NFL Scouting Combine Preview: Breaking down the Miami Dolphins’ top 5 options at DL
This is the third in a series of position previews ahead of next week’s NFL Scouting Combine.
Last in sacks.
Twenty-seventh in rush defense.
Thirtieth in takeaways.
Yeah, the Dolphins need help on the defensive line.
The good news: There’s plenty of it in this year’s draft, beginning with the likely first pick.
Here are five prospects likely to go in the first round:
Chase Young
School: Ohio State.
Year: Junior.
Position: Defensive end.
Height/weight: 6-5, 265.
2019 stats: 16 1/2 sacks, 21 tackles for loss, 7 forced fumbles.
ESPN position/overall draft ranking: 1/1.
What to know: Dare to dream, right? We’ve racked our brains trying to envision a scenario in which the Dolphins end up with Young, the consensus top prospect in this year’s draft. We couldn’t find a plausible one, short of a draft-night gas-mask bong incident. Whichever team picks first — Dolphins included — will almost certainly take a quarterback, and if Young falls to 2, the Redskins would be foolish to pass on him. But if they do, how will he get past the Lions at 3, let along the Giants at 4? Too bad, because Young — winner of the Bednarik, Hendricks and Nagurski awards — would single-handedly solve Miami’s terrible pass rush.
They said it: “Young is a tall, long and athletic defensive end. As a pass rusher, he explodes off the ball and gains ground in a hurry. He uses a quick swipe move and also has the ability to control the wrists of blockers. He can convert speed to power and is effective on loops and games. He does have a little tightness at the top of his rush. Against the run, he sets the edge easily and uses his quickness to slip blocks and create chaos behind the line of scrimmage. Overall, Young is an All-Pro talent, reminiscent of Julius Peppers and Mario Williams.” — Daniel Jeremiah, NFL.com.
Derrick Brown
School: Auburn.
Year: Senior.
Position: Defensive tackle.
Height/weight: 6-4, 318.
2019 stats: 54 tackles (11 1/2 for loss), 4 sacks, 4 passes defensed, 2 forced fumbles.
ESPN position/overall draft ranking: 1/5.
What to know: On the surface, this would seem like a luxury pick for the Dolphins, who used their first-rounder on Christian Wilkins last year and have a solid player in Davon Godchaux. But neither is the disruptive presence up the middle that Brown is. He would transform a defensive front that didn’t have a single player rank in the top 80 in tackles for loss last year. And Brown is a perfect scheme fit because he’s a perfect fit in any scheme. He can play most anywhere in both odd and even-man fronts. Definitely a name to watch if the Dolphins’ quarterback plan falls apart early in Round 1.
They said it: “Defensive tackle with rare combination of size and disruptive traits who frequently bludgeoned inferior competition across from him. Brown’s snap quickness allows him to take muddy running lanes by re-setting the line of scrimmage. He has the ability to power into gaps, but he really shines when he drops his anchor to stall double-teams or punch, press and prey on runners as a two-gapper. Brown’s upright rush style means he might be more of a pressure rusher than a sack-man, but he should keep improving as a rusher with more dedication to the craft. He could become a high-impact starter early in his career with an All-Pro ceiling and good starter floor.” — Lance Zierlein, NFL.com.
Javon Kinlaw
School: South Carolina.
Year: Senior.
Position: Defensive tackle.
Height/weight: 6-5, 308.
2019 stats: 35 tackles (6 for loss), 6 sacks, 2 passes defensed, 2 fumbles recovered.
ESPN position/overall draft ranking: 1/6.
What to know: One of the draft’s fastest risers, Kinlaw has done everything right except for stay healthy. His dazzling Senior Bowl week was cut short by knee tendinitis (we saw him labor off the field following Wednesday’s practice), but before that, he was a wrecking ball. The rationale for drafting Kinlaw is the same as it was for Brown, with the caveat that perhaps he will slip some and be available to the Dolphins in the teens. Kinlaw’s resume: first-team All-American and first-team all-conference whose numbers didn’t properly capture his impact.
They said it: “If you don’t know about Kinlaw yet, do yourself a favor and go watch some highlights from his two days of Senior Day workouts. He is an absolute physical freak with the versatility to play on the interior or off the edge, and he has the power to walk offensive linemen back into the quarterback.” — Todd McShay, ESPN.com.
Ross Blacklock
School: Texas Christian.
Year: Redshirt Junior.
Position: Defensive tackle.
Height/weight: 6-5, 308.
2019 stats: 40 tackles (9 for loss), 3.5 sacks.
ESPN position/overall draft ranking: 3/12.
What to know: With just 24 collegiate games worth of tape, Blacklock is probably the biggest unknown of the projected first-round defensive linemen. He redshirted his first year on campus and then missed all of 2018 after suffering a non-contact Achilles injury. But he has as much upside as anyone, and could be a value pick if he’s around when the Dolphins pick at 26. When he was on the field, Blacklock was a force, earning freshman All-American honors in 2017. He would be a true projection pick — and a risk the Dolphins with three first-rounders might be willing to take.
They said it: “Blacklock is a dynamic interior defensive lineman. As a pass rusher, he launches out of his four-point stance and his bull rush is ferocious. He creates immediate knock-back. He is ultra-twitchy. He flashes a long-arm move where he can jolt, separate and finish. As a run defender, he successfully stacks and sheds single blocks, but he needs to improve his awareness and effectiveness versus double teams, where he gets washed down the line. He does have some durability concerns, but his skill set is special. Overall, Blacklock comes with some risk, but he’s worth it. He has the potential to develop into a top-flight interior pass rusher.” — Daniel Jeremiah, NFL.com.
K’Lavon Chaisson
School: Louisiana State.
Year: Redshirt Sophomore.
Position: Defensive end.
Height/weight: 6-4, 250.
2019 stats: 60 tackles (13 1/2 for loss), 6.5 sacks, 2 passes defensed.
ESPN position/overall draft ranking: 2/17.
What to know: Another talented defender whose stock will probably drop due to medical red flags, Chaisson seems to have the build of a DE/LB tweener in the NFL. Which would be just fine in Brian Flores’ multiple defense, so long as he can set the edge. Getting after the passer shouldn’t be a problem, with natural bend around the edge. Back to his health concerns: Chaisson missed all but one game in 2018 with a torn ACL. The medical exam at next week’s Combine will be important for him.
They said it: “Every year, teams covet edge rushers with projectable traits, even if they don’t always produce huge numbers. That’s Chaisson, who had just 6.5 sacks this past season, only 3.5 of which came in the regular season. Those high-ceiling edge rushers don’t always go in the first round, of course, but you can see on tape why a team might love Chaisson’s potential. He starred in the Tigers’ win over Oklahoma in the College Football Playoff, picking up two sacks. It’s fair to say there is risk involved — Chaisson missed most of the 2018 season with a knee injury, and he finished his LSU career with just 9.5 sacks. Again, though, this is all about upside, and I’m betting his stock keeps rising through the pre-draft process.” — Mel Kiper, ESPN.com.
This story was originally published February 19, 2020 at 1:29 PM.
