The Miami Dolphins reportedly like West Virginia receiver Kevin White enough to consider trading up for him in the 2015 NFL draft. Miami would have competition - reportedly from the Chicago Bears and the Oakland Raiders - for White, and if the price to trade up is too high, the team could look to Washington defensive tackle Danny Shelton with the No. 14 pick.
Visits from free agents Wes Welker, Michael Crabtree and Greg Jennings seemingly haven't yielded anything, leaving Miami still in need of a wideout. According to CBS Sports' Rob Rang, the Dolphins are now exploring the idea of trading into the top 10 and selecting White.
"The aggressive approach (referring to Miami's signings in free agency) may be a sign of things to come as Miami is already reaching out to other clubs in an effort to gauge what it might cost to move into the top 10 this year, NFLDraftScout.com (a CBS-owned website) has learned," Rang wrote Thursday. "... The Dolphins appear to be targeting another playmaking wide receiver with West Virginia's Kevin White ranking highest on their board, sources suggest.
Cooper, who finished his 2014 campaign with 109 receptions for 1,447 yards and 10 touchdowns, is unlikely to fall to the 14th spot. The Oakland Raiders and the Chicago Bears, owners of the Nos. 4 and 7 picks, both have been linked to White, meaning Miami would need to trade up. With Oakland appearing more likely to draft Alabama receiver Amari Cooper, the Dolphins would - at the very least - have to leapfrog over Chicago's No. 7 pick to be absolutely safe.
Given Miami has only six picks to use in the draft, Rang predicts Miami might make a move similar to the one Buffalo made last year for Sammy Watkins. Buffalo, short on picks in 2014, traded its 2014 No. 9 pick and 2015 first- and second-round picks to the Cleveland Browns for the No. 4 pick, which Buffalo then used to select Watkins.
While Miami needs a receiver, the team may ultimately decide the price of moving up is too high. ESPN analyst Mel Kiper has the Dolphins selecting Shelton 14th overall to bulk up their defensive line and provide a backup - and maybe even a complementary piece - to Ndamukong Suh.
