Two New Mock Drafts Peg Different Positions for Dolphins

Recent mock drafts have the Dolphins beefing up their offensive line and addressing the secondary.

Nov 25, 2023; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats offensive lineman Jonah Savaiinaea (71) against the Arizona State Sun Devils during the Territorial Cup at Mountain America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports / Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Two NFL draft experts unveiled 2025 mock drafts this week, just as the college football season is about to kick off.

ESPN's Miami Dolphins Mock Draft Pick

ESPN's draft insider Field Yates has the Miami Dolphins selecting at 21st in the first round based on ESPN's Football Power Index. He has the team projected to take Jonah Savaiinaea, a guard/tackle from the University of Arizona.

By drafting Savaiinaea, the Dolphins would get versatility on the line with his ability to play inside and outside, though he played more right guard than tackle in college.

The interior of the Dolphins offensive line already stands as the biggest question mark heading into the 2024 season. Robert Jones and Liam Eichenberg are listed first at guard on the depth chart. Still, Eichenberg has been lining up at center in the absence of injured veteran Aaron Brewer, and projected starting left guard Isaiah Wynn has been on the Active/Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list all summer after missing the final ten games of 2023 with a quad injury.

"I had the interior offensive line as an area of need for the Dolphins in this past draft, though the team opted against taking anyone there this year," Yates said. "Adding the 6-5, 330-pound Savaiinaea would address it in a literal big way, as the hulking Arizona tackle (who has played extensively at right guard, too) could easily move inside full time. He has the feet to thrive at tackle, but his raw power and ability to create rushing lanes should translate to the pros at guard. Stay out of his way or you might get flattened."

The Draft Network's Dolphins Mock Pick

Ryan Fowler of The Draft Network predicts that the Dolphins will select Malaki Starks, a safety from Georgia. Fowler's reasoning is that Jevon Holland and Jordan Poyer are signed only through the 2024 season.

The Dolphins may sign Holland to an extension before he hits the free agent market, but more is needed to eliminate the need for a safety next offseason.

While Poyer brings great intangibles, his best years are behind him. He will be a decent one-year stop-gap but doesn't figure into the Dolphins' long-term plans.

"With both Jevon Holland and Jordan Poyer set to enter free agency after this fall, adding a talent like Malaki Starks could remain a priority for GM Chris Grier," Fowler said. "Miami is constructed extremely well, and adding more pop in the secondary will only boost its performance ceiling. Starks, a former high school QB, possesses a dynamic athletic profile highlighted by a Georgia High School AAAA state title in the long jump in 2021."