Miami obtained Philadelphia's 1980 tenth-round selection, No.…
Miami obtained Philadelphia's 1980 tenth-round selection, No. 272, and used it on defensive back Ben Long. Contemporary team draft histories agree that an eleventh-round consideration went back to Philadelphia, although the exact Eagles selection is described differently by surviving references. With little NFL value produced on either side, the fairest result is an even trade.
Miami Dolphins Received
- pick 1980 tenth round pick (#272-Ben Long)
Philadelphia Eagles Received
- pick 1980 eleventh round consideration (exact selection disputed in surviving team histories)
Trade Analysis
The Documented Exchange
Miami's draft history shows the Dolphins receiving Philadelphia's tenth-round choice in 1980, No. 272 overall, which Miami used on defensive back Ben Long. Historical transaction material also describes an eleventh-round consideration going to the Eagles. The difficult part is the exact identity of that return: Philadelphia-oriented material associates it with No. 302 Thomas Brown, while Miami's own draft notes point to a different late selection.
What Miami Received
The clear portion of the exchange is No. 272. Miami selected Ben Long, a defensive back from Purdue. Long did not develop into a meaningful Dolphins contributor, so the pick provided little lasting on-field value. That limits how much credit Miami can receive even though the club moved up from an eleventh-round consideration into the tenth round.
What Philadelphia Received
Philadelphia received the late-round consideration, but the surviving histories do not align perfectly on which eleventh-round choice should be attached to this transaction. That uncertainty matters when assigning a specific player to the Eagles' return. What can be said confidently is that Philadelphia did not obtain a return that created a notable long-term advantage over Miami's result.
Final Verdict
The exchange is best treated as even. Miami acquired the more clearly documented selection, but No. 272 did not become a productive NFL asset for the Dolphins. Philadelphia's exact late-round return is less certain and likewise does not establish meaningful separation. Matching C grades reflect a small draft-position exchange whose downstream football impact was minimal rather than a win for either franchise.