Dolphins Draft History: Counting Down the Top 5 DL Taken in the First Round

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More than a week ago, the Miami Dolphins made a pick they hope will be a mainstay on the interior of the defensive line with the selection of Clemson defensive tackle Christian Wilkins with the 13th overall pick.

In more than 50 years as a franchise, the Dolphins have selected a defensive lineman in the first round on a somewhat frequent basis. Like with any selection, not all of those have worked out, but many have.

Here's a look back on the five best defensive linemen selected by the Dolphins in the first round:

5. Daryl Gardener, DT

Selected: 20th overall in 1996 (Baylor)

Years Played in Miami: 1996-2001

Career Miami Stats: 252 tackles, 21 TFL, 15 sacks, 3 FF, INT

Accomplishments: 1996 NFL All-Rookie Team

For six years, Daryl Gardener was a mainstay at defensive tackle for the Miami Dolphins. Gardener played largely in the shadows of the likes of Tim Bowens and Jason Taylor, but was an important piece nonetheless. In his first four seasons with the Dolphins, Gardener didn't miss a single game and started all but four contests.

4. Marco Coleman, DE/LB*

Selected: 12th overall in 1992 (Georgia Tech)

Years Played in Miami: 1992-95

Career Miami Stats: 226 tackles, 24 sacks, 6 FF

Accomplishments: 1992 NFL All-Rookie Team

Marco Coleman gets an asterisk by his name since he was drafted as an outside linebacker, but Coleman transitioned to defensive end late in his rookie season and stayed there for the remainder of his time in Miami. Coleman recorded at least 5.5 sacks in each of his four seasons with the Dolphins and recorded six career forced fumbles. Coleman's 24 sacks with Miami ranks 11th in team history.

3. A.J. Duhe, DE/LB*

Selected: 13th overall in 1977 (LSU)

Years Played in Miami: 1977-84

Career Miami Stats: 8.5 sacks, 6 FR, 3 INT

Accomplishments: 1977 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, Pro Bowl (1984), First-Team All-Pro (1981), Second-Team All-Pro (1983)

Like Coleman, A.J. Duhe gets an asterisk. Duhe was drafted as a defensive end, but spent the majority of his career as a linebacker. Duhe made the switch in his third season of 1979. Since defensive statistics weren't kept the way they are now for the majority of Duhe's career, it's hard to quantify how good he was numbers-wise. Still, Duhe was one of the known faces for a very good Dolphins defense in the late-1970s and early 80s. Although he recorded just three career interceptions during the regular season in his career, he'll always be known best for snagging three interceptions and returning one for a score in a 14-0 victory over the New York Jets in the 1982 AFC Championship.

2. Tim Bowens, DT

Selected: 20th overall in 1994 (Ole Miss)

Years Played in Miami: 1994-2004

Career Miami Stats: 407 tackles, 26 TFL, 22 sacks, 9 FF, 5 FR, INT, TD

Accomplishments: 1994 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, Pro Bowl (1998, 2002) Second-Team All-Pro (1994)

For more than a decade, Tim Bowens clogged the middle of the defensive line for the Miami Dolphins. A 2-time Pro Bowl selection and the 1994 Defensive Rookie of the Year, Bowens missed just five games in his first 10 years with the Dolphins before an injury-plagued 2004 season ultimately capped his career. With 22 in his career, Bowens ranks second in Dolphins history for sacks by a defensive tackle behind only Randy Starks.

1. Bill Stanfill, DE

Selected: 11th overall in 1969 (Georgia)

Years Played in Miami: 1969-76

Career Miami Stats: 8 FR, 2 INT, 2 TD

Accomplishments: Pro Bowl (1969, 1971-74), First-Team All-Pro (1972)

Much like Duhe, there weren't statistics kept during Bill Stanfill's career that would do him justice. In eight NFL seasons, Stanfill was selected to the Pro Bowl five times and was an All-Pro in 1972 during Miami's first championship season -- one in which they didn't lose a game. The 1968 Outland Trophy winner was a key member of the "No Name Defense". Although he died in 2016, there is hope that one day Stanfill will be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Mike Ferguson is the founder of Days of Dolphins Past. Follow Mike on Twitter @MikeWFerguson.

