Dolphins may face draft dilemma at running back

The Dolphins kept bypassing quality running backs early in last year’s draft, and by the time Miami used its second of two second-round picks, the top four players at the position

(De’Andre Swift, Clyde Edwards-Halaire, Jonathan Taylor, JK Dobbins) were off the board. The Dolphins cannot afford for that to happen again.

But here’s the problem regarding Alabama’s Najee Harris, who most consider the draft’s top back. Some project him to go between the Dolphins’ picks at 18 and 36, perhaps to Pittsburgh at 24. A case could be made to take him at 18, but a running back that high typically isn’t good value.

Which raises this question: Should the Dolphins use the 18th pick for another need (edge player, perhaps) and hope/assume that one top back among Harris, North Carolina’s

Javonte Williams and Clemson’s Travis Etienne is available at 36?

That would be my expectation, especially with NFL Net’s

Daniel Jeremiah saying he has spoken to teams and now believes that a running back will not be picked by anyone in the first round. If Harris or Williams is off the board shortly before Miami’s pick at 36, the Dolphins could trade up a bit to land the one who’s still available. Then again, it’s also possible Williams could be available at 50.

Jeremiah ranks Williams ahead of both Harris and Etienne. Jeremiah notes that Harris is “230 pounds, has balance and can bang inside but can also get involved in the pass game. Etienne is maybe a little bit undersized but has big-time juice, big-time speed.

“Williams kind of gives you a little bit of everything. He’s

220 pounds but he has big-time burst and he’s got really good vision. I loved him from the first tape that I popped on. He’s just like [Browns Pro Bowl running back] Nick Chubb.”

Here’s how the draft’s top three backs compare with career stats:

Harris: 638 carries for 3,843 yards (6.0 per carry) and 46 touchdowns in 51 college games, plus 80 catches for 781 yards (9.8 average) and 11 receiving touchdowns.

Williams: 366 carries for 2,297 yards (6.3 average) and 29 touchdowns in 34 games, plus 50 catches for 539 yards (10.8 average) and four touchdown receptions.

Etienne: 686 carries for

4,952 yards (7.2 average) and 70 touchdowns in 55 games, plus 102 catches for 1,155 yards (11.3 average) and eight touchdown receptions.

Here’s how ESPN’s Todd McShay assessed Harris and

Etienne:

“Harris has great size and good speed, and he has shown excellent ball security. He is strong on contact and slippery between the tackles. I was previously a bit concerned he danced too much, looking for the home run, but Harris was decisive in his final season at Alabama. He looks improved in pass protection too and remains underrated as a passcatcher.”

“Etienne has above-average speed with an explosive second gear when he hits daylight. He is a real home run-hitter in space, breaking off 19 plays for 20-plus yards this season. I like his contact balance too.”

And what if the Dolphins don’t get any of those three?

Among other options: Ohio State’s Trey Sermon (29 carries for 331 yards against Northwestern in Big 10 championship and 31 for 193 against Clemson in a playoff game). “A great-looking running back at a quick glance, but one who suffers from inconsistency in creativity and decisiveness,” NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein said.

UNC’s Michael Carter: The elusive 5-8, 199-pounder, who impressed Dolphins coaches at the Senior Bowl, had 156 carries for 1,245 yards (an 8.0 average) and nine touchdowns in 11 games last season, but isn’t the big back the Dolphin need. Jeremiah calls him a third-rounder.

Oklahoma State’s Chuba Hubbard: Considered a potential second-round pick coming into the season, Hubbard now projects as a fifth-rounder, Jeremiah said, adding he’s “tough, physical, breaks a lot of tackles.”

Memphis’ Kenneth Gainwell (“one-year starter with underwhelming size but overwhelming production,” Zierlein said) and two backs who played for Dolphins coaches at the Senior Bowl: Oklahoma’s Rhamondre Stevenson (6.6 per carry last season) and Virginia Tech’s Khalil Herbert: (7.6 per carry last season).

CHATTER

Not only does Andre Iguodala

● lead the Heat in fourthquarter minutes with 406, but he has played the 12th most fourth-quarter minutes of any NBA player. Indiana’s T.J. McConnell is the only NBA nonstarter who has played more fourth-quarter minutes than Iguodala.

If it seems like Iguodala is better offensively in the fourth quarter, you’re right. He’s shooting 38.9 percent on fourth-quarter three-pointers (21 for 54), compared with 30.1 percent on threes in the first three quarters (28 for 93).

Tyler Herro has played the

●

entire fourth quarter of 21 games (most in the NBA) but is shooting just 27 percent on fourth-quarter threes (20 for 74).

UM items: Nice gesture by

●

the Orange Bowl to do a Zoom call to honor Howard Schnellenberger this week; Nat Moore, Bernie Kosar, former NBC sports and news anchor

Tony Segreto and Don Bailey Jr. were among the speakers . ...

Kam McGusty has until late July to decide whether to stay in the NBA draft or return to UM . ... The Canes reiterated they expect to have full capacity for games this fall.. Look for the Hurricanes to continue to look for linebacker help in the portal.

In retrospect, the Marlins

● either should have exercised

Brandon Kintzler’s $4 million team option for 2021 or offered more than they did when they tried to sign him February.

We hear the Marlins went back to Kintzler in February and offered him a contract that included $1 million guaranteed in 2021 and a $3 million team option for 2022, which included a $1 million buyout if the Marlins declined that option. So Kintzler would have been guaranteed $2 million over two years, essentially.

He instead accepted a nonroster invitation (and thus nonguaranteed money) from the Phillies, made the team and definitely will earn $3 million, with incentives that could push the deal to $4 million. So Kintzler gambled on himself and it paid off. He has allowed one earned run in 3 ⅔ innings. Kintzler went 12 for 14 on save chances for the Marlins last season.

Not only are the Marlins paying Bass $1 million this season, but he’s guaranteed $3 million in 2022.