The Dolphins’ Draft haul was all about versatility — and that’s just how Flores likes it
The best way to catch the Miami Dolphins’ attention in the NFL Draft process — maybe even the only way — is to be able to do a lot of different things.
It was an obvious theme throughout all three days of the 2021 NFL Draft. The key words Thursday, Friday and Saturday were terms like “versatile,” “well-rounded” and “do it all.”
On Thursday, new defensive end Jaelan Phillips proclaimed he “can do it all” after Miami picked him in the first round. On Friday, Hunter Long, a third-round pick, referred to himself as “a well-rounded tight end.” Even Saturday, tackle Larnel Coleman, a seventh-round pick, declared himself to be “real versatile.”
The Dolphins made seven picks this weekend and it’s easy to envision at least six of them playing multiple positions for Miami in 2021.
“We like the guys that we added this weekend, but I’ll say this,” coach Brian Flores said, “These guys have a long way to go. They’ve never played in an NFL game, they’ve never set foot in an NFL meeting or a walkthrough, or anything. They’ve got a long way to go, so it’s our job as coaches to help these guys get acclimated, learn the system, learn the terminology.”
The final haul for the Dolphins: wide receiver Jaylen Waddle and Phillips in the first round; safety Jevon Holland and tackle Liam Eichenberg in the second; Long in the third; Coleman and running back Gerrid Doaks in the seventh.
Dolphins’ Day 3 Draft recap
Miami put the final touches on the Draft class Saturday, making those two seventh-round selections after trading out of the fifth round. The Dolphins landed the Pittsburgh Steelers’ fourth-round selection in the 2022 NFL Draft in exchange for their 2021 fifth.
Miami entered Saturday without any fourth- or sixth-round picks, after it traded its fourth-round pick to the Philadelphia Eagles as part of the deal to move up to No. 6 on Thursday and traded its sixth-round pick to the Houston Texans as part of the Laremy Tunsil trade in 2019.
The two seventh-round picks helped fill the Dolphins’ most glaring hole — running back — and bolster its offensive line even further. Miami’s seven picks came at six different positions, with tackle the only spot where the Dolphins doubled up.
Coleman, in particular, fit the theme for Miami. The offensive lineman started 12 games at right tackle for the UMass Minutemen and 16 at left tackle. The 6-foot-6, 307-pound lineman is an impressive athlete, who had the second longest arms in the Draft and ran a 40-yard dash in 5.17 seconds. He has the tools to play either tackle spot and could wind up at guard or even center — he said he has been practicing snapping.
“Whatever it is the team needs me to play, I can play it,” Coleman said. “I’m real athletic, so I can do just about everything.”
Defensive versatility in Flores’ system
Phillips and Holland, the first two defensive players the Dolphins took, are the two most obvious examples in the theme.
Phillips was the No. 1 overall high school recruit in the Class of 2017, according to the 247Sports.com composite rankings, and began his career with the UCLA Bruins as an outside linebacker in their 3-4 defense. After two seasons in Los Angeles, Phillips transferred and played last season with the Miami Hurricanes as a defensive end in their 4-3 defense, earning first-team All-America honors with 15 1/2 tackles for loss and eight sacks.
Holland, who opted out of the 2020 college football season because of COVID-19, became the first safety taken in the Draft largely because of his versatility. He can play in the box — he logged 108 tackles and 4 1/2 tackles in two seasons for the Oregon Ducks. He can cover — he finished his college career with nine interceptions and 10 passes defended. Holland, who compared himself to Kansas City Chiefs safety Tyrann Mathieu, said he’d even be comfortable playing cornerback.
“I plan on just coming in and being a resource for the coaches,” the defensive back said Friday. “Whatever they want me to do, I plan on doing that.”
What offensive versatility means
For Eichenberg, versatility could mean playing either tackle spot or either guard spot and the Dolphins will likely count on him to to start right away after they traded offensive lineman Ereck Flowers to the Washington Football Team.
For Long, it means splitting out as a wide receiver and contributing as a blocker — he played in both pass-happy and run happy systems with the Boston College Eagles, he noted.
Even for Waddle, it’s important.
Miami’s choice Thursday ultimately camp down to Waddle and wide receiver Devonta Smith, and it wasn’t easy. Smith won the Heisman Memorial Trophy last year for the Alabama Crimson Tide and wound up going 10th to the Philadelphia Eagles. Waddle, though, was actually leading Alabama in receiving yards last year until he went down with an injury after five games.
The two wideouts have similar profiles — Waddle is 5-9 1/2 and 180 pounds, and Smith is 6-foot and 170 pounds — but Flores kept harping on Waddle’s flexibility. The receiver, he said after the first round Thursday, can play in the slot or on the outside, and return kicks and punts.
“His role is going to be what he makes it,” Flores said. “Based off of all the film we’ve seen, we think he’ll fit inside or outside. We think he’ll add a speed element. Obviously, he has some value in the return game.
“His versatility is a big part of this.”
This story was originally published May 1, 2021 at 8:31 PM.
