The Miami Dolphins meet with some of the top offensive linemen at the NFL Combine
Four of the top offensive linemen have met with the Miami Dolphins at the NFL Combine.
North Dakota State University’s Grey Zabel, University of Missouri’s Armand Membou, University of Texas’ Kelvin Banks Jr. and University of Miami’s Jalen Rivers confirmed meetings with the Dolphins, a good sign considering the franchise’s needs in the trenches.
“It was a great meeting,” Banks said. “It’s definitely a place that I would love to be at and coaches I’d love to play for.”
“That went great,” Rivers said Saturday. “We went over film. I talked to the coach [Lemuel] Jeanpierre, the assistant offensive line coach. Talked a little bit to coach [Butch] Barry as well. It’s been great. Watched film. I’m really liking them.”
“It was a fun meeting talking to [Dolphins coach] Mike McDaniel,” Membou said.
Added Zabel: “The big thing that stood out about that meeting was just the passion they have for football. Super high football IQ in that program, on that team.”
McDaniel especially made an impression on Zabel.
“He’s got a great outlook on life,” Zabel said of McDaniel. “Happy-go-lucky type of guy. Loved being able to finally meet him, shake his hand and have a meeting with him so that was kind of a surreal moment for me.”
Three of the offensive linemen — Zabel, Rivers and Membou — particularly standout due to their positional flexibility. The Dolphins’ love for guys that can play up and down the o-line is certainly well-documented.
“Position versatility is absolutely paramount if you aren’t starting because we can’t dictate the terms on injuries in general and where those opportunities will present themselves,” McDaniel said July 31. “So you have to give them an opportunity to make the team if they’re in the competition mode for their role and then eventually you have to give them a chance to start at that position.”
The versatility of Zabel and Rivers shined at the Senior Bowl in particular as they both suited up at every position. Asked about the importance of flexibility, Rivers couldn’t help but credit his offensive line coach Alex Mirabal.
“He always preached and always said that ‘You’re not an offensive tackle, center or guard — you’re an offensive lineman,’” Rivers recalled. “So I pride myself going into this process on being an offensive lineman. I can go from left tackle to right side to center even. It adds value.”
Zabel wouldn’t even answer questions about his positional preference.
“I’m an offensive lineman,” Zabel said. “I’m a football player. It doesn’t really matter what position you play; it just matters where you line up and you’re just going to have to block somebody at the end of the day.”
Membou played both guard and tackle at Mizzou. At 6-foot-3-inches, however, Membou likely would be considered a bit undersized to play tackle in NFL. He prides himself on being able to play either position.
“There’s no reason why I couldn’t play tackle,” Membou said. “I think I’m more than athletic enough and have the tools to but if the team wants to move me inside then let’s do it.”
Banks, on the other hand, told reporters that he never played guard though he doesn’t think the switch would be too difficult and definitely remains open to it. With the Dolphins and Longhorns known to run similar schemes, Banks believes the transition from collegiate to pro would be even easier if he wound up in Miami.
“We have the same scheme so it would just be me coming in and learning their word terminology,” Banks said, adding that the Dolphins run similar plays “so it’ll be an easy fit for me to just to plug and play in their offense.”
With the Dolphins’ need for an upgrade in the trenches well-known, it will be intriguing to see which offensive lineman, if any, ultimately winds up in Miami. Of the four aforementioned, Membou has the highest prospect grade at 6.46, according to NFL.com. Banks (6.44), Zabel (6.27) and Rivers (6.17) follow closely behind.
Whether the Dolphins draft either of the prospects remains to be seen. Miami doesn’t have a high-level starting guard on their roster, a necessity to effectively run the ball. Luckily, McDaniel expressed a desire to build up the offensive line unit prior to next year and the first step, according to the coach, begins with the start of free agency on March 12.
“I’m excited because I think we have a tangible opportunity to improve that starts in free agency with a couple of guys that we have targeted that you think you can get a deal done with them, and that continues into the draft,” McDaniel said Tuesday. “I think it’s a very good time to have some need. It’s time for us to invest in that position and are excited to.”
This story was originally published March 1, 2025 at 9:57 AM.