25-Year Phiniversary: Cowboys "Lett" Dolphins Escape

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It was a snowy Thanksgiving Day in Dallas on Nov. 25, 1993 when the Miami Dolphins became the beneficiaries of one of the biggest gaffes in NFL history.

The Dolphins trailed the Dallas Cowboys 14-13 in the waning seconds as Miami kicker Pete Stoyanovich trotted onto the field to attempt a 41-yard field goal to win the game. Unfortunately for Stoyanovich, that kick was blocked and the ball rolled toward the goal line.

The block had seemingly sealed the game for Dallas, but rather than allow the ball to roll dead, defensive lineman Leon Lett tried to recover the ball. Lett slid into the football and Miami recovered, ultimately giving it another shot at a field goal.

As time expired, Stoyanovich connected from 19 yards out to give the Dolphins an improbable 16-14 win. With the victory, Miami improved to 9-2. Unfortunately for the Dolphins, that would be their last win of the year as they lost their final five games and missed the playoffs. The Cowboys would go on to win a second straight Super Bowl.

Miami got the scoring started with a 77-yard touchdown run by fullback Keith Byars. The Cowboys led 14-7 at the break thanks to a pair of Kevin Williams' touchdowns -- one on a 4-yard pass from Troy Aikman and the other on a 64-yard punt return. Stoyanovich connected on field goals of 20 and 31 yards in the second half before hitting the game-winner.

As for Lett, he first became notorious for his gaffes after getting stripped by Buffalo Bills' wide receiver Don Beebe while strolling into the end zone in a 52-17 Dallas win in Super Bowl XXVII. That miscue would cost the Cowboys only the Super Bowl scoring record and not the game.

With Dan Marino and Scott Mitchell and nursing injuries, it was newly-signed Steve DeBerg who quarterbacked the Dolphins to victory on that Thanksgiving Day 1993 with 287 yards passing and two interceptions. The Miami defense held Emmett Smith to just 51 yards rushing in the win while linebacker Bryan Cox intercepted Aikman for one of two Dallas turnovers.

A quarter century later however, all that gets remembered is Lett's mistake that allowed Miami to win the contest. That moment happened on this day 25 years ago.  

Mike Ferguson is the founder of Days of Dolphins Past. Follow Mike on Twitter @MikeWFerguson.

15-Year Phiniversary: In Relief, Fiedler Leads Comeback vs. Redskins

The attention this week for the Miami Dolphins is on the Indianapolis Colts, but on this day 15 years ago came a memorable comeback sparked by a relief appearance from a quarterback nursing an injury.

The Dolphins were 6-4 and fighting for their playoff lives as they hosted the 4-6 Washington Redskins on Sunday Night Football on Nov. 23, 2003. It was the first time ever that the Dolphins had worn orange jerseys, but it was a familiar look that ultimately turned the tide in a 24-23 win for Miami.

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Quarterback Jay Fiedler had missed more than a month with a sprained knee and rather than go back to an unhealthy Fiedler, Miami stuck with Brian Griese as its starter. Things started well for Griese as he connected with James McKnight for an 80-yard touchdown on the opening drive for the Dolphins, but that's about where the success stopped.

Aside from that throw, Griese was just 7-for-12 for 53 yards and two interceptions. After John Hall's third field goal of the night late in the third quarter gave Washington a 23-10 lead at Pro Player Stadium, Dolphins' head coach Dave Wannstedt decided it was time for a change.

In his first action since Oct. 19, Fiedler was put back in the game and proceeded to lead consecutive touchdown drives. After Ricky Williams' 1-yard touchdown run cut the lead to six with 10:45 to play, Williams put Miami ahead for good with a 24-yard touchdown run with 4:19 remaining.

