What 10 draft analysts are saying about the Dolphins’ first-round pick Kenneth Grant
Reaction to the Dolphins’ selection of Michigan 331-pound nose tackle Kenneth Grant with the 13th overall pick of the first round:
▪ ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr.: “I had him 30 on the big board. You look at the fluctuation - both weight, he gets a little heavy - and endurance, stamina, played a little high [with pad level]. Wore down in some games. That’s an issue. When he plays it the right way, he can be a guy that can impact the quarterback throwing the football.
“He can break up passes; he can be disruptive. You look at the violent, active hands. He was going into the year on par with [Michigan defensive lineman and Cleveland Browns fifth overall pick] Mason Graham. Calais Campbell is an Arizona Cardinal. Defensive tackle, because of that move, it became a need. At that weight, does he have the endurance to play for 60 minutes? When you play high, you are neutralized.
“When we was on his game, he was a really good player. He’s a guy that should get better once he’s in the NFL, once he learns to do that.”
▪ ABC’s Nick Saban: “I don’t ever remember in all the time that I coached playing against two more dominating guys inside than when we played Michigan with No. 55 and 78 [Graham and Grant]. I mean, these two guys are really, really good. You’re talking about power, you’re talking about athleticism, you’re talking about guys who play hard and compete well. They are great effort guys to finish. This is a great effort play right here. Doesn’t make the play, chases the runner down, catches him from behind. That’s impressive for a big guy.”
▪ ABC’s Kirk Herbstreit: “What’s interesting is they do it so differently. He’s almost more of an old school interior guy with just his behemoth size at 6-3, 340. Mason Graham is still strong and big, but not nearly as powerful and big in what you have with [Dolphins pick Grant]. This is the second time in a row the Dolphins have gone defensive line. Chop Robinson last year from Penn State and now the big fella here.”
▪ ABC’s Desmond Howard: “The big fella told me a couple days ago he has four sisters, four older sisters, and he’s the baby of the bunch. They used to bully him a little bit, try to dress him up and he said he wasn’t going for that.
“I said, ‘Man, you caught [Penn State running back] Kaytron Allen [in the open field two seasons ago]. When did you know you had speed like that?’ He said, ‘When I was about nine years old, my mom said: Boy, don’t miss that bus.’ He said, ‘At that point, I’ve been running really fast ever since.’ So he hit the jets, man, and went and got that play that went viral in that 2023 season. A guy who as big as he is, as physical as he is, he likes to go fishing, he likes to go hunting. He likes peace, serenity and calmness.”
▪ ESPN’s Booger McFarland: “If you’re thinking about his ceiling, think Dexter Lawrence of the Giants. That’s the type of big man he is than can move. Athletic, can run, can make plays. This is a big man that can run and move. They’ve got to make him a better rusher; he has all the tools. He is a twitchy 330 pounds. I need more out of him from a rush standout. From a run standpoint, he can lock down the way Lawrence could at Clemson.”
▪ ESPN’s Louis Riddick: “The defensive coordinator at Michigan, Wink Martindale, thinks he has tremendous upside. They need some beef on the inside. They gave up too many yards after contact last year; he’ll help with that.”
▪ NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah said “he’s a very athletic big guy. It’s hard to find guys that big that can run. When you have those edge rushers, he is going to be able to press the pocket.”
▪ NFL Network’s Joel Klatt said Michigan coaches said he could be the best of the defense linemen “in the future. He’s got this rare motor for a guy who’s 330 pounds. He doesn’t even understand how good he is yet. His best football is ahead of him. He could be one of the better defensive tackles in the coming years.”
▪ NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein:
“Grant is 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. He had some sack production in college, and we could see him improve in that area once he learns to create more rush space with his hands. 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.”
Zierlein lists his strengths as “Built with a broad chest, thick lowers and long arms.... Capable of playing multiple spots in odd or even fronts.... Can absorb and split double teams when pad level is right…. Possesses club strength to knock blocker off balance. Good strike and extend with arm-over release as a two-gapper. Put together a solid performance in an upset win over Ohio State…. Bangs around with heavy hands as an interior rusher.”
Zielein cites these as his weaknesses: “Too often lacks explosiveness for dominant early phase reps…. Plays with tightness in lowers and a narrow base…. Has a tougher time growing roots against angle blocks…. Limited range and short-area quickness as a tackler…. Poor first-step quickness to create advantages for his rush.”
▪ NFL Network’s Charles Davis said the Bills have the best offensive line in the AFC East and “if you are going to go toe to toe” with the Bills, this was a smart pick.
This story was originally published April 24, 2025 at 9:53 PM.
