NFL Draft 2018: Dolphins Pick Minkah Fitzpatrick In First Round

MIAMI GARDENS, FL — If you are more committed to the Miami Dolphins than other relationships in your life, you would have loved to have been at Hard Rock Stadium on Thursday night when the Dolphins announced their 11th pick in Round 1 of the NFL draft. The team also held a free draft party on the field. The event was scheduled to run from 7 to 11 p.m.

The Dolphins selected defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick of the national champion Alabama Crimson Tide as their 11th pick in Friday's first round.

"It's unreal. It's a blessing," said Fitzpatrick, who once offered to give up football after his family's home was destroyed by Hurricane Irene in New Jersey. "Miami is a great place to be. It's got great fans."

The NFL draft was broadcast live on ESPN from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Fans look forward to the annual draft eventas one indication of the season ahead.

"It's like unwrapping presents and getting excited — but then realizing you have to wait four to five months before getting to see them again," explained longtime NFL fan and Cleveland transplant Nick Luciano, who now makes his home in South Florida and roots for the Dolphins except when they are playing the Browns.

The Dolphins finished 6-10 last season and have a lot more needs than picks. Below is the full order of selections for the Dolphins.

Dolphin fans who watched from Hard Rock Stadium were treated to free parking and the following fun perks:

• The Audible – 2018 Draft Show featuring live insider analysis, exclusive interviews with Dolphins alumni and current players, contests and prizing.
• Dolphins Football Experience: A fun, interactive area for kids and adults alike to test their skills and agility.
• Free autographs from cheerleaders, current and alumni players.
• Performances from the Miami Dolphins Cheerleaders.
• Official draft merchandise for sale.
• Garage Sale with signature Dolphins items to benefit the Miami Dolphins Foundation.
• Tours of Hard Rock Stadium’s new luxury spaces.
• Concessions

All fans are encouraged to RSVP here to be eligible to win great prizes throughout the event. The NFL clear bag policy was effect at the stadium.

This year's draft was opening with one of the deepest quarterback classes in years, which came as good news for the Browns, who picked Baker Mayfield No. 1 overall. The hapless Browns have had disaster after disaster “leading” their team to disappointing season after disappointing season. The only mystery going into Thursday was awhich quarterback they would choose.

Here were the available picks heading into the first round:

• Sam Darnold, USC. 6-foot-3 3/8, 221 pounds.
• Baker Mayfield, Oklahoma. 6-0 3/4, 216 pounds.
• Josh Allen, Wyoming. 6-4 7/8, 237 pounds.
• Lamar Jackson, Louisville. 6-2 1/4, 216 pounds.
• Josh Rosen, UCLA. 6-4, 226 pounds.

The Browns also held the No. 4 pick. A number of defensive standouts were also on the top-picks list, too, which left teams jockeying to see who might land that game-changing pass rusher or defensive back.

The draft resumes Friday for rounds 2-3, and then again at noon on Saturday.

These were Sports Illustrated’s rundown of top overall players heading into the draft:

1. SAQUON BARKLEY, RB, PENN STATE

2. SAM DARNOLD, QB, USC

3. BRADLEY CHUBB, EDGE, NORTH CAROLINA STATE

4. QUENTON NELSON, G, NOTRE DAME

5. JOSH ALLEN, QB, WYOMING

6. MINKAH FITZPATRICK, S, ALABAMA

7. BAKER MAYFIELD, QB, OKLAHOMA

8. JOSH ROSEN, QB, UCLA

9. DENZEL WARD, CB, OHIO STATE

10. ROQUAN SMITH, STACK LB, GEORGIA

Picks by round, pick and overall selection

1- 1- 1 Cleveland

1- 2- 2 New York Giants

1- 3- 3 New York Jets (from Indianapolis)

1- 4- 4 Cleveland (from Houston)

1- 5- 5 Denver

1- 6- 6 Indianapolis (from New York Jets)

1- 7- 7 Tampa Bay

1- 8- 8 Chicago

1- 9- 9 San Francisco

1-10-10 Oakland

1-11-11 Miami

1-12-12 Buffalo (from Cincinnati)

1-13-13 Washington

1-14-14 Green Bay

1-15-15 Arizona

1-16-16 Baltimore

1-17-17 Los Angeles Chargers

1-18-18 Seattle

1-19-19 Dallas

1-20-20 Detroit

1-21-21 Cincinnati (from Buffalo)

1-22-22 Buffalo (from Kansas City)

1-23-23 New England (from Los Angeles Rams)

1-24-24 Carolina

1-25-25 Tennessee

1-26-26 Atlanta

1-27-27 New Orleans

1-28-28 Pittsburgh

1-29-29 Jacksonville

1-30-30 Minnesota

1-31-31 New England

1-32-32 Philadelphia

2-1-33 Cleveland

2- 2-34 New York Giants

2- 3-35 Cleveland (from Houston)

