Dolphins pick Michigan offensive lineman Ryan Hayes in seventh round of 2023 NFL Draft
The Dolphins used their final pick in the 2023 NFL Draft on Michigan offensive tackle Ryan Hayes in the seventh round, taking an experienced lineman with the No. 238 overall pick on Saturday.
Hayes, 6-6 and 298 pounds, started 30 games in college and was a second-team All-Big Ten selection in the previous two seasons. The 23-year-old came to Michigan as a tight end before making the change to the offensive line.
“With him, he’s played a lot of football,” general manager Chris Grier said. “Smart kid. Competitive. Tough. Came [to Michigan] as a tight end and converted [to offensive line] and worked. He’s been coached in a good program. Coach [Jim] Harbaugh has done a great job. Just watching him over the years develop and compete and play, so for us, we were excited at this point in the draft to add him into our group of guys coming in and competing.”
Hayes, a native of Traverse City, Michigan, was a three-sport athlete in high school, playing football, baseball and basketball. He was named his high school conference’s basketball player of the year as a senior and was a four-star recruit in football.
“I think I’m a smart player. I know where I’m going at all times,” Hayes said on a video conference call. “That allows me to know my angles, so I think I play fast. It allows me to play extremely fast and use my athleticism to an advantage. And every play I’m out there, I’m going to finish as hard as I can to the whistle. So you’re going to get a hard-working guy that flies around the field.”
Miami entered the draft with a league-low four picks and didn’t use either of its two Day 2 selections on an offensive lineman, despite questions about left guard Liam Eichenberg, right tackle Austin Jackson and the line’s overall depth. But on the final day of the draft, the Dolphins managed to leave with a player who has taken significant snaps at tackle and could move inside to guard because of his frame.
The Dolphins used nine different starting combinations in 2022 as the unit experienced multiple injuries, most notably with left tackle Terron Armstead. Miami signed Dan Feeney from the New York Jets and re-signed Kendall Lamm and Geron Christian.
Grier said the expectation is that Jackson, who only played in two games in 2022 because of ankle injuries, will be the team’s starting right tackle in 2023. But the team has looked at its veteran free-agent options and recently hosted Cameron Fleming for a visit. Grier also confirmed that the team reached out to Taylor Lewan’s agent after the tackle was released by the Tennessee Titans in February.
Miami used both of its final two picks on Day 2 to address positions of need. With the No. 197 overall pick, the Dolphins selected Stanford wide receiver Elijah Higgins, who will play tight end in the NFL.
This story was originally published April 29, 2023 at 6:22 PM.
