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Fletch lives! Miami drafts Wisconsin CB Fletcher, WR Chambers
DAVIE, Fla. (AP) -- The Miami Dolphins got two playmakers -- one for each side of the ball. Snapping a four-year streak of selecting an offensive player first, the Dolphins picked Wisconsin cornerback Jamar Fletcher with the 26th overall choice of the NFL draft Saturday. Miami took another Badger with its second selection, drafting receiver Chris Chambers with the 52nd pick. The Dolphins traded their second- and fourth-round picks to Dallas to move up four spots in the second round. "We were fortunate to get both of those guys," said Rick Spielman, Miami's vice president of player personnel. "That is something we thought would have been impossible when this draft started." Though the 5-foot-9 Fletcher was considered a bit undersized and wasn't the fastest cornerback during pre-draft workouts, the Dolphins say he makes up for it with his instincts. Fletcher, who was given the Jim Thorpe Award as the nation's top defensive back, intercepted 21 passes in 32 collegiate games and returned five of them for touchdowns. He left Wisconsin after his junior season.
"You can't measure a player just by the Olympics we do with him, running the 40 [yard dash] and all that other stuff," Spielman said. "You have to measure what the player does on the field and what kind of heart that player has. "We felt this kid plays far above what his height and timed speed were," he added. Spielman said the Dolphins tried trading up to select either receiver Santana Moss (drafted 16th) or linebacker Adam Archuleta (drafted 20th) but couldn't offer enough for a first-round swap with other teams. Remaining at No. 26, Miami started getting worried when Buffalo began a run on defensive backs with the 21st pick. Three defensive backs were picked in front of the Dolphins, but Fletcher remained. Miami feels he will fit perfectly as the team's third cornerback, playing alongside Pro Bowl cornerback Sam Madison and rising star Patrick Surtain. Head coach Dave Wannstedt expects the third corner will be on the field for more than 50 percent of the defensive plays. "When you draft guys in the first round, you want to make sure you get players who can play every down," Wannstedt said. "He'll have to compete, but with his ability level and intelligence, he's got all the intangibles to come in and handle things in a hurry." Fletcher had seven interceptions in each of his three seasons, including a last-minute pickoff that preserved Wisconsin's 21-20 victory over UCLA in last year's Sun Bowl. His success has provided him with plenty of confidence. "I always expected to be the first [cornerback drafted], but I know how it works, so I'm pretty satisfied," Fletcher said. "[Teams] couldn't have been going off of playmaking ability because if you do that, obviously I'm the best corner in this draft." The Dolphins, who opted not to re-sign Tony Martin and Bert Emanuel, added free-agent receivers Dedric Ward and James McKnight during the offseason. But Miami was still looking for an offensive playmaker in the draft. They might have gotten it with Chambers, a 5-foot-11 former basketball player who caught 52 passes for 813 yards and five touchdowns last season. Chambers had been projected as high a first-round pick but may have slipped because of durability questions. He missed some time last season with a broken bone in his foot and had a broken bone in his hand, Spielman said. "I was very surprised," Chambers said about slipping into the second round. "We didn't know what was going on. My uncles were asking me if I failed the drug test or something. ... We couldn't figure it out." Fletcher and Chambers were two of 11 Badgers suspended three games last season for receiving extra benefits from a shoe store. But that had little or no affect on the Dolphins, who have taken recent chances on Cecil Collins, Dimitrius Underwood, Tony Martin and Robert Baker. Fletcher and Chambers downplayed the suspension. So did Miami. "We're just going to watch where they buy their shoes," Spielman quipped.
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