Florida and LSU pro days underway. Miami Dolphins in prospect heaven
The Miami Dolphins have to love the past two days. Love it!
On Wednesday, with pro days scheduled at the University of Florida and Louisiana State University, the Dolphins got to see (in person) Gators tight end Kyle Pitts and Tigers wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase.
This comes one day after general manager Chris Grier attended Alabama’s second pro day on Tuesday and witnessed running back Najee Harris do position drills and as well as work with quarterback Mac Jones during his throwing session. Harris looked very good.
Receiver Devonta Smith also impressed by showing off his smooth route-running, catching passes -- many of them deep balls -- from Jones.
And why do the Dolphins love this?
Because with the No. 6 overall selection in the first round, which Miami currently owns, the team intends to select either Chase or Pitts or Smith.
And sometime thereafter the club will consider drafting Harris or some other running back it covets.
So as shopping sprees go, all the wonderful toys were laid out for the Dolphins the past two days.
And wonderful is accurate if you consider all these players have been productive in the Southeastern Conference so their tape is impressive and now their pro day workouts offered this:
At LSU’s pro day, with Dolphins general manager Chris Grier in attendance, Chase posted a 4.38 time on his first run of the 40 yard dash. He decided one very, very fast time was good enough and passed on taking a second run.
(By the way, former LSU receiver Terrace Marshall, also working out at LSU, also posted a 4.38).
The Dolphins, badly needing speed at wide receiver, have to be drooling.
Chase had already posted an impressive 41-inch vertical leap. And a 11-0 broad jump.
Understand that Chase did this while measuring a hair over 6-foot (6 and 3/8ths) and weighing 201 pounds -- so not big but certainly big enough.[
[UPDATE: And now a Fake GM Mando commentary: The last time I saw Chase play football, in 2019 because he opted out of the 2020 season over coronovirus concerns, he was 19 years old. He’s 21 years old now. And he’s filling out.
The guy’s calves are thick. No, that’s not an official measurement, but it’s a fact. His legs are impressive and he creates great torque with them getting in and out of his routes. Morever, he does not have tight hips which means he can sit down in zones easily but also not give away his route intentions to defenders.
I say this because he is clearly built different than Devonta Smith.
I love Smith. Love him.
But there’s no denying Chase is simply built better. That suggests better durability. And that’s the reason so many teams view Chase ahead of Smith. I get it.
Chase has played like a special player. He’s built like a special player. And on Wednesday he checked all the boxes like a special, big-time player.]
Speaking of big, at the Florida pro day, with Dolphins coach Brian Flores in attendance, Pitts looked, well, freakishly impressive.
Pitts measured at 6-5 1/2 and weighed 245 pounds. As expected.
And at that size, Pitts ran an unofficial 4.44 (on one scout’s timer) or a 4.47 (on another scout’s timer) on his first attempt at the 40-yard dash. So sub 4.5, folks. Outstanding.
His wingspan -- the length measured from middle finger on his left hand to the middle finger on his right had -- was an astounding 83 3/8th. That’s longer than any tight end currently in the NFL.
So that is a stunning catch radius for Pitts.
His vertical of 33 1/2 was not astounding but his 22 repetitions on the bench press was good.
Chase’s wingspan was 74 7/8.
A note: The Dolphins have the No. 6 overall selection. Well, the Cincinnati Bengals have the No. 5 overall selection.
And the Bengals are said to be considering one of two things to help quarterback Joe Burrow: Draft an offensive tackle or draft a wide receiver.
And Burrow, per sources, has expressed his desire to the organization it not just draft any receiver but Chase, his former LSU teammate.
Well, coach Zac Taylor is in attendance at the Florida pro day rather than the LSU pro day.
Check back the next few hours for updates.
This story was originally published March 31, 2021 at 11:09 AM.
