Dolphins’ Jevon Holland felt ‘super motivated’ at the Pro Bowl. It could be his next stop
Just a few weeks after his rookie season concluded, Dolphins safety Jevon Holland was in Las Vegas, the home of the 2022 Pro Bowl. For Holland, who spent the week helping the Dolphins website create content, it was an opportunity to soak in wisdom from cornerback Xavien Howard and some of the NFL’s best players.
”It was a great experience. I felt super motivated,” Holland said Wednesday. “That was one of the best moments for me being a young player. As a competitor, really, to see those guys out there like, ‘Man, this is a goal. This is what I want to get to.’
One encounter particularly left Holland taken aback. He introduced himself to cornerback Joe Haden and was surprised the three-time Pro Bowler already knew who he was.
“I’m Jevon Holland but that’s Joe Haden,” Holland, 22, said. “Do you know how many pairs of Jordan cleats [Haden is signed to Jordan Brand] he has? That alone blew my mind. I told my dad that same thing and my brother, too.”
Holland has the attention of his peers in the NFL, and if his second season builds off his standout rookie year, he’s well on his way to being a household name in the league. After taking over the starting role at free safety, Holland helped turn around a defense — and team — that got off to a sluggish start. In 16 games and 13 starts, Holland recorded 69 tackles, two interceptions and 10 pass breakups, earning Pro Football Writers of America All-Rookie Team honors.
“I was in an unknown environment,” Holland said of his rookie year. “I was really nervous about everything. I had never been to Florida before. By the hotel we were staying at, there’s like a little lake and I went jogging by the lake and there was a frog. But I’m thinking there is an alligator everywhere. So, I start tripping and running back to my room.
“But now I’m cool. I’m comfortable. I like being here. I love Florida. The sun, sky, all that. I was definitely nervous being here. It’s the NFL. I was shaking in my boots, for lack of better terms. But now I feel way better now.”
If Holland was out of sorts early on, it was hard to tell. Coaches praised his attention to detail and found snaps for the 2021 second-round pick early. When veteran Jason McCourty sustained a season-ending injury in Week 4, Holland was elevated to a full-time role. His versatility playing deep in coverage and closer to the line of scrimmage was a key part of the defense’s resurgence in the second half of the season.
With Josh Boyer staying as defensive coordinator and several of last season’s assistants being retained, the continuity is expected to aid a defense that finished the year as one of the league’s best units.
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“I think it’s very important,” Holland said. “It’s carryover from the last year. It’s a familiar face. You’re going to have a similar scheme to how [Boyer] likes it. And the defense understands how he functions and we work well together. You guys saw that at the end of last season. So, I think it’s going to be great for our team, for our defense also.”
Boyer has said much of the defense will stay the same but he’ll tap into his roots as a defensive backs coach to bring his vision for the unit to life. It’s still unclear exactly what means for 2022 but it could potentially result in even more roles for Holland. If so, those around him believe he’s more than ready for the added responsibilities.
“Jevon has a chance to be pretty good in this league,” defensive lineman Christian Wilkins said. “Just how he comes into work each and every day, that was the biggest thing that I learned. And he even took a year off of ball before he got drafted and everything and still came in kind of ready to play and was able to do some really good things for us early on. It’s just impressive to watch.
“He’s athletic, he’s big and something that surprised me more than anything is how cerebral he is back there. Making the calls doing some of the things you have to do at the safety position in our defense was really impressive. He’s kind of a kid who just loves playing ball too, so it’s fun to watch. He just brings that nice, young spirit too. He’s a good teammate.”
