Which elite pass catchers are targets?

The Miami Dolphins made a calculated move last week regarding the No. 3 pick that proves general manager Chris Grier excelled at arithmetic during his formative years.

That’s the only way to calculate how the Dolphins made a pair of trades last week, going from pick No. 3 to pick No. 12 for three firstround picks and a third-rounder in 2022 from the San Francisco 49ers, then flipping No. 12, a swap of 2022 fourth- and fifthround picks, and one of those first-rounders into the No. 6 pick in a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles.

The bottom line in that complicated formula is that Miami moved down three spots in next month’s draft and acquired a 2023 first-round pick and a 2022 third-rounder to do so.

That’s a good formula for longterm team building, especially when your franchise will likely end up with the same caliber of player it would have taken with the No. 3 pick had Miami kept it.

That’s the important step in this equation.

This draft is littered with talented, speedy receivers. And like most drafts, someone selected on Day 2 or 3 could easily turn into a receiver worthy of the franchise tag four years from now.

But the Dolphins seemingly want the closest thing to a sure thing the 2021 NFL draft class can offer, and traded up to ensure they landed one. Four prospects motivated Miami to give up the extra collateral needed to move up for the sixth pick.

But making that trade meant Miami swapped picks with the Eagles, another playmak

er-starved team, and put themselves one spot ahead of the Detroit Lions, who lost the team’s two top receivers in free agency and is embarking on a youth movement of their own.

The Dolphins put themselves ahead of both teams to land their guy. But who is it?

LSU’s Ja’Marr Chase won the Fred Biletnikoff Award in 2020, which is given annually to the nation’s top receiver. And the 20 touchdowns he pulled down from quarterback Joe Burrow has draft analysts declaring him the next Larry Fitzgerald.

Problem is, he’s only had one year of high-level productivity because Chase opted out of the 2020 season because of COVID-19 concerns. So there’s some mystery tied to his draft stock.

DeVonta Smith and Jaylen Waddle played last year, and the Crimson tide standouts helped Alabama win another national championship.

Smith, who scored 46 touchdowns in his four seasons at Alabama, won the Heisman Award, which is given to the nation’s top player, last season. He is the yards-after-catch specialist the Dolphins offense is missing, but concerns about his slight frame, and whether or not he’ll be durable in the NFL have many talent evaluators singing the praise of Waddle over Smith.

Like Smith, Waddle is a threat to score anywhere on the field. Waddle, who scored 17 touchdowns in 34 games at Alabama and averaged 18.9 yards per reception, has the speed to stretch the field vertically, which most teams crave. And he has added value as a return specialist. But he spent a large portion of last season sidelined by an injury — and he’s only 10 pounds heavier than Smith.

All three receivers would instantly rise to the top of the Dolphins’ crowded receiver depth chart, and they’d all complement Miami’s offense well.

So would Florida Gators star tight Kyle Pitts, whose impressive measurables explain why most experts feel he’ll immediately be a mismatch threat like Raiders tight end Darren Waller is in the NFL.

Pitts’ “freak” status has him in the conversation to become the highest drafted tight end since former Miami Hurricanes standout Kellen Winslow Jr. was taken sixth overall by Cleveland in 2004.

With Mike Gesicki and Durham Smythe approaching free agency at the end of the 2021 season, unless the Dolphins re-do their contracts this year, taking Pitts (or another young tight end, say UM’s Brevin Jordan) is smart roster management because it prevents the position payroll from getting bloated.

Pitts, who is an adequate blocker, and Gesicki on the same field together would give Miami the type of personnel mismatches that keep offensive coordinators up at night, and ease the burden placed on young quarterbacks.

Chase is the No. 1 receiver a passing game orbits around. Smith is the yards-after-catch receiver this offense is missing. Waddle is type of deep threat that keeps secondaries honest, forcing one-on-one coverage because he occupies a safety on every snap. And Pitts is the matchup nightmare as teams struggle to find a linebacker, safety, or cornerback who can defend him.

Either way, the Dolphins win if three or four quarterbacks — Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence, BYU’s Zach Wilson and some combination of Ohio State’s Justin Fields, North Dakota State’s Trey Lance and Alabama’s Mac Jones are taken ahead of pick No. 6.

And here’s the icing on the cake, the Dolphins could be in position to trade down again if there’s an early run on offensive linemen (Oregon’s Penei Sewell and Northwestern’s Rashawn Slater), or some team in the top 10 (Detroit, Carolina or Denver) needs to move up to draft the fourth or fifth best quarterback.

Any way you slice it, the math is in Miami’s favor, and the probability of adding a much-needed standout playmaker is high.