What stood out to Georgia people about Channing Tindall. And Dolphins personnel notes
A six-pack of Miami Dolphins notes on a Wednesday:
▪ University of Georgia coach Kirby Smart doesn’t allow his assistant coaches to speak to the media at this time of year, but I posed a simple question to other people around the Georgia program:
What most impressed you about linebacker Channing Tindall, the Dolphins’ rookie third-round pick?
Here was the reaction:
Former Georgia coach Jim Donnan, who’s still around the program a lot and watches some practices:
“He always had the physical and mental tools to play here; he just had to wait his turn as three linebackers were drafted the previous two years. He was awesome on all special teams each season with his toughness to go along with his speed and quickness.
“He was a vital part of the championship team both in regular downs and also nickel defense. He has the rare quality coming into the league to be able to cover like a safety, which will be invaluable as a guy that can fit into all the defensive calls.
“Also a very high-caliber character guy that will provide leadership on the field and throughout South Florida [representing] the franchise. Very seldom do you find a player that is so good at stopping the run but has rare speed and quickness to go with it.”
Former Georgia and Atlanta Falcons quarterback D.J. Shockley, now a radio analyst for the team, sized up Tindall this way:
“He has a unique knack for the ball, and I think what really made him special this year was his ability to read and recognize, and react in a fast manner. Channing has really good speed, but his ability to see things ahead of time is why he was so active.
“Tough, physical, and he’s a three-down guy that will only improve. Great work ethic and wants to be great on every play. The Dolphins will see him excel on defense, but I think [he also will be] be a real big factor in special teams.”
Tindall made a good play breaking up a pass in Tuesday’s practice session. He also was beaten by Salvon Ahmed on a perfectly thrown pass by Tua Tagovailoa on a wheel route.
▪ Though the Dolphins knew they needed personnel additions along the offensive line, they also believe a new staff can get more out of the young players.
Former Dolphins receiver OJ McDuffie, co-host of The Fish Tank podcast and the Dolphins radio postgame show, put it this way earlier this offseason: “I can’t believe our guys we’ve drafted are that bad. It comes down to how they’re being coached. The best thing they’ve done is all the offensive coaches all have O-line experience.”
The young Dolphins linemen have taken well to the zone blocking scheme.
“Guys are definitely fitting their gaps right,” guard Robert Hunt said this week. “Guys are coming off the ball, flying off the ball. We’re doing it in a controlled manner.”
Offensively overall, “we’re trying to make everybody [must] defend the whole field,” Hunt said. “We’ve got them guessing. I love it. This is the type of offense I ran in college.”
▪ Brennan Scarlett, an outside linebacker for the Dolphins last season, said he also has been getting work at defensive end during camp.
“Any time I have the opportunity to expand my versatility, I look at it as an important opportunity, one that I take seriously,” Scarlett said. “Putting my hand in the ground, working some five-technique and some three-technique and also working out on the edge. I played off the ball, too. I played in the middle, pretty much every position in the front seven. I pride myself on the ability to do that.”
Scarlett has looked good during OTAs.
▪ It will be interesting to see what Dolphins defensive backs coach Sam Madison and assistant Patrick Surtain can extract from former first-round pick Noah Igbinoghene, who played just 78 defensive snaps last season and 365 combined in two seasons behind Xavien Howard and Byron Jones.
When I asked a Dolphins person what gives Igbinoghene a chance to make it as an NFL corner, I got this answer: “good change of direction and ability to press receivers at the line.” But the Dolphins want more consistency and want to see growth.
▪ Raekwon Davis has been asset on run defense and is a key young piece of the defense, but the hope would be to produce more plays behind the line of scrimmage.
He has just half a sack, two tackles for loss and two quarterback hits in 30 NFL games.
“That’s definitely a goal to get my stats up,” he said Tuesday.
Davis was named the best player at a practice last week, meaning he got to pick the music for the subsequent practice.
▪ The Dolphins made an inquiry about former safety Bobby McCain before he re-signed with Washington but talks never advanced, according to a source.
This story was originally published June 8, 2022 at 3:37 PM.
