The Miami Dolphins’ draft decision that might be tempting and what they’re seeking
How can you justify it?
That’s always my first question when I see a wide receiver linked to the Dolphins in two-round mock drafts.
Yes, I understand that wide receiver is the deepest position in this month’s NFL Draft, with ESPN’s Mel Kiper saying this might be the deepest receiver class ever. And yes, I understand that in an ideal world, you would like to take the best available player on your board.
But the view here is that using one of Miami’s five top-56 picks on a receiver is a questionable use of resources, with the possible exception being if the top two talents shockingly fall to 18 (Alabama’s Jerry Jeudy, Oklahoma’s CeeDee Lamb) or LSU’s Justin Jefferson falls to 26th, and even then I would be worrying about how to fill the glaring need at left tackle.
My overall hesitation to pick a receiver early is two-fold:
▪ The Dolphins have enough NFL-quality receivers on their roster, with DeVante Parker, Preston Williams (who said he will be ready for the opener after last November’s ACL surgery), Jakeem Grant, Albert Wilson and some combination of Allen Hurns, Isaiah Ford, Gary Jennings (Seattle’s fourth-rounder last season) and Ricardo Louis. Even without adding another receiver to the 53, Miami will need to release at least three receivers with NFL ability or pedigree.
▪ Because free agent money is scarce, the Dolphins must emerge from this draft with a left tackle that can start immediately; a right guard who can compete right away with Michael Deiter, Shaq Calhoun and Danny Isidora; a No. 1 or 1A running back; a run-stuffing defensive tackle who can join the defensive line rotation in 2020; a young quarterback; and ideally, another edge rusher and a safety.
Those are the seven positions where the Dolphins’ top resources should be going, not to stock a position where Miami is good enough — not great by any means, but good enough.
Now, in fairness, a case could be made to add a receiver if you look at it this way: Williams is coming off a major knee injury. Wilson has had durability issues and Grant remains hit and miss as a receiver. So I can at least understand if the Dolphins take a receiver high.
“I wonder if a team like Miami [will take a receiver],” NFL Network analyst and former NFL coach Steve Mariucci said. “I can’t imagine one of those picks won’t be one of those great wide receivers. They’ve got to find a way to score points down there and help this young quarterback whoever it might be.”
We’ve been told the Dolphins have interest in adding a slot receiver at some point in the draft because Wilson’s position remains tenuous (his contract for 2020 is non-guarateed) and Grant is better on the boundary. Hurns, who’s fine in the slot, is on a one-year deal.
The Dolphins also have told people that they will be looking at adding a receiver on the third day of the draft, potentially, if they don’t draft one sooner.
A look at the Dolphins’ options if they address receiver with any of their 14 picks:
FIRST-ROUND OPTIONS
Jeudy, Lamb, Alabama’s Henry Ruggs III, Clemson’s Tee Higgins and LSU’s Jefferson. And possibly Notre Dame’s Chase Claypool, Baylor’s Denzel Mims and Arizona State’s Brandon Aiyuk.
Kiper has Jeudy going 9th, Lamb 13th, Jefferson 15th, Ruggs 21st, Aiyuk 22nd and Higgins 30th.
NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah’s thoughts on that group, via NFL.com: “Lamb is at his best after the catch, as he consistently breaks tackles and is also very elusive…. Polished player who is equally explosive and reliable….Jeudy is an elite route runner with outstanding burst, body control and awareness. Should emerge as a high-volume production guy very early in his career….
“Ruggs has an unbelievable blend of speed and toughness. He lines up outside and in the slot. Overall, Ruggs has Tyreek Hill-type ability. He will be a matchup nightmare every week….Jefferson is a tall, slender wideout with off-the-charts production [and] should make an immediate impact at the next level….
“Higgins is a tall, long and rangy wideout with elite high-point skills. Isn’t going to do a lot of the dirty work in the middle of the field, but he’s very effective on the outside and provides big-play ability….
“Mims is a tall, rangy wideout with exceptional burst and body control… a big-play generator on the outside and has all of the tools to develop into a complete receiver.”
The Dolphins have reached out to Mims for an interview session with him; they’re clearly intrigued.
And Aiyuk would give Miami a longterm slot receiver. But he underwent core muscle surgery on April 7, according to NFL Network. That could drop him into the second round.
Miami Hurricanes receiver coach Rob Likens, who coach Aiyuk at Arizona State the past two seasons, told me that “he has extreme lateral quickness. And he’s tough. When he wasn’t playing receiver, he wanted to play defense. He never wanted to come off the field. He went from zero stars to a scholarship [player] to someone who could get drafted in the first round.”
And Jeremiah says Aiyuk is “one of my favorite players in the draft class. At his best after the catch… Will need a little time to develop as a complete route runner, but he’s a tough, explosive playmaker with added special teams value.”
SECOND- OR THIRD-ROUND OPTIONS
Perhaps Mims, Jefferson, Aiyuk or Claypool, as well as:
▪ Colorado’s Laviska Shenault Jr.:
Jeremiah: “Shenault is arguably the best athlete in the entire draft class. He is tall with a thick, muscular build. He lined up everywhere in Colorado’s offense — out wide, in the slot, at running back and he even took snaps as a Wildcat quarterback. Comes with some durability concerns and will need time to develop into a fully polished wideout, but he can have an immediate impact for a creative offensive coordinator. He’s too big, strong and fast to not contribute. His drafting team just has to figure it out.”