From there, the Miami defense did the rest. Safety Brock Marion intercepted Washington's Tim Hasselbeck with 2:15 to play. The Redskins did get a defensive stop, but returner Patrick Johnson muffed Matt Turk's punt and Miami recovered to seal the victory.

Fiedler's numbers weren't eye-popping, but he did provide a spark, going 5-for-10 with 59 yards passing. Williams rushed for 107 yards in the victory while Jason Taylor finished with two sacks for the Dolphins' defense.

The win, at the time, served as the largest fourth-quarter comeback for the Dolphins since 1980. It came on this day 15 years ago.

Mike Ferguson is the founder of Days of Dolphins Past. Follow Mike on Twitter @MikeWFerguson.

Top Five Dolphins Moments vs. Oakland Raiders

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The Miami Dolphins aim for a 3-0 start on Sunday afternoon as they play host to the 0-2 Oakland Raiders. Miami and Oakland have rich football histories, although neither have been great for more than a decade with a playoff season mixed in here and there.

Sunday's contest at Hard Rock Stadium will give the Dolphins the opportunity to start 3-0 for the first time since 2013. Oakland on the other hand, looks to avoid starting 0-3 for the first time since 2014.

As is customary, we'll count down the top five moments for the Dolphins in the history of the series with the Raiders:

Miami Dolphins vs. Oakland Raiders
All-Time Series: Oakland leads 20-17-1
All-Time Series in Miami: Miami leads 10-9-1
Last Meeting: Oakland won 27-24 (Nov. 5, 2017)
Last Meeting in Miami: Oakland won 27-24 (Nov. 5, 2017)

TOP 5 MOMENTS 

5. Stoyanovich's Overtime Game-Winner
Los Angeles Raiders 17, Miami Dolphins 20 (OT)
Oct. 16, 1994
In what was a game that many thought the Dolphins should win midway through the 1994 season, Miami never led in the contest with the 2-3 Los Angeles Raiders. The Raiders raced to a 10-0 lead and held a 17-10 advantage heading to the fourth quarter. That was erased less than three minutes in as Keith Byars scored on the receiving end of an 18-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Dan Marino. The contest would go to overtime and the Dolphins would need just one possession. After Marino marched the team into the red zone, Pete Stoyanovich connected on a 29-yard field goal to win the contest.

4. Tannehill's First Win as Starting QB
Oakland Raiders 13, Miami Dolphins 35
Sept. 16, 2012
It had been 29 years since the Dolphins had drafted a quarterback in the first round until they selected Ryan Tannehill eighth overall in the 2012 NFL Draft. The Dolphins had lost the season-opener in Houston that year, but against the Oakland Raiders in his home debut, Tannehill earned his first win as starting quarterback. The ground game, led by Reggie Bush's 172 yards and two touchdowns, carried the way for Miami, but Tannehill was efficient in his home debut. Tannehill went 18-for-30 passing for 200 yards with both his first passing and rushing touchdown in the win.

3. Fiedler Plunges to Cap Game-Winning TD Drive
Oakland Raiders 15, Miami Dolphins 18
Sept. 23, 2001
In what would be the home opener for the Miami Dolphins in 2001, things looked bleak. With 1:40 to play in the contest, the Dolphins trailed 15-10 and were starting at their own 20-yard-line with no timeouts. To that point in the contest, quarterback Jay Fiedler had been less than spectacular, but with the game on the line, Fiedler found his zone. On the final drive of the contest, Fiedler connected on five of his seven throws for 70 yards, including a fourth down conversion completion to Dedric Ward. With time ticking away however, it wasn't Fiedler's arm that would decide the outcome, but his legs. Facing 3rd-and-goal from the 2-yard-line, the Miami quarterback eluded tacklers before diving into the end zone with five seconds remaining for his second rushing touchdown of the day in an 18-15 win.

