SUNDAY BUZZ COLUMN

The question you keep hearing about this UM draft class, which has eight or nine draftable players and several others who will be in NFL camps, keeps being asked in different ways.

Here's how one NFC scout phrased it: How could this team go 6-7 with more legitimate draft-eligible prospects than Oregon? ESPN’s Jon Gruden said last week he’s “shocked” Miami didn’t win more games.

What evaluators are saying about the prospects in this UM draft class:

### Receiver Phillip Dorsett. ESPN’s Mel Kiper says he’s one of the top 20 players in the draft and has risen to first-round status. Kiper draws comparisons to Colts and former FIU receiver T.Y. Hilton…

Gruden wonders if there’s a “faster, more dynamic player” in the draft… NFC scout: “He plays bigger than his size. He’s tough. He blocks. He’s a complete package. Has return skills. He will be a good No. 2 receiver and could start as a slot guy now. There’s no question about his courage and willingness to go across the middle of the field.”…

GM Jr. draft analyst Russ Lande, who serves as scouting director for the CFL's Montreal team, said of Dorsett: “Really helped himself at the Senior Bowl. He will really move up boards.”… ESPN’s Todd McShay: “It wouldn't be surprising at all to see him go in the first round.”

### Offensive tackle Ereck Flowers. Gruden predicts he will be a Pro Bowl player… Kiper has him going 20th to 32nd…. NFL Network’s Mike Mayock: “He’s so raw and so young but so gifted. He’s big, he’s long, great feet. He’s a potential Pro Bowl right tackle. A lot of technique he will have to clean up. He will go somewhere in the first round.”…

Sporting News' Lande: “This kid is more athletic than any tackle out there. He could be a superstar in two years.”… NFC scout: “He’s the best player in their class. Love his size and athletic ability.”… McShay: “Flowers and Pitt's T.J. Clemmings are the two pure right tackle prospects who could go in the back half of the first round, and, in my opinion, Flowers is the better player. I imagine he'll go off the board at some point toward the end of Round 1.”

### Linebacker Denzel Perryman. Mayock: “Second or third round. Some questions about whether he can cover people. Reminds me of Jon Beason. Everybody said he was too small. All Perryman does is make plays.”…..

NFC scout: “He’s a leader and winner. But he’s 5-10, and if you are an undersized guy, you better be fast and I don’t think he’s fast enough. With his size, he’s vulnerable against tight ends. Tight ends will push him away. To me, he’s primarily a special teams player.”

### Tight end Clive Walford. Kiper says he’s a second-rounder… Lande: “Athletically, he’s as good as [Minnesota’s] Max Williams [a projected first-round pick], but not nearly as good a player.”..

NFC scout: “Love how he played against Florida State and North Carolina but I wish you would have seen more consistency. He’s got first-round ability, but he’s erratic. He should be able to block defensive ends one on one.”… McShay: “He could wind up landing in the late second round or early third.”

### Running back Duke Johnson. NFC scout: “I see him as a third-down back. Has speed, quickness, a willing pass blocker. He’s a powerfully built kid but he’s also tiny [5-9, 206 pounds]. You talk about picking up 6-3, 250-pound linebackers on blitzes, and that’s difficult at his size. He will be a part of a rotation but he won’t be able to carry the load at that size. I don’t see him as a frontline back.”… Kiper says he’s a third- or fourth-rounder….

Lande: “A little upright as a runner, and I don’t see premier speed. Guys can track him down from behind. A poor man’s Darren Sproles. But he breaks tackles more than I would expect for a guy his size.”…

McShay: “Among the running back prospects in this year's class, Johnson offers some of the best skills as a pass-catcher. I did talk to one scout, however, who raised concerns about Johnson's ability to stay on the field, in terms of his toughness and because of his smaller frame. If teams are worried he could miss multiple games each year, that will certainly hurt his stock. When he's on the field, he provides a lot in terms of his third-down capabilities and big-play ability.”

### Others, Kiper said, will be taken late: Defensive end Anthony Chickillo. NFC scout: “He’s smart, tough, instinctive and knows how to get to the football. Probably a fifth lineman on a team.”… Lande: “Not a real explosive kid. He’s a tweener. Not a starting talent.”…

CBS’ Dane Brugler: “His play leveled off and he might have peaked early in regards to his development. His senior tape looked too similar to his freshman tape. Projects as a rotational left end in a 4-3."...

Cornerback Ladarius Gunter. NFC scout: “I was disappointed in him last season. Thought he would be more productive. Like his size, but he’s a backup at best.” …Lande: “A lot of people were impressed with his size and athleticism. Could go higher than people thing.”…

Offensive lineman Jon Feliciano. NFC scout: “Ornery and tough. [Jaguars and ex-Hurricanes tackle] Brandon Linder was a better athlete, but I kind of like the kid. Later-round pick.” Kiper said Feliciano and Shane McDermott will be NFL players.

