After drafting three non-Power 5 players last year, Miami Dolphins now considering more
Since 2016, with general manager Chris Grier running the Dolphins’ draft, Miami has selected 32 players in the first six rounds.
Twenty nine of those 32 played college football in Power 5 conferences.
The only exceptions: sixth-round Southern Mississippi cornerback Cornell Armstrong, second-round Louisiana offensive lineman Rob Hunt and fifth-round Boise State defensive end Curtis Weaver, who was released three months after the Dolphins drafted him last April.
Four Dolphins seventh-round picks over those past five drafts weren’t Power 5 players, but nearly all of their premium picks were.
So Grier has displayed a clear preference for players from major conferences, prospects who have proved themselves against top competition.
But several players outside the Power 5 are very much on Miami’s radar in this draft, including a bunch who played for the Dolphins coaching staff at the Senior Bowl.
Agent Drew Rosenhaus has predicted that half of Miami’s draft picks will be prospects who played for the Dolphins staff in Mobile.
A look at those non-Power 5 options (grouped by position group, not by Dolphins’ level of interest), while keeping in mind that every player on this list played for the Dolphins coaching staff at the Senior Bowl except Tulsa linebacker Zaven Collins:
▪ Collins: Miami’s pick at No. 18 is a bit higher than where he’s projected, but he wouldn’t be an egregious reach there, and he’s worthy of consideration if the Dolphins trade down into the 20s.
The value is his productivity, high-level athletic skills, and ability to play both inside and outside linebacker.
ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. notes he was the only FBS player to have at least four sacks and four interceptions last season. “He wasn’t asked to rush the passer much, but he still got four sacks,” Kiper said. “Fun defender to watch.”
NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein said Collins “combines rare size and athleticism as a big outside linebacker” and should be a “productive pro starter.”
▪ Coastal Carolina defensive end Tarron Jackson:
The Sun Belt Conference Defensive Player of the Year had 8.5 sacks, 14 tackles for loss and three forced fumbles last season.
This is a name to watch; Miami has reached out to him since the Senior Bowl and is intrigued.
Zierlein said he’s a “stocky defensive end with the strength and balanced base that helped him stack up production against Sun Belt competition over the years. He’s tough and aggressive at the point of attack.”
▪ Northern Iowa defensive end Elerson Smith:
An intriguing edge prospect who had 14 sacks, 21.5 tackles for loss and five forced fumbles as a junior and 7.5 sacks as a sophomore.
He didn’t play college football in 2020 because the Missouri Valley Conference postponed its season into the spring.
Zielein said he “may need a redshirt year on a practice squad so he can fine-tune his fundamentals and keep getting bigger, but he has a shot as a developmental prospect whose traits will keep teams interested.”
▪ Western Michigan receiver D’Wayne Eskridge: He impressed Dolphins coaches at the Senior Bowl, and his college resume is impressive (121 catches, 18.5 per catch, 15 touchdowns).
But if the Dolphins take a receiver in the first round, it would be mildly surprising if they take another one at No. 50. They already have 12 under contract.
“He’s not a great route runner, will struggle with contested catches and lacks desired size, but he can really fly and has home run potential from anywhere on the field,” Zierlein said. “He has gadget potential in the quick game and is a potentially dangerous kick returner, but his biggest selling point might be as a field stretcher from the slot.”
▪ South Dakota State wide receiver Cade Johnson:
Interesting slot receiver option who put up big numbers last season (72 catches for 1,222 yards, 17.0 average per catch, eight touchdowns).
“There are a lot of good receivers in this class, but I find myself really liking South Dakota State’s Cade Johnson,” ESPN’s Matt Miller said. “Rewatching the Senior Bowl practices, and his hands are so good. Not real big (5-11, 184) but put him in the slot and let him return kicks. Absolutely baller. He’ll be a steal.”
▪ Wisconsin-Whitewater center Quinn Meinerz:
He played for Flores’ team at the Senior Bowl and impressed everyone with his physicality and toughness during practices.
The Dolphins like him, and I expect he will be one of several players considered at No. 50 if the Dolphins don’t draft Alabama center Landon Dickerson at 36. Oklahoma’s Creed Humphrey also could be in play at 50 if he’s available.
“The darling of this year’s Senior Bowl, Meinerz has broken through and onto NFL draft boards despite moving up from Division III and having no 2020 tape,” Zierlein said. “He flashed at times in 2019, but his tape was nothing like what we saw against upgraded competition across from him at the Senior Bowl.”
▪ Western Michigan offensive tackle Jaylon Moore:
Third-day prospect and an “athletic tackle/guard prospect who is at his best when he’s allowed to play on the move,” Zierlein said.
▪ Northern Iowa offensive tackle Spencer Brown:
Zierlein calls him a “towering tackle prospect with the hands, feet and length in place to become a quality pass protector on the next level. Eventual starter.”
▪ North Dakota State tackle Dillon Radunz:
Kiper has him going 55th in his mock draft and said “he stood out on tape when I studied [quarterback] Trey Lance. He just swallowed FCS edge rushers.” I would be surprised if Miami took another tackle this high in the draft.
▪ Middle Tennessee’s guard/tackle Robert Jones:
Started at right tackle for two years but projects as an NFL guard. Third-day prospect or undrafted free agent.
▪ Illinois State safety Christian Uphoff:
Zierlein calls him a “versatile safety prospect with the size, play strength and coverage ability to be deployed in a variety of positions.... Should be an early backup with the upside to develop into a starter.”
The Dolphins see special teams value and would consider him late in the draft.
▪ San Diego State cornerback Darren Hall:
Hall has good ball skills to play in the slot and also can play the boundary.
He attended the same high school as Dolphins defensive backs coach Gerald Alexander, and Miami has had a Zoom session with Hall since getting to know him in Mobile.
“Hall [has] a natural feel for making a play on the football,” Zierlein said.
▪ One other non-Power 5 player coached by the Dolphins at the Senior Bowl: BYU tight end John Bates (47 receptions and a 12.3 average in his career).
▪ Other non-Power 5 draft prospects to keep in mind who did not play for the Dolphins staff at the Senior Bowl include UCF cornerback Tay Gowan, UAB receiver Austin Watkins, North Texas receiver Jaelon Darden and UCF cornerback Aaron Robinson.
Please check back for another Dolphins piece in a few hours.
This story was originally published April 26, 2021 at 2:17 PM.