2. Marino Makes NFL Debut
Miami Dolphins 14, Los Angeles Raiders 27
Sept. 19, 1983
It's hard to imagine a loss making the list, but Week 3 of the 1983 season proved that Miami had something special. Trailing 27-0 in the fourth quarter, the Dolphins were looking for a spark and replaced quarterback David Woodley with rookie Dan Marino. The former Pittsburgh star wasn't able to complete a comeback for the ages, but went 11-for-17 passing with 90 yards and two touchdowns in his debut. Of his six misfires, four came on drops. Marino would slowly work his way into the starting role as a rookie and remain in that role for the next 16 seasons. Marino retired after the 1999 season as the NFL's all-time leader in pass attempts, completions, yards and touchdowns.

1. Dolphins 3-Peat as AFC Champs
Oakland Raiders 10, Miami Dolphins 27
Dec. 30, 1973
All that stood between the world champion Miami Dolphins and a third straight appearance in the Super Bowl was the Oakland Raiders in late December 1973. The Raiders were one of just two teams to beat Miami in 1973, but at the Orange Bowl in late December, the silver and black were no match. The rushing duo of Larry Csonka and Mercury Morris combined to go for over 200 on the ground for Miami. The workhorse Csonka carried the ball 29 times for 117 yards and all three Miami touchdowns. Oakland managed to cut a 14-0 Miami lead to seven after three quarters, but Garo Yepremian's second field goal and Csonka's third touchdown iced the contest. Bob Matheson's 29-yard return of a Ken Stabler interception highlighted the day for a Miami defense that held Oakland to just 236 yards. Miami would go on to beat the Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl VIII, 24-7, to become the first AFC team to win consecutive Super Bowls. 
 
Mike Ferguson is the founder of Days of Dolphins Past. Follow Mike on Twitter @MikeWFerguson.

10-Year Phiniversary: Dolphins Introduce Wildcat to Trounce Patriots

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The New England Patriots were without Tom Brady after a season-ending injury in a 2008 season-opening victory over the Kansas City Chiefs, but more of the same was expected as the Miami Dolphins visited Foxborough on Sept. 21, 2008.

Although Brady was gone, New England had won 21 straight regular season games. The visiting Dolphins on the other hand were just 1-20 in its previous 21 games. On this day 10 years ago however, Miami introduce the "wildcat" and smashed the Patriots 38-13 to spark a 10-win turnaround and an AFC division title run.

Most know what the wildcat is 10 years later, but in 2008, it was a fairly new experiment, especially in the NFL. Rather than snapping the ball to the quarterback, running back Ronnie Brown took a number of shotgun snaps for Miami. On that day, Brown did just about everything for the Dolphins except drive the bus home, although he did drive the Patriots mad.

Brown would end up finishing the day with 113 yards rushing and four touchdowns. Brown also completed his only pass attempt for a 19-yard score to tight end Anthony Fasano.

After a slow start, Brown got the scoring started with 2:29 to play in the first quarter on a 2-yard touchdown run. His second score came midway through the second quarter from 15 yards out to make it 14-3. After a second field goal from New England's Stephen Gostowski cut the lead to 14-6, Brown scored on a 5-yard run in the final minute of the first half to give the Dolphins a 21-6 advantage at the break.

The aforementioned touchdown pass from Brown came with less than six minutes to play in the third quarter, but was followed by New England's only touchdown of the day as quarterback Matt Cassel hit Jabar Gaffney for the 5-yard score.

The final quarter began with the Patriots down just two scores, but Brown wasted no time delivering the knockout punch. On the first play of the fourth quarter, Brown put the final nail in the New England coffin by rushing for a 62-yard touchdown and over a New England defender in the process. Dan Carpenter capped the scoring with a field goal for Miami.
Brown's big day at New England in 2008 is probably the fondest memory for Dolphins fans when it came to the former No. 2 overall pick, but the 25-point beatdown of New England was hardly a 1-man show. Ricky Williams narrowly missed hitting the century mark rushing, going for 98 yards on 16 carries.

