Number 71 and the Three Dolphins Who Wore It Best

Second-round picks dominate a lackluster group

Guard Josh Sitton during the second half of the Dolphins' 2018 season opener against against the Tennessee Titans at Hard Rock Stadium. / Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

The countdown to the start of the 2024 regular season has begun now that we're under 100 days away, so we'll honor every day the best players to wear the corresponding number for the Dolphins.

Today, we're at number 71.

The top players at each number so far have been Jason Taylor at 99, Jared Odrick at 98, Phillip Merling at 97, Paul Soliai at 96, Tim Bowens at 95, Randy Starks at 94,  Trace Armstrong at 93, John Denney at 92, Cameron Wake at 91, Marco Coleman at 90,  Nat Moore at 89, Keith Jackson at 88, Andre Tillman at 87, Oronde Gadsden at 86, Nick Buoniconti at 85, Bill Stanfill at 84, Mark Clayton at 83, Brian Hartline at 82, O.J. McDuffie at 81, Irving Fryar at 80, Jon Giesler at 79, Richmond Webb at 78, A.J. Duhe at 77, Branden Albert at 76, Manny Fernandez at 75, Mark Dennis at 74, Bob Baumhower at 73, and Terron Armstead at 72.

As a reminder about the ground rules, the top three will be determined only by what the players did while wearing that uniform for the Dolphins.

Players who wore 71 for at least one regular season game for the Dolphins:

G Charlie Fowler (1967-68), T John Boynton (1969), DT Frank Cornish (1970-71), T Darryl Carlton (1975-76), T Mike Current (1977-79), DT Mike Charles (1983-86), T Scott Kehoe (1987), LS Ethan Albright (1995), DE Dunstan Anderson (1997), T Todd Wade (2000-03), G Toniu Fonoti (2006), G Cory Lekkerkerker (2007), DT Lionel Dotson (2008-09), G Cory Procter (2010), T Marc Colombo (2011), T Jonathan Martin (2012-13), T Branden Albert (2014), T Zach Sterup (2017), G Josh Sitton (2018), T Brandon Shell (2022), G/T Kion Smith (2023)

The breakdown of 71 with the Dolphins

Offensive linemen predominantly have been the ones wearing 71 for the Dolphins, and that's where we find our top three. The debate came down to four players. After playing one game in Miami in 1969, Mike Current returned in 1977 and started 45 of 48 games at right tackle over the next three seasons. Todd Wade, a second-round pick in 2000, started 63 of 64 games during his four seasons with the Dolphins before leaving as a free agent to join the Houston Texans. He never made the Pro Bowl for Miami but was a solid starter at right tackle. Mike Charles had the distinction of being the Dolphins draft pick immediately after quarterback Dan Marino was taken in the first round in 1983. Charles started 29 games in four seasons with the Dolphins and his best year was in 1985 when he started all 16 games and had seven sacks. And, yes, we have to mention 2012 second-round pick Jonathan Martin, who started all 23 games he played for the Dolphins, including all 16 as a rookie, before his time in Miami ended in the aftermath of the Bullygate scandal. Cory Lekkerkerker started two games for the Dolphins in 2007, while his brother Brad Lekkerkerker played one game for the Raiders in 2005 (sorry, just love typing the name). Branden Albert wore 71 in his first season with the Dolphins in 2014, but he landed on IR after nine games. Sitton's 11-year career ended with Miami when he sustained a shoulder injury in the 2018 opener.

The top three Dolphins players with number 71

1. T Todd Wade

2. T Mike Current

3. DT Mike Charles

Dolphins 71's among the NFL's all-time best

While Wade was a solid NFL player, he really wouldn't be included in anybody's top 20 list of players to wear 71. There are five Hall of Famers who predominantly wore that number, a group led by Walter Jones and Fred Dean, and the other notables players with that number include current 49ers tackle Trent Williams.