Miami Dolphins GM Chris Grier makes pro day appearance. Here’s what he saw
You know the Miami Dolphins have transitioned from free agency to the NFL draft when general manager Chris Grier hits the road on the pro day circuit. And he has done that already this year.
On Wednesday Grier was at the South Carolina Pro Day.
And he wasn’t alone among big-name NFL personnel department people despite the fact the Gamecocks managed only a 2-8 record in the Southeastern Conference and fired head coach Will Muschamp last season.
Grier could look around and see New Orleans assistant GM and college scouting director Jeff Ireland, Denver Broncos GM George Paton, Buffalo Bills GM Brandon Beane, Packers GM Brian Gutekunst, Tennessee Titans GM Jon Robinson, and other NFL front office people.
There were also multiple coaches present, including Carolina’s Matt Ruhle and Tennessee’s Mike Vrabel, who was in Alabama the day before.
And I’m asking myself why is Grier there?
Because he could have also elected to attend the coinciding pro days at Michigan State, Mississippi State, USC or Virginia.
So there’s a player at South Carolina the Dolphins like enough that Grier needs to get eyes on him in person.
And it’s curious because two of South Carolina’s best three potential picks are cornerbacks — Jaycee Horn and Israel Mukuamu.
Horn, the son of former NFL receiver Joe Horn, is definitely a first- or second-round prospect as a cornerback. He measured a hair under 6-1, weighed 205 pounds, had an impressive 41 1/2-inch vertical leap and ran an eye-popping 4.37 in the 40-yard dash by some watches.
But here’s the thing: If Grier was present to see Horn there’s a bigger story afoot because the Dolphins definitely don’t have a need at cornerback that they’re likely to fill with a first- or second-round pick.
The team already has Xavien Howard, and last year signed Byron Jones and drafted Noah Igbinoghene in the first round. The Dolphins also signed slot cornerback Justin Coleman in recent days.
How would Horn fit?
So maybe Mukuamu was the target. He has played cornerback but also seems to profile as a safety — perhaps a strong safety — in the NFL.
And why? Because he measured at 6-foot-4 and 212 pounds. He has 80 3/4-inch wingspan and vertical jump of 36 1/2 inches.
Mukuamu didn’t run a 40-yard dash because of a hamstring issue, but it’s obvious the Dolphins are going to face a lot of tight end talent in the coming years with the Patriots signing Jonnu Smith and Hunter Henry in free agency.
And with Tampa Bay and Las Vegas also on the 2021 schedule, Miami is likely to see Rob Gronkowski and Darren Waller next season.
So lining up with a 6-4 defensive back who can run with tight ends, such as Mukuamu, could be Miami’s answer to the matchup nightmare.
Also, strong safety Eric Rowe, who struggled against Waller and Travis Kelce last season even as the team asked him to cover man-to-man, has two years remaining on his contract and is a cap savings candidate down the road.
One player Dolphins fans obviously think is a Dolphins possibility now is receiver Shi (pronounced Shee) Smith because of #LoadupforTua.
Smith, who measured 5-9 1/2 on Wednesday, played both inside and outside at South Carolina but more likely projects as a slot receiver in the NFL. He’s got speed but not blazing, as he timed at 4.43 at the pro day.
This is what NFL.com analyst Lance Zierlein has said about Smith:
“He will primarily work the first two levels of the field and he’s very tough to pull in throws in traffic, but he takes on excessive punishment at times with the way he plays. He has plenty of experience as a gadget player who’s able to handle the quick game and jet sweeps. His physicality makes him an interesting option as a possession player with potential middle-round value.”
OK.
The Dolphins have added 4,205 linebackers in free agency so maybe they draft a couple in the late rounds, too, because Brian Flores was once a linebacker coach and he loves many, many linebackers.
Ernest Jones is one such linebacker candidate, although he comes with a significant “yeah but.”
Jones measured 6-2 1/2 and 230 pounds on Wednesday. His 40 time was 4.69, which isn’t exactly tearing it up even for a linebacker.
The guy is said to be very football smart, he reads well and rarely misses his run fits. The yeah but?
From Zierlein:
“Two-down linebackers with limited speed and below-average athleticism aren’t exactly in vogue these days, but Jones has the field IQ and interior toughness to warrant consideration. He’s a blue-collar linebacker capable of handling the physical duties required of his position, but he will always have limitations in pursuit speed and coverage talent. He has a good feel for diagnosing blocking schemes and finding runners between the tackles, so a role as a backup inside linebacker in a 3-4 defense might be his best fit early on in his career.”
There were obviously other players at the South Carolina Pro Day for Grier to study.
Maybe the Dolphins, a year after remaking the offensive line, go back to the well because they like Sadarius Hutcherson in later rounds. The guy has NFL guard size and he did an amazing 36 repetitions on the 225-pound bench press, which means he’s got Superman strong.
Zierlein on Hutcherson:
“Hutcherson has good size, can push the weight pile around and will post an impressive vertical leap for a guard, but there should be concerns about his functional football movements. He’s good at mauling what is in front of him. He could get even better at it if he improves his hands and finds a little more bend at the point of attack. However, the tape is full of plays where his body control through contact, in space and in pass protection creates significant issues against often average competition across from him. Ultimately, Hutcherson is a phone booth fighter who can fit with inside zone and gap schemes but his success rate as both a run and pass blocker should be in question.”
Running back Tavien Feaster, a developmental player previously released by the Jaguars, Giants and Lions, also worked out for the scouts and he can be signed immediately after running a 4.43 at 5-10 1/2 and 213 pounds.
But it’s doubtful he was the reason Grier attended this pro day because Feaster has been available for some time.
This story was originally published March 25, 2021 at 12:00 AM.
