Dolphins take LSU defensive tackle Davon Godchaux with second fifth-round pick

The Dolphins raised eyebrows when they didn’t sign a third defensive tackle in free agency.

Turns out, they were simply waiting for the draft.

Miami took interior lineman Davon Godchaux with their second fifth-round pick.

Godchaux, who recorded 6.5 sacks his junior year, declared early with the expectation he’d be a third-round pick. Instead, he slipped to the fifth.

He’ll have a chance to compete for playing time behind Ndamukong Suh and Jordan Phillips.

“The Dolphins got them a steal,” he said.

Here’s a possible reason for Godchaux’s slide: He was arrested on domestic violence charges last season. Those charges were dropped shortly thereafter.

Dolphins general manager Chris Grier said the Dolphins’ investigative team looked closely into what he called a “very serious allegation, [but] ... once we got the facts, we felt comfortable” drafting him.

Godchaux survived a rough childhood in Louisiana. His brother was the target of drive-by shooting gone awry, and the family’s home was pockmocked by bullets.

“Enjoyed every day coaching Davon Godchaux!” LSU coach Ed Orgeron wrote on Twitter. “He will be a tremendous player for the Dolphins!”

This story was originally published April 29, 2017 at 3:52 PM with the headline "Dolphins take LSU defensive tackle Davon Godchaux with second fifth-round pick."