The 10 Best First-Round Picks in Dolphins History

(Photo: Associated Press)

Minkah Fitzpatrick became the newest member of the Miami Dolphins on Thursday night as he was selected 11th overall by the team in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft.

Like with any other pick, first rounders are a crap shoot, but the fan base in South Florida seems pretty happy with the selection of the Alabama defensive back. Only time will tell whether Fitzpatrick lives up to his first-round hype, but for now, the pick appears to be a very good one.

As with most franchises, the Dolphins have had a number of first-round picks over the years who didn't work out, but plenty of others who did. Rather than focus on the negative, here's a look at the 10 best first-round picks in Miami franchise history:

10. Louis Oliver, S
Selected: 25th overall in 1989 (Florida)
Louis Oliver had two stints with the Miami Dolphins, spanning seven years. Over those seven seasons, Oliver led or was tied for the team lead in interceptions four times. Oliver started 89 of the 105 games he played in. Although he never made a Pro Bowl, he was a selection to the NFL's All-Rookie team in 1989, named a second-team All-Pro in 1990 and a first-team All-Pro in 1992.

9. Roy Foster, G
Selected: 24th overall in 1982 (USC)
Roy Foster started 95 of the 132 games he played in nine years with the Miami Dolphins and was part of two teams to reach the Super Bowl. Foster started all 16 games during Miami's AFC championship season of 1984 and named to the Pro Bowl in each of the following two seasons.

8. Tim Bowens, DT
Selected: 20th overall in 1994 (Ole Miss)
For a decade, defensive tackle Tim Bowens was a mainstay in the Miami starting lineup. From 1994-2003, Bowens appeared in 155 of a possible 160 games and started 153 of them. Known as a run-stuffer, Bowens finished his Dolphins' career with 296 tackles, 22 sacks, five forced fumbles and one defensive touchdown. Bowens was the Associated Press' 1994 Defensive Rookie of the Year and a Pro Bowl selection in 1998 and 2002.

7. Mike Pouncey, C
Selected: 15th overall in 2011 (Florida)
Injuries derailed the latter parts of Mike Pouncey's 7-year career with the Miami Dolphins, but Pouncey appeared in 93 of a possible 112 games -- all starts. Pouncey played in all 16 games three times for the Dolphins and made three straight Pro Bowls from 2013-15.

6. Jake Long, T
Selected: 1st overall in 2008 (Michigan)
The first overall pick in the 2008 NFL Draft, tackle Jake Long was a mainstay in the Miami Dolphins' starting lineup from the first day. In five seasons with the Dolphins, Long played in 74 of a possible 80 games and made the Pro Bowl in each of his first four years. Long was a second-team All-Pro in 2009 and a first-team All-Pro in 2010.


5. Bill Stanfill, DE
Selected: 11th overall in 1969 (Georgia)
Defensive end Bill Stanfill spent the duration of his 8-year NFL career with the Miami Dolphins, where he developed into one of the league's premier defensive ends. From 1971-74, Stanfill made four straight Pro Bowls as a standout member of Miami's "no-name" defense in addition to being selected during his rookie year of 1969. He helped the Dolphins reach the Super Bowl three times, winning twice.

4. Bob Griese, QB
Selected: 4th overall in 1967 (Purdue)
The first great quarterback to wear the Miami aqua and orange, Bob Griese spent each of his first 14 seasons in the NFL with the Miami Dolphins. Over those 14 seasons, Griese made the Pro Bowl eight times and was a 2-time first-team All-Pro. Although he missed eight games during the perfect season of 1972, Griese started three Super Bowls for Miami, winning two. In 1977, Griese led the NFL in touchdown passes and quarterback rating. The following year, he led the league in completion percentage.

(Photo: Miami Herald)

3. Richmond Webb, T
Selected: 9th overall in 1990 (Texas A&M)
Protecting a quarterback's blind side is one of the most important jobs in football and Richmond Webb was one of the league's best at doing so for 11 years for the Miami Dolphins. In his first eight years in the NFL, Webb missed just two games and made the Pro Bowl seven times. Webb was twice a first-team All-Pro and named to the All-1990s team by Pro Football Reference and the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

2. Larry Csonka, FB
Selected: 8th overall in 1968 (Syracuse)
Larry Csonka spent two stints and eight total seasons with the Miami Dolphins. During that time, the regular season was just 14 games and Csonka split carries with Jim Kiick and Mercury Morris. Despite all that, Csonka remains the franchise's all-time leading rusher with 6,737 career rushing yards as a member of the Dolphins and 53 touchdowns on the ground. From 1970-74, Csonka made five straight Pro Bowls and rushed for at least 1,000 yards in three straight seasons from 1971-73. In all three of those years, Miami reached the Super Bowl, winning the last two. Csonka was named the MVP of Super Bowl VIII after rushing for a then Super Bowl record 145 yards in a 24-7 win over the Minnesota Vikings.

1. Dan Marino, QB
Selected: 27th overall in 1983 (Pittsburgh)
Not the conventional Don Shula quarterback, Dan Marino would go on to rewrite the NFL record books and revolutionize the quarterback position. In 17 years with Miami, Marino made the Pro Bowl nine times and led the NFL in passing yards on five occasions. During his stint in Miami, the Dolphins finished with a losing record just once. While helping the Dolphins reach the Super Bowl in 1984, Marino was named the league MVP, setting single-season records for passing yards and touchdown passes. At his retirement following the 1999 season, Marino was the NFL's all-time leader in completions, yards and passing touchdowns.

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