2- 4-36 Indianapolis

2- 5-37 Indianapolis (from New York Jets)

2- 6-38 Tampa Bay

2- 7-39 Chicago

2- 8-40 Denver

2- 9-41 Oakland

2-10-42 Miami

2-11-43 New England (from San Francisco)

2-12-44 Washington

2-13-45 Green Bay

2-14-46 Cincinnati

2-15-47 Arizona

2-16-48 Los Angeles Chargers

2-17-49 Indianapolis (from New York Jets through Seattle)

2-18-50 Dallas

2-19-51 Detroit

2-20-52 Baltimore

2-21-53 Buffalo

2-22-54 Kansas City

2-23-55 Carolina

2-24-56 Buffalo (from Los Angeles Rams)

2-25-57 Tennessee

2-26-58 Atlanta

2-27-59 San Francisco (from New Orleans)

2-28-60 Pittsburgh

2-29-61 Jacksonville

2-30-62 Minnesota

2-31-63 New England

2-32-64 Cleveland (from Philadelphia)

3- 1-65 Buffalo (from Cleveland)

3- 2-66 New York Giants

3- 3-67 Indianapolis

3- 4-68 Houston

3- 5-69 New York Giants (from Tampa Bay)

3-6-70 San Francisco (from Chicago)

3-7-71 Denver

3- 8-72 New York Jets

3-9-73 Miami

3-10-74 San Francisco

3-11-75 Oakland

3-12-76 Green Bay

3-13-77 Cincinnati

3-14-78 Kansas City (from Washington)

3-15-79 Arizona

3-16-80 Houston (from Seattle)

3-17-81 Dallas

3-18-82 Detroit

3-19-83 Baltimore

3-20-84 Los Angeles Chargers

3-21-85 Carolina (from Buffalo)

3-22-86 Kansas City

3-23-87 Los Angeles Rams

3-24-88 Carolina

3-25-89 Tennessee

3-26-90 Atlanta

3-27-91 New Orleans

3-28-92 Pittsburgh

3-29-93 Jacksonville

3-30-94 Minnesota

3-31-95 New England

3-32-96 Buffalo (from Philadelphia)

3-33-97 Arizona (Compensatory Selection)

3-34-98 Houston (Compensatory Selection)

3-35-99 Denver (Compensatory Selection)

3-36-100 Cincinnati (Compensatory Selection)

4- 1-101 Green Bay (from Cleveland)

4- 2-102 Tampa Bay (from New York Giants)

4- 3-103 Houston

4-4-104 Indianapolis

4-5-105 Chicago

4-6-106 Denver

4- 7-107 New York Jets

4- 8-108 New York Giants (from Tampa Bay)

4- 9-109 Washington (from Denver through San Francisco)

4-10-110 Oakland

4-11-111 Los Angeles Rams (from Miami)

4-12-112 Cincinnati

4-13-113 Denver (from Washington)

4-14-114 Cleveland (from Green Bay)

4-15-115 Chicago (from Arizona)

4-16-116 Dallas

4-17-117 Detroit

4-18-118 Baltimore

4-19-119 Los Angeles Chargers

4-20-120 Seattle

4-21-121 Buffalo

4-22-122 Kansas City

4-23-123 Miami (from Cleveland through Carolina)

4-24-124 Kansas City (from Los Angeles Rams)

4-25-125 Tennessee

4-26-126 Atlanta

4-27-127 New Orleans

4-28-128 San Francisco (from Pittsburgh)

4-29-129 Jacksonville

4-30-130 Philadelphia (from Minnesota)

4-31-131 Miami (from New England through Philadelphia)

4-32-132 Philadelphia

4-33-133 Green Bay (Compensatory Selection)

4-34-134 Arizona (Compensatory Selection)

4-35-135 New York Giants (Compensatory Selection)

4-36-136 Los Angeles Rams (from New England; compensatory Selection)

4-37-137 Dallas (Compensatory Selection)

5- 1-138 Green Bay (from Cleveland)

5- 2-139 New York Giants

5-3-140 Indianapolis

5-4-141 Seattle (from Houston)

5-5-142 Washington (from Denver)

5-6-143 San Francisco (from New York Jets)

5-7-144 Tampa Bay

5-8-145 Chicago

5-9-146 Seattle (from Oakland)

5-10-147 New Orleans (from Miami)

5-11-148 Pittsburgh (from San Francisco)

5-12-149 Denver (from Washington)

5-13-150 Cleveland (from Green Bay)

5-14-151 Cincinnati

5-15-152 Arizona

5-16-153 Detroit

5-17-154 Baltimore

5-18-155 Los Angeles Chargers

5-19-156 Seattle (from Philadelphia through Seattle)

