Waddle, Phillips, Holland: a draft to celebrate
This time of year, when we typically review the Dolphins’ rookie draft picks compared to the players that they bypassed, there’s a lot to second-guess. A lot.
That’s not the case this year, and that’s a credit to the work of general manager Chris Grier
and the scouting staff. Grier’s job security — which was never as shaky as some might have believed — has been further solidified because of his 2021 draft.
If the Dolphins had a draft do-over, they likely would — and should — still select the first three players they picked: Jaylen Waddle, Jaelan Phillips and Jevon Holland. They presumably wouldn’t pick Liam Eichenberg, but he has at least begun to salvage a difficult rookie season.
Reflecting on the top four picks, how players selected near them are doing and the Dolphins’ decisions:
Waddle at 6:
The Dolphins decided to trade from 3 to 12 to 6 because they concluded that Waddle, Ja’Marr Chase and Kyle Pitts were comparable talents and they were confident that one of them would be available at 6.
They believed getting two future first-round picks from the 49ers offset needing to relinquish their own first-rounder in the trade with the Eagles to move from 12 to 6. And they were pretty certain that Waddle, Chase and Pitts — and to a lesser extent, DeVonta Smith —
would not make it to 12. All were off the board by No. 10.
There were “four players we felt really good about taking at six and we’d be tremendously happy to have,” Grier said in the offseason, noting that what made Waddle stand out is “the explosiveness that [he] gives you, as well as the return game.
AYou can only imagine the texts
Brian [Flores] and I got from people talking about what a great pick and how explosive this guy is.”
Though Chase had the better start to this season, Waddle has caught up and is on pace to break Anquan Boldin’s rookie record for receptions in a season (101). Their rookie numbers:
Waddle: 86 catches (second most in the league), 849 yards, 9.9 per reception, four touchdowns.
Chase: 55 catches, 958 yards, 17.4 per reception, eight touchdowns.
Pitts: 49 catches, 709 yards, 14.5 yards, one touchdown.
Smith: 50 catches, 701 yards, 14.4 average, four touchdowns.
The caveat in the Chase/ Waddle comparison is that the Bengals throw deep far more than the Dolphins do, largely because of Miami’s offensive line shortcomings.
Among players selected immediately after Waddle, Detroit offensive tackle Penei Sewell has been solid (ranked 25th among tackles by Pro Football Focus), Carolina cornerback
Jaycee Horn has played in only three games because of foot and groin injuries, Denver cornerback Patrick Surtain II has started 11 games and has four interceptions, and Smith — Waddle’s Alabama teammate — has been productive for the Eagles. Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons, selected 12th, has been great (72 tackles, 10 sacks). But receiver was a bigger priority than linebacker for Miami.
Besides the advanced route running, cornerback Nik Needham diagnoses Waddle’s other special quality: When he catches the ball, “he instantly hits top speed. That creates a big issue for a lot of defenders and he can also go up and reach the high point and get the ball, too.”
And, as receiver Mack Hollins said, “he knows how to attack a ball when it’s in the air.”
Albert Wilson cites “the way he gets open, speed, the toughness. He wants to be the best guy on the field every time, and to be so young, to want to take that role, it’s awesome to see.”
The draft pick component of the deal (trading Miami’s own first-rounder in 2022 to the
NEW YORK GIANTS (4-8) AT LOS ANGELES CHARGERS (7-5)
The Chargers have the fifth seed, and with a 5-3 conference record, the odds are against the Dolphins catching up to them. That doesn’t mean a Los Angeles loss wouldn’t be welcome by the Miami faithful.
Whom to root for: Giants
Eagles but landing the 49ers’ 2022 and 2023 first-rounders and the 49ers’ 2022 thirdrounder) looks far better than it did when Miami opened 1-7. Miami’s current pick (due the Eagles) stands 12th. The 49ers are 6-6 and their pick could end up in the late teens.
Phillips at 18:
His 8.5 sacks (tied for 11th in the NFL) and the recent play — including six sacks in the past three games — validate that this was the right selection over the players chosen immediately after:
Washington linebacker Jamin Davis (seven starts, 52 tackles), Giants receiver Kadarius Toney (35 catches, 392 yards, no TDs), Colts defensive end Kwity Paye (22 tackles, three sacks in 11 starts), Titans cornerback Caleb Farley (started only one game before sustaining a torn ACL in October), Vikings offensive tackle Christian Darrisaw
(PFF’s 52nd rated tackle), Steelers running back Najee Harris
(873 yards rushing but just 3.7 per carry) and Jacksonville running back Travis Etienne
(missed his rookie season with an ACL injury).
Grier admitted “we didn’t think [Phillips] would be there. You can never have enough pass rushing.”
Dolphins outside linebackers coach Rob Leonard recently recalled interviewing Phillips before the draft, by phone.
What struck him? “Smart kid, humble kid. The character aspect of the conversation stood out,” Leonard said, adding his pre-draft tape review showed “a good athlete that was still a little raw and had a lot of development to do. But from an athletic and strength standpoint, he had a good toolbox.”