### Among potential free agents (Olsen Pierre, Thurston Armbrister, Ryan Williams), the Dolphins indicated they liked Williams’ audition for them and Green Bay brought him in.

DOLPHINS CHATTER

### With Dion Jordan's future in doubt, the Dolphins are expected to at least give more thought, during the draft, to defensive ends who could be developed behind Cam Wake, who's 33 and has a big 2016 cap hit, and 2016 free agent Olivier Vernon. But even if Miami moves forward without Jordan, defensive end is still not a huge need.

The staff likes Derrick Shelby, and defensive coordinator Kevin Coyle said Terence Fede has "a great future with us" and will grow "into a very effective defensive end." There's also Chris McCain, who said he split his practice snaps between defensive end and linebacker last season.

By the way, there are Instagram pictures of Jordan boating with his girlfriend a few days before the Dolphins' offseason program began last Monday.

### Dolphins general manager Dennis Hickey has taken low-risk gambles on players thrown off college teams (fourth-round pick Walt Aikens, undrafted free agents Chris McCain, Damien Williams) and it paid off last year. And the Dolphins are exploring those types of players again.

This year, Miami has had meetings/visits with Washington cornerback Marcus Peters and Oklahoma receiver Dorial Green Beckham (two high-round possibilities) and multiple conversations with Colorado State running back Dee Hart, a five-star recruit who was dismissed from the Alabama team 14 months ago after an arrest for marijuana possession and giving false information.

He rushed for 1275 yards and 16 touchdowns for Colorado State last season. But he’s only 5-foot-7 and has had two ACL tears.

Peters --- who was thrown off the Washington team after arguing with coaches --- visited the Dolphins, according to his hometown newspaper in California. Joe Philbin doesn't like players who have issues with coaches (and Philbin is hardly alone in that regard), but Bleacher Report insists Peters is in the mix for Miami at No. 14.

### What did Georgia running back Todd Gurley’s high school coach, Tarboro (N.C.) High’s Jeff Craddock, tell Dolphins running backs coach Jeff Nixon during a lengthy phone conversation?

“I told him Todd will be special and if you get him, congratulations. His passion to be the best separates him. Combine that with his size and speed. I believe he will be a Hall of Famer if he stays healthy.”

Miami has spent private time with Gurley (coming off a torn ACL) , as well as Wisconsin potential first-round back Melvin Gordon.

But when I spoke to Jimmy Johnson last week, he cautioned: “As great a player as Gurley is, there are two negatives with using a high pick: the value of running back and an injured running back. I don't see running backs winning games in the NFL. I see quarterbacks and receivers winning games.”

HEAT, MARLINS, CANES CHATTER

### Pat Riley indicated the Heat shouldn’t go more than three or four possessions without getting the ball to Hassan Whiteside and Whiteside should have the mentality of Alonzo Mourning.

“If Alonzo didn’t get a touch three or four times down the court, he would put his big hands around my neck verbally or physically,” Riley cracked.

But Whiteside must improve his passing out of double-teams. He was the first player in NBA history this season to log at least 1000 minutes and have six or fewer assists, according to the good folks at Elias Sports Bureau. His assist-to-turnover ratio (6 to 58) was abysmal.

### UM wants to add Central Florida to its 2016 non-conference home football schedule, joining Florida A&M and FAU. Miami will play at Notre Dame that year.…

UM will try a new 6 p.m. start time for this year’s Sept. 5 opener against Bethune Cookman at Sun Life. The thinking is that it will allow children to get to bed at a reasonable hour, and it's not as hot as an afternoon start... UM wisely pursuaded FAU to start the Hurricanes-at-Owls game on Friday, Sept. 11, at 8 p.m., allowing Hurricanes fans in Dade and Broward some extra time to get to Palm Beach after work.

### Biggest reason for this four-game Marlins winning streak after a 3-11 start? The starting pitching has been excellent during this stretch, with the Phillies and Nationals combining to score only four runs in those games.... What a turnaround: After a 1 for 22 start, Adeiny Hechavarria is now at .324 (fourth among MLB shortstops) after a three-run homer today.

### It wouldn't be surprising if Justin Bour gets more playing time against right-handers after going 2 for 3 in his first game of the season today after a promotion from the minors. Bour hit .352 in his 15 Marlins starts last season.

### Miami could end up regretting the Mat Latos trade, even though he pitched well Friday and even though it made sense at the time.

Anthony DeSclafani, who went to the Reds in that deal, has been brilliant so far (2-0, 0.86 ERA) and is under team control for six more years. Latos will be a free agent at the end of the year. But it's too soon to make any conclusions on DeSclafani, who was very hittable during his previous Marlins appearances.

### Though Dan Haren is allowing batters to hit only .167 (11th-best in baseball entering the weekend), the Marlins shouldn’t be surprised that five of his 11 hits allowed are home runs (highest ratio in baseball). After all, he relinquished baseball’s third-most home runs last season as a Dodger (27).

### Twitter: @flasportsbuzz