Dolphins can justify going in 5 directions in first round of the draft
One upshot of the Dolphins’ moves in free agency: They’re in a spot where they could fill a need by drafting at any of five positions with the 21st overall pick.
They could use another interior lineman to compete with Liam Eichenberg, Rob Jones, Lester Cotton and a potentially cheap veteran pickup to replace Robert Hunt at right guard — or compete with Isaiah Wynn at left guard. Aaron Brewer, the Tennessee Titans’ 2023 center, was signed by Miami to play center but also can play guard.
They could use a tackle to groom behind Terron Armstead in a postArmstead era, which conceivably could happen as early as 2025. Kendall Lamm is likely to be Miami’s No. 3 tackle but said that 2024 will be his final NFL season.
They could use a talented No. 3 receiver, if they’re unable to agree to terms with Odell Beckham Jr. Those conversations continue.
They could use a defensive tackle to compete for the role vacated by defensive tackle Christian Wilkins, who signed with Las Vegas. To this point, the Dolphins have signed two players who have mostly been backups for that role: Neville Gallimore and Jonathan Harris. Former Titans starter Teair Tart, signed Friday, can play in Wilkins’ spot but is more of a nose tackle.
They could use an edge player to protect themselves and create depth, with Bradley Chubb and Jaelan Phillips returning from major injuries.
Fortunately for Miami, there are good players at each of those positions who should be in play with the 21st overall pick on April 25. Exploring ...
Interior line: This is the area that two lead network draft analysts (ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. and
NFL Net’s Daniel Jeremiah) have Miami addressing at No. 21.
Both have the Dolphins picking Duke’s Graham Barton, who can play guard, center or tackle.
“The organization could go a few different directions with this pick,” Kiper wrote on ESPN.com. “I still like the pairing of Barton and the Dolphins, though, because of the way he could improve the middle of this O-line. Barton played mostly left tackle in college, but he has the traits to move inside and command the game. Miami ranked 31st in pass block win rate (49.2 percent) last season, so it has to improve.”
In mocking Barton to Miami, NFL Network’s Jeremiah said: “The Dolphins have endured a lot of losses in free agency, including on the interior of the offensive line. Barton has legitimate five-position flexibility.”
Oregon guard Jackson Powers-Johnson is another option; Jeremiah mocks him 24th.
What about Washington’s Troy Fautanu, who is Kiper’s top-ranked guard but played mostly as the left tackle in college? “I don’t think he’s making it to 21,” Kiper responded to a Dolphins fan on X (formerly Twitter).
Offensive tackle to groom behind Armstead: Several names could be in play, including Oklahoma’s Tyler Guyton. NFL.com says “he should become a talented starter at either tackle position.”
Kiper projects Guyton to go 24th, with this comment that’s noteworthy from a Dolphins standpoint:
“Guyton, Amarius Mims [Georgia], Jordan Morgan [Arizona] and Roger Rosengarten [Washington] could all be in play in the final 10 picks of Round 1. Of those four, only Morgan played the majority of his snaps at left tackle, but I think Guyton has the highest ceiling. He started just 14 games in college; he has outstanding physical tools to mold.”
Oregon State’s Taliese Fauga, projected by Kiper to go 18th, is more of a right tackle than left. “A team could slide him to guard to improve its interior protection, but he’s best-suited at right tackle, where he should become a good starter,” NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein said.
ESPN’s Matt Miller mocks Alabama starting right tackle JC Latham to Miami at 21, but Latham’s agent Drew Rosenhaus said on his weekly WSVN Fox 7 segment that the player won’t make it to 21.
Wide receiver: LSU’s Brian Thomas Jr. could be very much in play at No. 21, if he’s there. Kiper mocks him 20th to Pittsburgh, and Jeremiah has him 23rd.
Kiper said Thomas, who ran a 4.33-second 40-yard dash at the Combine, “has a tremendous blend of speed and size [6-foot-3]. He caught 17 touchdown passes last season, leading the FBS.”
Kiper has Texas receivers Xavier Worthy and Adonai Mitchell 26th and 32nd, respectively. But Thomas might be the only receiver tempting enough at 21 — if he’s there — to bypass an offensive or defensive lineman, or possibly, an edge player, at that spot. Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel, general manager Chris Grier and offensive coordinator Frank Smith attended Texas’ Pro Day and spoke with Worthy.
Defensive tackle to replace Wilkins: The question is whether Texas’ Byron Murphy II makes it to 21. Kiper mocks him 19th; ESPN’s Field Yates has Miami taking him 21st.
“Murphy is the best interior pass rusher in this class, and at 6-foot-1, 297 pounds, he has a similar build to [retiring Rams star Aaron] Donald,” Kiper said. “I’m not saying he will become a perennial All-Pro, but he has intriguing tools at the position. He had five sacks and created 33 pressures last season.”
There’s one other defensive tackle projected to potentially go in the 20s: Illinois’ Jer’Zhan Newton.
NFL.com said of Newton: “Active interior defender with the potential to build on his disruptive production in college.”
Edge player: Phillips, off a November Achilles injury, could be back by the start of the season.
It’s uncertain if Chubb, off a Dec. 31 torn ACL, will be ready early in the season, although some players (including new Dolphins linebacker Jordyn Brooks) have been ready for the start of the following season after a late-season
ACL tear.
Regardless, the Dolphins need at least one more accomplished edge rusher to supplement Phillips, Chubb and free agent pickup Shaq Barrett.
A few names that could be in play at 21: UCLA’s Laiatu Latu and, to a lesser extent, Penn State’s Chop Robinson and Missouri’s Darius Robinson — two players Jeremiah has going late in the first round.
Kiper mocks Latu 25th, adding: “Latu put up 111 quarterback pressures over the past two seasons, racking up 23.5 sacks. He has elite pass-rushing skills and is already advanced in his technique. The reason he’s not a surefire top-15 pick is because he has some medical questions; he medically retired from football due to a neck injury when he was at Washington in 2021.”