The scoop on Miami’s undrafted offensive free agents
Some tidbits and feedback on the Dolphins’ six undrafted rookie additions on offense:
UTEP QB GAVIN HARDISON
NFL Network rated him the 19th-best quarterback in this draft class, and he will now compete with Skylar Thompson for the Dolphins’ No. 3 quarterback job. He has a strong arm but uneven accuracy and he’s coming off Tommy John elbow (UCL) surgery last November.
Hardison was cleared to throw at his March 27 Pro Day and will be able to throw at Dolphins minicamp, per his agent Jim Miller.
Hardison had four offers after the draft, and 21 teams contacted him before the draft, Miller said. Why did he pick the Dolphins?
“Miami showed a lot of interest, conducted a Zoom meeting with him and he felt exceptionally comfortable with the staff,” Miller said. “He felt it was a good opportunity, and it doesn’t hurt to throw to the fastest receiver room” in football.
He was a functional starter at UTEP — at times better than functional — and closed his college career with 40 touchdowns, 33 interceptions, 7963 yards passing and a 53.7 completion percentage. That’s a subpar 77.7 career NFL passer rating.
“He’s an intriguing arm, but he’s not extremely accurate,” an AFC coordinator told NFL Network. “He’s tough as [expletive]. But at least he showed arm talent that is different from some other guys.”
Pro Football Network draft analyst Ian Valentino said Hardison is an “experienced player who has elevated the UTEP program since arriving. It’s undeniable that
Hardison is more intriguing than his raw stats suggest. He has a great arm that launches the ball from various platforms and often overcomes sloppy mechanics.
“He’s [also] unafraid to continue taking deep shots even after seeing his receivers continue to watch the ball slip through their hands, and that mind-set isn’t always easy to find. Over the last two decades, there aren’t many quarterback prospects with a completion rate below 55 percent who have drawn evaluators’ attention.”
He played three games against Power 5 teams the past two seasons. He went 26 for 42 for 244 yards, no TDs or picks in a loss against Oklahoma.
He went 17 for 25 for 192 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions in a loss to Northwestern. And he went 15 for 31 for 228 yards, with no TDs or INTs, in a loss to Arizona.
OHIO STATE G/C MATTHEW JONES
Jones started 24 of the Buckeyes’ 26 games the past two seasons and was second-team All-Big 10 last season.
Last season, as a right guard, he allowed no sacks and just five pressures in 412 pass-blocking snaps. His run-blocking grade from PFF wasn’t exceptional, but it was second best among Ohio State’s offensive linemen.
As a guard who can play center, he might win a job on the 53-man roster or practice squad.
NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein said Jones is a “densely built with thick arms and a relatively broad frame. Jones is athletic in pass protection and does a nice job of mirroring the rush to protect both A- and B-gaps against counter moves and twists. Despite his build, he doesn’t play with the core strength needed for consistent contact balance and can be neutralized and discarded by strong two-gappers in the run game.
“He comes off the ball and snaps into contact but needs to play with better inside hands to improve his power down the middle. Jones has talent as a move blocker and pass protector and is set up to become a backup guard, with a chance to move up the ladder.”
UTEP C ANDREW MEYER
Meyer made 43 career starts at center, and the fact the Dolphins gave him $65,000 guaranteed indicates he’s more than a camp body. But teams typically keep only two centers on the 53-man roster, and Aaron Brewer and Liam Eichenberg will be those players for Miami.
That said, his pass-blocking numbers were exceptional at UTEP. Last season, he permitted no sacks and just one pressure in 313 pass-blocking snaps. He was PFF’s highest-rated center from a pass blocking standpoint.
His run-blocking grade was mediocre (67.6), ranking fourth among UTEP starters.
USF OT BAYRON MATOS
The developmental offensive tackle prospect certainly has a fascinating story, and the Dolphins thought so much of him that they guaranteed him $247,500 — an unusually high number for an undrafted rookie.
Born in the Dominican Republic, Matos played college basketball at New Mexico and then walked on at USF, where he played a few defensive and special teams snaps against BYU and Howard.
USF moved him to the offensive line, but he never played in any games on that side of the ball. Matos is one of 16 players who was selected for the NFL’s International Player Pathway Program, designed to give opportunities to foreign players. He trained at IMG Academy in Bradenton.
At 6-9 and 290 pounds, he runs well for his size — a 4.88 in the 40-yard dash.
Former Kansas City Chiefs general manager Scott Pioli, now with NFL Network, said this about Matos before the draft:
“At IMG Academy, Matos has picked up specific offensive line movement skills quicker than most and is making remarkable strides. He is smooth, with good foot/hand coordination, and possesses rare punch explosion. As a lifelong evaluator, you just know rare punch/explosion when you hear it and see it.’’
FAU WR JE’QUAN BURTON
He caught 24 passes for 277 yards (11.5 per catch) and two touchdowns last season. He had 84 catches for 1,277 yards and nine TDs in three seasons for FAU.
Zierlein said the 5-9 Burton is a “pure speedster with an impressive testing background as an athlete. Unfortunately for Burton, his on-field production never came close to matching his elite athletic traits.’’
“He’s too tight-hipped to run a varied route tree, lacks instincts and struggles with his hands whether the catch is contested or not. Still, explosive athletes deserve an extended look and teams might want to take a chance on developing him as a gadget option working deep and short . ... ’’
WISCONSIN TE HAYDEN RUCCI
He started 35 games at Wisconsin but caught only 17 passes for 200 yards. He’s considered a strong blocker. He’s a long shot to make the 53-man roster, but could earn a practice squad job.