Miami quarterback Chad Pennington was also stellar, going 17-for-20 passing for 226 yards. Fasano led all pass-catchers with 66 yards receiving. The victory would be the first for Tony Sparano as Miami head coach.

The Miami defense was outstanding as well, holding New England to 215 yards while forcing two turnovers. Linebacker Joey Porter had four sacks for the Dolphins while defensive tackle Randy Starks came down with an interception.

After a 1-15 finish in 2007 and an 0-2 start to 2008, the Dolphins would win 11 of their final 14 games to tie for the greatest turnaround in NFL history. The win over New England in Foxborough would serve as the tiebreaker as the Dolphins claimed the division title and waltzed into the playoffs. That victory happened on this day 10 years ago.  

Mike Ferguson is the founder of Days of Dolphins Past. Follow Mike on Twitter @MikeWFerguson.

35-Year Phiniversary: Marino Makes NFL Debut

The Miami Dolphins are hoping to improve to 3-0 on Sunday as they play host to the Oakland Raiders. On this day 35 years ago however, another significant moment in franchise history took place and it also happened against the Raiders.

With the Monday Night Football contest on Sept. 19, 1983 virtually already decided, the Dolphins looked to provide a spark against the Los Angeles Raiders in the Los Angeles Coliseum. Miami trailed 27-0 in the fourth quarter and were ineffective on offense with David Woodley under center.

The move that head coach Don Shula would make down four scores that night would change the fate of the franchise for nearly two decades and arguably forever. Rather than leaving Woodley, who helped the team reach the Super Bowl the year prior, in the game, Shula turned to the rookie from Pittsburgh named Dan Marino.

Marino's first regular season action in the NFL wasn't enough to spark a comeback for the ages. What it did do however, was let the fans in South Florida know that they had something special.

The Raiders would go on to win the game, 27-14, but in limited action, Marino went 11-for-17 passing for 90 yards and tossed his first two career touchdown passes to tight end Joe Rose and wide receiver Mark Duper.
With the loss, Miami fell to 1-2, but the Dolphins would lose just twice for the remainder of the regular season. Shula was hesitant to turn over the reigns to the young Marino, but the Pittsburgh rookie wound up starting nine games in 1983 and appearing in 11 total.

The following season would watch Marino obliterate the single-season NFL record books and earn league MVP by throwing for 5,084 yards and 48 touchdowns -- 12 more than the previous record. Over his 17-year career in Miami, Marino would break every major passing record before ultimately retiring following the 1999 season.

In 17 years with Marino at the helm, the Dolphins suffered just one losing season and the rifle-armed Marino would cement his place at the greatest player in the history of the franchise. Marino's statue stands outside Hard Rock Stadium, where Miami plays its home games. The boulevard leading to the stadium bears his name. Dan Marino's first NFL appearance came on this day in 1983 -- 35 years ago.

Mike Ferguson is the founder of Days of Dolphins Past. Follow Mike on Twitter @MikeWFerguson.

Top Five Dolphins Road Moments vs. New York Jets

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Sunday's contest in the Meadowlands will be a match-up of 1-0 teams as the Miami Dolphins and New York Jets each scored victories in Week 1. The Dolphins held off the Tennessee Titans, 27-20, while the Jets shocked a lot of people with a 48-17 victory on Monday night over the Detroit Lions.

Having shared a division since the Dolphins' inauguration in 1966, Miami and the Jets are no stranger to one another. Traditionally, the games and the series have been very close.

Since the Dolphins and Jets play twice this season, we'll put together two separate pieces. With Sunday's contest on the road, we'll look at the five best memories for the Dolphins while visiting the Jets.