5-20-157 New York Jets (from Dallas)

5-21-158 Cincinnati (from Buffalo)

5-22-159 Oakland (from Patriots through Cleveland through Kansas City)

5-23-160 Denver (through Los Angeles Rams)

5-24-161 Carolina

5-25-162 Tennessee

5-26-163 Washington (from Denver through Atlanta)

5-27-164 New Orleans

5-28-165 Pittsburgh

5-29-166 Buffalo (from Jacksonville)

5-30-167 Minnesota

5-31-168 Seattle (from New England)

5-32-169 Philadelphia

5-33-170 Cincinnati (Compensatory Selection)

5-34-171 Dallas (Compensatory Selection)

5-35-172 Green Bay (Compensatory Selection)

5-36-173 Oakland (from Dallas; Compensatory Selection)

5-37-174 Green Bay (Compensatory Selection)

6-1-175 Cleveland

6-2-176 Los Angeles Rams (from New York Giants)

6-3-177 Houston

6-4-178 Indianapolis

6-5-179 New York Jets

6-6-180 Tampa Bay

6-7-181 Chicago

6-8-182 Arizona (from Denver)

6-9-183 Los Angeles Rams (from Miami)

6-10-184 San Francisco

6-11-185 Oakland

6-12-186 Green Bay

6-13-187 Buffalo (from Cincinnati)

6-14-188 Washington

6-15-189 New Orleans (from Arizona)

6-16-190 Baltimore

6-17-191 Los Angeles Chargers

6-18-192 Dallas (from Oakland through Seattle)

6-19-193 Dallas

6-20-194 Los Angeles Rams (from Detroit)

6-21-195 Los Angeles Rams (from Buffalo)

6-22-196 Kansas City

6-23-197 Carolina

6-24-198 New England (from Los Angeles Rams)

6-25-199 Tennessee

6-26-200 Atlanta

6-27-201 New Orleans

6-28-202 Tampa Bay (from Pittsburgh)

6-29-203 Jacksonville

6-30-204 Minnesota

6-31-205 Cleveland (from New England)

6-32-206 Philadelphia

6-33-207 Green Bay (Compensatory Selection)

6-34-208 Dallas (Compensatory Selection)

6-35-209 Miami (from LA Rams through Kansas City; Compensatory Selection)

6-36-210 New England (from Oakland; Compensatory Selection)

6-37-211 Houston (Compensatory Selection)

6-38-212 Oakland (Compensatory Selection)

6-39-213 Minnesota (Compensatory Selection)

6-40-214 Houston (Compensatory Selection)

6-41-215 Baltimore (Compensatory Selection)

6-42-216 Oakland (Compensatory Selection)

6-43-217 Oakland (Compensatory Selection)

6-44-218 Minnesota (Compensatory Selection)

7-1-219 New England (from Cleveland)

7-2-220 Pittsburgh (from New York Giants)

7-3-221 Indianapolis

7-4-222 Houston

7-5-223 San Francisco (from Miami through Tampa Bay)

7-6-224 Chicago

7-7-225 Minnesota (from Denver)

7- 8-226 Seattle (from New York Jets)

7-9-227 Miami (from San Francisco)

7-10-228 Oakland

7-11-229 Miami

7-12-230 Jacksonville (from Cincinnati)

7-13-231 Washington

7-14-232 Green Bay

7-15-233 Kansas City (from Arizona)

7-16-234 Carolina (from Los Angeles Chargers through Buffalo)

7-17-235 New York Jets (from Seattle)

7-18-236 Dallas

7-19-237 Detroit

7-20-238 Baltimore

7-21-239 Green Bay (from Buffalo)

7-22-240 San Francisco (from Kansas City)

7-23-241 Washington (from Los Angeles Rams)

7-24-242 Carolina

7-25-243 Kansas City (from Tennessee)

7-26-244 Atlanta

7-27-245 New Orleans

7-28-246 Pittsburgh

7-29-247 Jacksonville

7-30-248 Seattle (from Minnesota)

7-31-249 Cincinnati (from New England)

7-32-250 Philadelphia (from Seattle through Philadelphia, Seattle and New England)

7-33-251 Los Angeles Chargers (Compensatory Selection)

7-34-252 Cincinnati (Compensatory Selection)

7-35-253 Cincinnati (Compensatory Selection)

7-36-254 Arizona (Compensatory Selection)

7-37-255 Tampa Bay (Compensatory Selection)

7-38-256Atlanta (Compensatory Selection)

Defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick #29 of the Alabama Crimson Tide intercepts a pass in the fourth quarter in the 2016 CFP semifinal at the Peach Bowl in Atlanta. (Photo by Mike Zarrilli/Getty Images).