The Dolphins' All-Time Draft Steal Defense

Breaking down by position the best value picks in Miami Dolphins history

With four of their six selections in the 2024 NFL draft scheduled for the fifth round or later, the Miami Dolphins will be looking for some steals this weekend.

The question is whether they can come up with gems like recent Hall of Fame inductee Zach Thomas in the fifth round like they did in 1996.

We hereby present our All-Dolphins Draft Steal Team, with the selections based on production versus draft slot. After unveiling the all-offense team Wednesday, we now present our all-defense unit.

DOLPHINS ALL-TIME DRAFT STEAL DEFENSE

DEFENSIVE END

First team: Doug Betters, 1978, Round 6; Jason Taylor, 1997, Round 3

Second team: Jeff Cross, 1988, Round 9; Vern Den Herder, 1971. Round 9

Breakdown: Taylor was a no-brainer as a third-round Hall of Fame selection, but it was really a close call for the second spot. In the end, we gave Betters the nod for being named NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 1983.

DEFENSIVE TACKLE

First team: Bob Baumhower, 1977, Round 2; Paul Soliai, 2007, Round 4

Second team: Davon Godchaux, 2017, Round 5; T.J. Turner, 1986, Round 3

Breakdown: This is not a production that produced a lot of late-round finds for the Dolphins and we simply couldn't ignore just how good Baumhower became to put him on the team even as a second-round selection.

LINEBACKER

First team: Zach Thomas, 1996, Round 5; Bryan Cox, 1991, Round 5; Mike Kolen, 1970, Round 12

Second team: Steve Towle, 1975, Round 6; Mark Brown, 1983, Round 9; Andrew Van Ginkel, 2019, Round 5

Breakdown: Thomas not only is the best fifth-round pick in Dolphins history, he's among the best in NFL history as one of three Hall of Famers selected in that round in the common draft (along with Mike Webster and Kevin Greene). Kolen becoming a starter for the Super Bowl defenses of the 1970s was quite a feat.

CORNERBACK

First team: J.B. Brown, 1989, Round 12; William Judson, 1982, Round 9

Second team: Curtis Johnson, 1970, Round 4; Sam Madison, 1997, Round 2

Breakdown: We focused on value here with very late-round picks, which is why the choices were Brown and Judson, and we could flip a coin to decide between Madison and fellow second-round selections Patrick Surtain and Xavien Howard, who all belong in the Fab Four of all-time Dolphins cornerbacks (along with Brent Grimes) from this vantage point.

SAFETY

First team: Jake Scott, 1970, Round 7; Reshad Jones, 2010, Round 5

Second team: Dick Anderson, 1968, Round 3; Glenn Blackwood, 1979, Round 7

Breakdown: This was another debate of production versus value because there's no arguing that Anderson would belong on the first team based on production. But we gave Jones the nod also because he was among the team's best players in the 2010s.

KICKING SPECIALISTS

First team: P Brandon Fields, 2007, Round 7; K Jason Sanders, 2017, Round 7

Second team: P Reggie Roby, 1983, Round 6; K Pete Stoyanovich, 1989, Round 8

Breakdown: Having to choose between Fields and Roby, the two best punters in team history, was splitting hairs. Sanders gets the nod at kicker for having the best season (2020) in team history at the position.