Draft evaluators offer tip to Dolphins. And the defensive tackle question, Holland message
The Dolphins’ decision not to spend the necessary money to address a handful of glaring needs in free agency have left them in the uncomfortable spot of not only being compelled to draft for need in the first round, but also needing to find three immediate starters in the draft.
That’s a lot to expect, and it’s why a trade down from No. 13 to a pick in the 20s would make sense if Miami can add an extra second day pick in the process.
Defensive line has emerged as Miami’s biggest need. And of the four pure defensive linemen (not edge players/outside linebackers) projected to go in the first round, one of them (Michigan’s Mason Graham) is expected to be gone before Miami selects.
And many analysts believe that at least two -- if not all three -- of the others will be available in the 20s. Those three others: Michigan’s Kenneth Grant, Mississippi’s Walter Nolen and Oregon’s Derrick Harmon.
ESPN’s Mel Kiper mocks Harmon 21st, Grant 30th and Nolen 32.
NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah ranks Harmon 23rd, Nolen 28th and Grant 30th on his big board.
Grant, who has been linked to Miami, has been particularly polarizing. Some evaluators believe taking him at 13 is entirely unjustified.
But NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein is an exception; he mocks Grant to Miami at 13, adding: “Just one look at the Dolphins’ roster makes it obvious that the defensive line is a must-draft position for them, one they should hit more than once. Grant is a big talent with upside who still needs polish.”
Zierlein, incidentally, has Harmon 26th and Nolen out of the first round.
So the Dolphins could gamble that a top defensive tackle would be there in the 20s and trade down from 13th if it gives them a third pick on the second day of the draft, on April 25. Miami currently has three picks in the first three rounds - 13, 48 and 98.
Jeremiah says Grant “is a massive defensive tackle with intriguing quickness and power. He’s very much a work in progress as a pass rusher. He flashes quick/violent hands to club/swim for wins, but far too often doesn’t have a plan and stalls out. He hasn’t learned to harness his strength to bull rush and consistently collapse the pocket.
“He’s a very dominant run defender. He easily holds the point of attack, despite playing with a high pad level. I love his effort and awareness to chase down screens. If you want to see what Grant is capable of, watch Michigan’s game against USC from the 2024 season. His upside was on full display that day. Unfortunately, he couldn’t bottle that performance during an up-and-down season. Overall, there is some assembly required, but his physical tools are very loud and worth the investment.”
As for Harmon and Nolen, Jeremiah said Harmon “is a quick, disruptive defensive tackle with excellent instinct... Harmon has a great feel for the game and can create a lot of havoc despite lacking an elite trait....
“Nolen is a twitchy defensive tackle who fits best in a penetrating style of defense. As a pass rusher, he can really get off the ball with urgency and roll his hips to jolt blockers....
“Overall, Nolen is extremely talented and disruptive, but he hasn’t come close to reaching his potential. If he lands with the right scheme/coach, he could emerge as one of the better players in this draft class.”
▪ Meanwhile, ESPN’s Field Yates has Miami drafting Michigan cornerback Will Johnson at No. 13, adding:
“Johnson has strong ball skills (nine career interceptions, including two pick-sixes in just six games last season) to pair with his great 6-foot-2 size. While there are some questions about his top-end speed, he’s a good example of a prospect who has enough tools to overcome any potential limitations.”
Yates has Miami drafting Arizona guard Jonah Savaiinaea at 48, noting he “played both tackle spots and guard in college, and he showed an excellent combination of size (6-foot-4, 324 pounds) and quick feet.”
Holland weighs in
Former Dolphins safety Jevon Holland, who signed with the Giants, said the Dolphins are in good hands at his position with former Lions player Ifeatu Melikonwu, formers Jets player Ashtyn Davis and returnees Elijah Campbell and Patrick McMorris.
“I will say Ashtyn, he’s been with the with the Jets for the last five years, I think he’s kind of a jack of all trades, very fast, very athletic,” Holland said on his Breakin’ House Rules podcast with NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe. “He does a lot for the Jets, core [special] teamer as well. And I think that he’s going to have some success in Miami. I think Iffy, the same thing, he’s kind of been behind Brian Branch and Kirby Joseph on the Lions.
But he’s the same way -- really athletic, really talented, tall, lanky, has range. He’s going to have success, as well as Patrick McMorris and Elijah Campbell. They both are still really good players.
“Patrick last year was sitting behind me and [Jordan Poyer], and he can really play. He just needs opportunity to be able to flourish.
“And I think that he’s going to get that as as well as Elijah. Elijah, whenever he came in, he was making a lot of plays. So I think they’ve got a good mix. That group is going to jell well together. And they’re all good people. I know them personally, and I’m excited to see what they [do] together.”
Random stuff from Dolphins Zoom sessions with new players
▪ Most refreshing admission during the Zoom sessions with 12 new Dolphins? Safety Ashtyn Davis conceding that he wonders why he has made only 24 NFL starts in four years for the Jets, considering he has eight NFL interceptions.
“I think that I’ve seen what a starter in this league looks like and I think that I fit that description,” he said.
▪ New linebacker Willie Gay Jr. did his Zoom session in front of a barn on 87 acres of land he owns in Mississippi, which includes a “barn-dominium” home.
“I’m trying to start farming, man. That’s like my second love. I’ve got some chickens in the back giving me eggs every day – like seven eggs a day. Saving money on eggs now, I’ve got some cows coming this summer.”...
▪ The Dolphins’ drafting Laremy Tunsil at No. 13 in 2016 - a move that worked out very well - surprised Artie Burns, who went 26th to Pittsburgh that year.
“When I was coming out, Miami had a Miami pro day for all the local guys to come out and work out for the team,” Burns said.
“They insinuated that if I had a good workout they were going to pull the trigger on me in the first round. And on draft night I’m thinking I had a good workout, I think they’re going to pull the trigger on me and I ended up going to Pittsburgh.”
Burns will need to earn a roster spot; his contract has no guaranteed money, per overthecap.com.
This story was originally published April 3, 2025 at 11:51 AM.
