Can Dolphins find impactful young defensive tackle to pair with Sieler? Exploring options
If the NFL season started today, the Dolphins would be starting a subpar nose tackle (Benito Jones) and a journeyman alongside Zach Sieler. They would still be reeling from the distressing loss of Calais Campbell to the Arizona Cardinals.
Fortunately for the Dolphins, the season does not begin today.
The Dolphins are expected to try to find a long-term starting defensive lineman in the draft, and the first three rounds feature about a dozen players who might be able to step in immediately as NFL starters.
Examining defensive tackles who could be in the mix for Miami with any of their three picks in the top 100 (13, 48, 98):
First round
If Michigan’s Mason Graham is gone (and most expect him to be gone by pick 10), there’s no tackle who necessarily projects to No. 13. In first-round trade downs, you could make the case for:
▪ Oregon’s Derrick Harmon: He had two sacks, 35 quarterback pressures, two forced fumbles, four pass breakups and 10 tackles for loss last season.
ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr., who projects him 21st, said the 6-5, 330-pound Harmon “has the versatility to move all over the D-line, but his best spot is inside, where he can use his speed and power to be disruptive.”
A case could be made to take Harmon at 13, though that’s a bit earlier than most project.
NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein calls him a “position-versatile building block that makes moving the football a much tougher task. Harmon is wide, long and naturally powerful at the point of attack. Harmon can play up and down the line in both odd and even fronts. He will bring an instant dose of stinginess and toughness to any defense he joins.”
▪ Michigan’s Kenneth Grant: The 6-4, 331-pound tackle is stout against the run and had three sacks and 17 pressures last season. Kiper and NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah mock him 30th.
He was a third-team All-American last season and Zierlein describes him as “a broad-bodied nose tackle whose tape can run hot and cold depending on the game and the types of blocks he’s facing. He struggles to anchor when hit with down blocks due to his narrow base and tall pads, but he uses his power and length to beat single blocks and split double teams when he finds the crease. Grant’s game will finally come together in full when he’s able to take his impressive physical attributes and impose his will on opponents.”
▪ Mississippi’s Walter Nolen: The 6-4, 296-pounder had 6.5 sacks and 14 tackles for loss last season. Kiper projects him to go at the end of the first round, noting he’s “very disruptive thanks to explosive traits and strong hands.”
He has 26 tackles for loss in his past 25 games.
Zierlein said Nolen “has NFL-starting size but won’t blow you away with his physical traits. However, he gains quick advantages with his explosiveness into contact and ability to beat up blockers when singled up.... Nolen’s blend of explosiveness and playmaking talent create high upside as a three-down interior lineman.”
Potential second-round options
▪ Ohio State’s Tyleik Williams: He could be off the board before pick 48; NFL.com’s Chad Reuter has him going 43rd. ESPN’s Jordan Reid mocks him 53rd, noting “Williams is a dominant run defender who can compress the pocket as a pass rusher.”
The 6-3, 334-pounder had 28 tackles for loss and 11.5 sacks in four seasons, including eight and 2.5 last season.
Zierlein calls him a “drain-clogging run defender with violent first contact and nimble feet for impressive tackle production. The knock-back pop and ability to eat up runners in his general vicinity could help him become an impactful, run-stuffing three-technique.”
▪ Texas’ Alfred Collins: The 6-6, 332-pound second team All-American had 55 tackles (5.5 for loss) with a sack, seven pass breakups, a forced fumble and blocked kick last season. The Dolphins brought him in for a ‘30’ visit and really like him.
Reuter slots him 51st, three spots after Miami’s pick. ESPN’s Reid mocks him 52nd, noting “he is an A+ run defender and sturdy at the point of attack, and he maximizes the impact of his 34⅝-inch arm length.”
Zierlein said: “Collins isn’t going to stand out in one particular area, but he plays hard and has outstanding physical traits to blend right into an NFL defensive rotation.... He’s not a premier playmaker but he has the size, talent and alignment versatility to help fortify a defensive front as an early contributor and future starter.”
▪ Toledo’s Darius Alexander: The 6-4, 305-pounder last season had 40 tackles, including 7.5 for loss, with 3.5 sacks and an interception return for a touchdown against Pittsburgh. Kiper projects Miami will take him at 52.
Zierlein calls him an “interior lineman with the size, length and physicality.... His best football could be ahead of him, but for now, he projects as an average rotational player or backup.”
ESPN’s Jordan Reid mocks him 40th and calls Alexander “a powerful, disruptive defender who can play multiple alignments.”
▪ Oregon’s Jordan Burch:The 6-foot-4, 279 pounder missed four games with a knee injury last season but had 11 tackles for loss, 8.5 sacks, five pass breakups and a forced fumble.
ESPN’s Reid, who mocks him 50th, said Burch “can be deployed as a 3-technique in an even front or a 4-technique in odd alignments.”
Zierlein said Burch’s “tape can be inconsistent, but he offers physical traits and upside as a rusher.... Burch leaves too many plays on the field, but the upside will have teams anxious to light the fire and get more out of him.”
▪ South Carolina’s T.J. Sanders: The 6-4, 297-pounder had 50 tackles (7.4 for loss) and four sacks in 2024.
Reid, who mocks him 56th, said Sanders “routinely generates pressure up the middle and his 2.40-second average time to first pressure this past season led all FBS defensive linemen.”
Zielein calls Sanders “a powerful road block... He rarely touches the ground. Sanders’ blend of power and pressure should put him on the board for both odd- and even-front defenses as a potential three-down solution.”
▪ FSU’s Joshua Farmer: The 6-3, 305-pounder had 32 tackles (eight for loss) with four sacks last season.
Farmer, who had 11 sacks over the past three seasons, is a “broad-shouldered interior defender worth consideration as a 3-4 end or a 4-3 interior lineman,” Zierlein said. “His traits will be coveted but his upside might be as a rotational defender with average starting potential.”
Reuter mocks him 58th.
Third-round options at No. 98
▪ Those include Virginia Tech’s Aeneas Peebles; Kentucky’s Deone Walker (Reuter mocks him to Miami at 98); Iowa’s Yahya Black; Nebraska’s Ty Robinson; Tennessee’s Omarr-Norman Lott and Maryland’s Jordan Phillips and Utah’s Junior Tafuna.
Walker, who is 6-7 and 331 pounds, had 13 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks in 2023 but just 5 and 1.5 last season.
Zierlein said he has “rare traits” but “might require a heavier lean on projection over tape. Walker’s traits and upside could make him a more consistent NFL talent if he improves his technique and ramps up his motor.”
Another strong possibility: Texas A&M’s Shemar Turner, who took a 30 visit to Miami.
The 6-4, 300 pound Turner — projected as a third rounder by NFL.com — had 36 tackles (six for loss) and two sacks for the Aggies last season.
He has 24 tackles for loss, 10 sacks and three forced fumbles in four seasons. He was second team All Southeastern Conference in 2023. NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein says Turner has “‘tweener’ measurables “but excellent musculation and lean mass. Turner plays with unlimited activity and a heavy dose of violence. He has a quick first step and an explosive punch.
This story was originally published April 11, 2025 at 9:42 AM.
