Kelly: A Look At The Dolphins' Top Five Draft Needs

Dolphins General Manager Chris Grier's history suggests that he'll address every position of need in free agency, allowing him to use the NFL draft to select the best player available in early rounds

Miami Dolphins General Manager Chris Grier looks on as Miami Dolphins defensive tackle Christian / ANDRES LEIVA/PALM BEACH POST / USA TODAY

Chris Grier is a predictable man when it comes to certain things, and being consistent is one of them. That's why it's pretty easy to predict what he'll do during the NFL draft.

Grier’s history is to address every roster need leading up to the draft, filling voids with veteran players like Teair Tart or Jack Driscoll, talents that will at least have a chance to be contenders to make the 53-man roster, if not earn a starting spot.

That approach puts the Miami Dolphins in position to take the highest-rated player on their draft board in the early rounds instead of filling needs. Now, there’s always exceptions to be made, but during Grier’s tenure as the team’s top executive, the Dolphins typically have taken the Best Player Available (BPA) approach to adding talent.

Here's a look at the post-free agency assessment of what Miami's needs look like.

Offensive line

The Dolphins patched up last year’s injury-decimated offensive line by re-signing Isaiah Wynn, Kendall Lamm and Robert Jones, and adding center Aaron Brewer and Jack Driscoll, who has experience playing right tackle and right guard. But there’s still a need to add an offensive tackle to become Terron Armstead’s understudy, and Miami could kill two birds with one stone if they were capable of finding someone to start at left guard as a rookie before swinging him outside, much like what Laremy Tunsil did in 2016. Oregon State’s Taliese Fuaga, Arizona’s Jordan Morgan, Washington’s Troy Fautanu and Michigan’s Ladarius Henderson are the offensive tackles who fit the mold of players who possess the athleticism to excel as a guard. Don’t be surprised if the Dolphins feel motivated to use a first-round pick on an offensive lineman because the demand has consistently out weighed the supply.

Defensive line

The Dolphins have added seven defensive tackles — Teair Tart, Da’Shawn Hand, Beinto Jones, Neville Gallimore, Jonathan Harris, Daviyon Nixon, and Isaiah Mack — this offseason with the hopes that maybe two to three of them might make more palatable the departures of Christian Wikins and Raekwon Davis, two homegrown talents who left as free agents. Problem is, all of those players have warts, which is why their former team let them each go with little resistance. But it never hurts to have options, and don’t be surprised if Miami continues to add via the draft. Unfortunately for the Dolphins, defensive tackle does seem to be one of the deeper positions in this draft, so taking one in the first two rounds might be a wise strategy. Defensive tackle Illinois Jer’Zhan Newton, Texas’ Byron Murphy II, Missouri’s Darius Robinson, Michigan’s Kris Jenkins, LSU’s Maason Smith should be among the top 50 selections, and all fit what the Dolphins plan to do with Anthony Weaver as the team’s defensive coordinator.

Edge Rusher

The Dolphins have two unquestioned starters for the edges in Bradley Chubb and Jaelan Phillips, but the problem is both are rehabbing serious injuries and might not be healthy enough for the start of the regular season in September. It doesn’t help that Cameron Goode is also facing at least a nine-month rehab because of the knee injury he suffered in January and is on an identical timeline. That leaves the Dolphins with Shaquil Barrett, who was added during free agency this offseason, as a possible starter in September, but the Dolphins need someone to pair him with. UCLA’s Laiatu Latu, Penn State’s Chop Robinson, Alabama’s Dallas Turner and FSU’s Jared Verse are the edge options who might motivate the Dolphins to use one of the team’s first two picks to fill the void. But don’t be surprised if Miami uses a couple of its late-round picks to add edge rushers who can be groomed for the future.

Wide Receiver

Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, who produced 2,813 receiving yards and scored 17 touchdowns on 191 catches last season, are one of the best receiver duos in the NFL. The problem arises when one or both aren’t healthy, which was the case in the season’s final month. That’s why the Dolphins need someone better than Braxton Berrios and River Cracraft to become the third option, which explains why Miami has a standing offer out to Odell Beckham Jr., and has expressed a level of interest in Tyler Boyd. Selecting a wide receiver in this deep draft class would be cheaper, and possibly present more upside for the franchise since Miami will have one of the most expensive receiver rooms in 2025 when Waddle either gets a new deal or is playing on his fifth-year option. A speedster like Texas’ Xavier Worthy fits the mold of what Mike McDaniel likes, but this offense lacks a physical possession receiver like South Carolina’s Xavier Legette or Florida State’s Keon Coleman, who should both be available in the second round.

Safety

Jevon Holland, Jordan Poyer and Elijah Campbell are the only safeties on the roster heading into the draft, and the Dolphins typically carry six on the training camp roster, so don’t be surprised if a pair of safeties are rookies. And considering Holland is playing on the final year of his rookie deal, and is seeking a pace-setting contract like the four-year, $58 million contract extension Kyle Duggers just received from the New England Patriots, there’s a chance this might price him out of South Florida just like Christian Wilkins did. A handful of safeties are projected to come off the board in the first two days of the NFL draft, but it’s the meat of this safety class that will produce multiple gems for teams patient enough to draft and develop. This class has safeties who can work in the box (Wake Forest’s Malik Mustapha), roam center field and make plays (Miami’s Kamren Kinchens) and athletes who can defend tight ends and slot receivers (Minnesota’s Tyler Nubin).