▪ Penn State’s KJ Hamler: ESPN’s Matt Bowen said the Dolphins should take Hamler at 39 or 56.
“Hamler didn’t run at the Combine, but we don’t need an official 40-yard dash time to know that he is one of the fastest prospects in this draft,” Bowden said. “Here, the Dolphins get game-breaking speed in the slot to pair with the aggressive throwing style of veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick. Run the slot fades, deep overs and scheme Hamler open out of stack and bunch looks to get him away from press coverage.
“He would give the Dolphins some big-play juice inside to pair with DeVante Parker, who had a breakout 2019 season. Miami needs to bolster its wide receiver position with the expectation that the team drafts a quarterback with one of its three first-round picks.”
▪ Texas’ Collin Johnson: At 6-6, he’s a “productive outside receiver with great size and ball skills, but below-average speed,” NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein said.
▪ TCU’s Jalen Reagor: At 5-11, “Reagor is a smooth athlete with blazing speed who has more playmaking talent than receiver skill and play-callers need to account for that when determining how to utilize him,” Zierlein said.
▪ Southern Cal’s Michael Pittman: At 6-4, he’s “big, smart and reliable and falls into the “possession receiver” bin, but has top-notch ball skills that allow him to bully and best cornerbacks down the field,” Zierlein said, adding he should be a No. 2 receiver early in his career.
Kiper has Miami selecting him at No. 56. “He’s a smooth route runner who knows how to get open,” Kiper said. “The Dolphins got a breakout season from DeVante Parker in 2019 -- and undrafted free agent Preston Williams impressed in eight games — but their depth chart for outside receivers is barren after that.”
▪ South Carolina’s Bryan Edwards: Zierlein said the 6-3 Edwards has No. 2 or No. 3 receiver potential and was a “consistently productive, four-year starter with size to fight for tight-window throws and speed to challenge over the top.”
▪ Texas’ Devin Duvernay: NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein calls him a “slot receiver with below-average routes but has outstanding hands.”
▪ Ohio State’s KJ Hill: At 6-0, the Buckeyes’ all-time receptions leader is best in the slot. “He’s not sudden or special with the ball in his hands underneath and won’t stretch defenses vertically, so the routes may need to go from good to great for him to become more than a solid backup,” Zierlein said.
Kiper, besides mocking Pittman to Miami at 56, has Mims going 34th, Claypool 48th, Hamler 50th, Reagor 55th and Duvernay 57th.
FOURTH-THROUGH-SEVENTH ROUND OPTIONS
There are nearly two dozen, including (with comments from NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein): Wisconsin’s Quintez Cephus (“possession receiver with the profile of a capable WR3/4”); UM’s Jeff Thomas ( “highly explosive playmaker [and] his draft profile is bolstered by his potential as a return man, but he’s likely to have his name scratched from some draft boards due to character concerns, despite the talent”); Boise State’s John Hightower (“tall, spindly deep threat [but] ball tracking and 50/50 attack skills leave much to be desired”); Michigan’s Donovan Peoples-Jones (“He doesn’t run well enough to play outside in the pros but has decent tape as a big slot… May not reach any higher than being an average backup.”)...
SMU’s James Proche (“average size, quickness and speed, but extraordinary ball skills that allow for viral-caliber catches throughout his game tape”); Liberty’s Antonio Gandy-Golden (“very intriguing height-weight-speed prospect who showed noticeable improvements in a number of important areas in 2019”)...
Michigan State’s Cody White (“athletic traits don’t show up often enough on tape”)... UF’s Van Jefferson (“pro-ready receiver whose skill level and competitive nature outweigh average explosiveness and he should find quick work as a WR3/WR4”)...
UCF’s Gabriel Davis (“big target [6-2] with outstanding 2019 productiom; his size and downfield talent could push him up the board, but he won’t get easy looks in the pros”); Kentucky’s Lynn Bowden Jr. (Dolphins really like the multi-purpose threat and arranged a video conference session with him);...
Syracuse’s Trishton Jackson (“a one-year wonder whose 2019 season is quite impressive considering the many raw and underdeveloped elements of his play”); Texas A&M’s Quartney Davis (“he had some positive moments at the Senior Bowl and despite slightly underwhelming production, could land in Day 3 as a backup slot target with some outside flexibility).”
Others who could get drafted include UM’s KJ Osborn, Tennessee’s Jauan Jennings, Texas A&M’s Kendrick Rogers, Minnesota’s Tyler Johnson, Missouri’s Jonathon Johnson and Southern Mississippi’s Quez Watkins (Dolphins have reached out to him). The Dolphins also reached out to Wake Forest slot receiver Kendall Hinton.
Here’s my Dolphins-flavored look at interior linemen in the draft.
Here’s my Tuesday night Dolphins nuggets with information on players they’ve contacted and a lot more.
Here’s my Dolphins-flavored piece on the top cornerbacks in the draft.
Here’s my Dolphins-flavored piece on the top defensive tackles in the draft.
Here’s my Dolphins-flavored piece on the top offensive tackles in the draft.
Here’s my Dolphins-flavored piece on the top safeties available in the draft.
Here’s my Dolphins-flavored piece on some of the second-tier quarterbacks in the draft.
Here’s my Dolphins-flavored piece on the top running backs in the draft.
This story was originally published April 15, 2020 at 2:23 PM.
