Baylor's Xavien Howard in the second round and Penn State safety Jordan Lucas, who Miami will move back to cornerback, in the sixth.
...
Joseph does admit that size doesn't always mean good movement skills. Many of the NFL's bigger cornerbacks are stiff, and usually clutch and hold speedy receivers to keep the offensive players from getting loose behind them. Howard had that problem at Baylor, but Joseph doesn't seem too worried.
"He's a second-round pick. When you're drafting guys in the second round you're hoping they have size and [good] movement, and [Howard] does," Joseph said. "He's a six foot guy with 5-10 corner movement skills. That's special."
According to a league source, the Dolphins targeted Maxwell in this offseason's trade with the Philadelphia Eagles because they felt he'd help Miami's defense match up with New York's Brandon Marshall and Buffalo's Sammy Watkins, two of bigger receivers in the NFL, who happen to be in Miami's division.
The Dolphins plan to utilize these new bigger cornerbacks in a press-zone scheme, which allows the cornerbacks to be physical at the line of scrimmage with the receivers, but then drop back into zone coverage.
The Dolphins plan to throw Howard and Lucas into the deep end of the pool to determine if the rookies sink or swim.
"I'm just coming in here to make plays and hopefully be a starter," said Howard, who pulled down 10 interceptions during three seasons at Baylor. "I love that they're talking about it, but I've got to live up to my expectations that I have for myself."
Comment