This is what impressed Flores before the draft: “When you watch him play, you would never question his passion and effort because he plays 100 miles per hour.”
Defensive coordinator Josh Boyer said last week that the motor has been as advertised: “He plays with great effort, great effort. He’s blessed that he has a good amount of explosion to him, good first step. When they play with that effort and that intensity, not only does it seem
ASAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (6-6) AT CINCINNATI BENGALS (7-5)
Rooting interests can go several ways, depending on your priorities and how you feel the final month will shake out. If you’re secretly looking ahead to the NFL Draft, you may be hoping for a Bengals win, as the Dolphins have the 49ers’ first-round pick in the 2022 Draft.
If you think the Ravens are going to stumble to the finish line and be in contention for a wild-card spot, you might want the Bengals to supplant them atop the AFC North. For now, we’ll assume Cincinnati will be closer to a wild-card spot in the final weeks of the season.
Whom to root for: 49ers
BUFFALO BILLS (7-5) AT TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (9-3)
About six weeks ago, it seemed like the Bills were going to clinch the AFC East by early December. Instead, the Patriots are once again the standardbearers in the division and the Bills have fallen to the final AFC playoff spot. Although the Bills swept the Dolphins this series, a loss to Tampa Bay would drop them out of the playoff field.
Whom to root for: Buccaneers
Daniel Oyefusi: DanielOyefusi like they are all over the field, they literally are.”
The next frontier: Improving against the run. PFF ranks him 107th among 111 edge players in that category. But Phillips has proven to be the better pick than Harris, who’s just 44th in the league in yards per carry.
Holland at 36:
So far, he has been better than the players selected immediately after him: Eagles starter Landon Dickerson (a former Alabama center who is now PFF’s 34th ranked guard), Patriots defensive tackle Christian Barmore
(13 games, 2 starts, 31 tackles), Bears offensive tackle Tevin Jenkins (one start all year), Falcons safety Richie Grant
games, no starts) and Lions defensive tackle Levi Onwuzurike (11 games, no starts).
Dickerson has been very solid, and Barmore has flashed, but Holland was the right pick, a player with Pro Bowl potential.
Besides the physical gifts, Holland has impressed everyone with his ability to diagnose how offenses are lining up. Some of that was a byproduct of his father pausing the video repeatedly while they watched football over the years so that he could explain nuances of the game to his son.
Even after studying film at the facility during the day, Holland studies more at night on his iPad.
Miami targeted him from the start of round 2. “We were nervous that [Holland] may not get there because there were a lot of people that called that really liked this player,” Grier said. “This guy just has a nose for the football. But it was his football intelligence… that stood out as well.”
How special could Holland be? “I never told him this, but he reminds me of Eric Berry,”
Dolphins cornerback Xavien Howard said on The Richard Sherman podcast, a reference to the five-time Pro Bowl safety and a member of the NFL’s
2010 All-Decade team.
Pro Football Focus rates Holland fifth-best among all safeties this season. Special teams coach Danny Crossman nicknamed him Snowman because he wears number eight and was born in Canada.
A(12
Eichenberg at 42:
Trading a 2022 third-rounder to the Giants to move up from 50 from 42 seems regrettable, but Eichenberg still could prove to be a competent right tackle, even if he doesn’t stick at left tackle.
If Miami had stayed at No. 50, they would have potentially had a choice among Georgia edge rusher Azeez Ojulari (went
50th to the Giants and has 6.5 sacks); Texas offensive tackle
Sam Cosmi (was impressive as a starter for Washington early on this season before multiple injuries); Cleveland linebacker
Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (50 tackles and a sack in nine games and six starts), Titans offensive tackle Dillon Radunz (no starts), Colts defensive end
Dayo Odeyingbo (four tackles in six games) or Kansas City linebacker Nick Bolton (82 tackles, 11 for loss, in 10 starts).
In a do-over with Miami staying at 50, Ojulari, Cosmi or Bolton would be the better pick, at least from what each player has displayed to this point.
FYI: Three offensive linemen were selected between 43 and 49 and none has done much: Stanford tackle Walker Little (just one start for Jacksonville), Clemson’s Jackson Carman (five starts for the Bengals) and Notre Dame guard Aaron Banks (has played just five snaps for the 49ers).
Why did Miami move up to get Eichenberg? “There was a big run of offensive linemen; and so for us, it was important to get up,” Grier said. “We liked his toughness, character. He’s durable, very smart.”
Eichenberg said last week that he recently realized that “maybe what I did in college isn’t going to work in the NFL. You have to change the things you do.”
So in recent weeks, he consulted with Jesse Davis and former Notre Dame players, including Bears lineman Alex Bars.
Among the things he changed: “Mainly my routine during the week, getting massages, doing Pilates, stretching more.”
PFF said he hasn’t allowed a sack in the past three games.
ABarry Jackson: 305-376-3491, @flasportsbuzz