Miami Dolphins at New York Jets
All-Time Series: Jets lead 54-50-1
All-Time Series in New York: Jets lead 29-23
Last Meeting: Miami won 31-28 at home (Oct. 22, 2017)
Last Meeting in New York: Jets won 20-6 (Sept. 24, 2017)

TOP 5 MOMENTS 

5. Dolphins Rally to Start 10-0
Miami Dolphins 31, New York Jets 17
Nov. 4, 1984
The Miami Dolphins arrived in the Meadowlands to kick off the month of November in 1984 with a perfect 9-0 record. That perfect record looked to be in jeopardy with less than 10 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter after running back Freeman McNeil scored from six yards out to give the Jets a 17-14 lead. Over the game's final 7:45 however, the Jets had no answer for Dan Marino and the Miami offense as they closed the game with 17 straight points. Marino's 47-yard touchdown pass to Mark Clayton midway through the period put the Dolphins ahead for good before Pete Johnson put the exclamation point on the win with a 2-yard touchdown with 1:57 to play.

4. Ginn Returns Two Kickoffs 100-Plus Yards for Scores
Miami Dolphins 30, New York Jets 25
Nov. 1, 2009
It had been 32 years since an NFL player had returned two kickoffs for a touchdown in the same quarter. That changed as the calendar turned to November in 2009 and Ted Ginn set his sights on the Meadowlands. On a day where the Dolphins managed just 104 yards of offense, they found a way to beat the Jets, thanks to three non-offensive touchdowns and two from Ginn. Ginn became the first Miami player ever to return two kickoffs for touchdowns in the same game. Ginn gave the Dolphins the lead midway through the third quarter with a 100-yard kickoff return for a score. The next time he touched the football later in the quarter, he outdid himself, going 101 yards. Jason Taylor also returned a fumble for a score in the victory, but it was Ginn who stole the show.

3. Dolphins Hand Jets Worst Shutout Home Loss Ever
Miami Dolphins 43, New York Jets 0
Oct. 19, 1975
It's been more than 40 years since the date, but no team has ever handed the New York Jets a worse shutout loss at home than the Miami Dolphins did in 1975. Bob Griese passed for three touchdowns and ran for another for the Miami offense while Mercury Morris added 114 yards rushing and a score on the ground. The story for the Dolphins however, was the defense. As a unit, Miami held the Jets to just 176 yards of offense and forced eight turnovers. The Dolphins intercepted future Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Namath six times. Safety Curtis Johnson was responsible for three of those.

2. Dolphins Go Worst to First, Clinch AFC East
Miami Dolphins 24, New York Jets 17
Dec. 28, 2008
After going just 1-15 in 2007, the Miami Dolphins arrived in East Rutherford for the 2008 regular season finale needing only a victory to finish 11-5, win the AFC East and tie the greatest single-season turnaround in league history. In what would be quarterback Brett Favre's final game as a New York Jet, the Dolphins intercepted the Hall of Famer three times. Andre' Goodman was responsible for two of them while defensive end Phillip Merling returned his 25 yards for a touchdown. Still midway through the third quarter, Miami was on the short end of a 17-14 score. That's when Miami quarterback and longtime Jet, Chad Pennington looked to the end zone and found tight end Anthony Fasano for 20 yards and what would be the game's final touchdown. Pennington passed for 200 yards and a pair of scores while the defense did the rest as Miami claimed its first division title in eight years and the only one since.

1. The Fake Spike
Miami Dolphins 28, New York Jets 24
Nov. 27, 1994
Legendary Miami quarterback Dan Marino was in the process of leading one of his memorable comebacks in late November 1994. A 24-6 lead for the New York Jets had been whittled to three and after a first down completion inside the 10-yard-line with less than a minute to play, Marino motioned to his team that he had planned on spiking the ball and stopping the clock. But with 22 seconds left and the New York defense's guard down, Marino took the snap and instead looked to the corner of the end zone where he found Mark Ingram for the fourth touchdown connection between the two on the day and the game-winning score. Marino finished the day with 359 yards passing while Ingram finished with 117 yards receiving and four scores. The victory would be enormous as Miami went on to win the AFC East. That particular play continues to live in Dolphins lore.

Mike Ferguson is the founder of Days of Dolphins Past. Follow Mike on Twitter @MikeWFerguson.