Five Observations from Dolphins Rookie Minicamp

Linebackers were among the top standouts from the first day of Dolphins rookie minicamp

NFL rookie camps usually feature a deer in headlights look on the faces of the many newcomers, and tryout players.

But there are always a few prospects and moments that stand out, providing the coaching staff some hints on what could be.

Here’s a breakdown of five observations made during portions of the Miami Dolphins rookie minicamp sessions the media was allowed to watch Friday.

Searching for inside linebackers

Head coach Mike McDaniel and defensive coordinator Vic Fangio spent a significant portion of Friday’s practice examining the inside linebackers during the positional drill portion of practice.

Aubrey Miller is a tad on the small size, which isn’t surprising considering he’s listed at 6 feet, 229 pounds. But the Jackson State standout, who was the SWAC Defensive Player of the Year, seemingly has a little pop to his game.

Miller’s film was my favorite of all the undrafted rookies signed, and considering Miami is searching for inside linebacker help, he’ll have a legit chance to make the roster if he can shed blocks and cover with range.

Another rookie being used as an inside linebacker was Zeke Vanderburgh, who played outside linebacker most of his career at Illinois State. Vanderburgh, who is 6-4, 232 pounds, was Missouri Valley Football Conference Defensive Player of the Year in 2022.

Is there a height requirement for OT?

All three of the rookie offensive tackles the Dolphins signed are 6-7.

Ryan Hayes is 6-7, 305 pounds, but has a pudgy frame on him. He moves like a guard, which is something the team might explore later in this process.

James Tunstall, the Cincinnati offensive tackle, is also 6-7, 304 pounds.

The 2022 second-team All-AAC tackle started every game at offensive tackle this past season, and started 11 games for the Bearcats in 2021 after transferring from Stony Brook. He passed up his final season of college eligibility to go undrafted.

And Alex Jensen, the former South Dakota standout, is 6-7, 304 pounds.

Considering the Dolphins will go into training camp relatively thin at offensive tackle, and with Austin Jackson, who has struggled the past three seasons, penciled in as the starting right tackle, all three of these rookies have a legit chance to impress enough to make the 53-man roster.

Rookie punter’s legs are bulging

Rookie punter Michael Turk has thighs the size of honey baked hams, and his calves have some thickness to them as well. We’ve seen punters and kickers with thick legs before, but this is on another level.

Turk clearly is a warrior in the weight room, which he showed at the NFL combine when he set a record by bench-pressing 225 pounds 25 times. The mark is a modern record, as it's the most reps by a punter since 2003, per NFL Research.

The Dolphins guaranteed all of veteran punter Jake Bailey’s $1.1 million contract, which means Turk, who averaged 47.2 yards per punt during his college career, would have to drastically outperform Bailey, a former Pro Bowl selection, to unseat him.

However, Miami could develop Turk on the practice squad if he’s deemed worthy.

Tiny seemed to be a theme

De’Von Achane, the Dolphins’ third-round selection, wasn’t the smallest player at rookie camp.

There was a tryout tailback (Cal Davis’ Ulonzo Gillam) and cornerback (Duke’s Datrone Young), who had a similar frame to Achane, who is 5-9, 188.

Achane said he’s heard about his small stature his entire life, but points out he uses his shortcomings to his advantage considering he can pop out from behind blocking offensive linemen.

“Everyone's got their opinion on me. I don’t worry about what everyone has to say because I know what I can do, and know what I’m capable of,” said Achane, who rushed for 2,376 yards and scored 28 touchdowns during his Texas A&M career. “I’m a much smaller back than usual. I’m shorter, our line is big and it’s much harder for them to see me.”

Athleticism stands out on edges

Mitchell Agude physically stands out among the outside linebacker prospects. This 6-foot-4, 242-pounder moves pretty well when compared to his rookie peers, New Mexico State’s Lazurus Williams and Nebraska’s Garrett Nelson.

The former University of Miami standout was coached by Hall of Fame Dolphins pass rusher Jason Taylor last season. The former UCLA transfer recorded 39 tackles (21 solo) with four sacks and one forced fumble in the 12 games he played.

The Dolphins had Cameron Goode, last year's seventh-round pick participating in rookie camp, and Agude towered over him, which was a good sign.