The Miami Dolphins will have an opportunity to better their roster during the NFL draft starting on April 25. In PFF’s seven-round mock draft, the Dolphins made two trades in the first round, allowing them to maximize their picks.
The first proposed deal sent the No. 21 pick to the Houston Texans for the No. 42 and No. 86 picks in the draft. That trade allowed the Dolphins to make the next proposed deal from PFF, which sent the San Francisco 49ers No. 42 and No. 86 for the No. 31 pick. PFF has the Dolphins drafting Jackson Powers-Johnson out of Oregon with the No. 31 pick.
“The Dolphins make two Day 1 trades, ultimately landing one of the top players on their board and acquiring a 2025 third-round pick in the process,” PFF wrote. “Powers-Johnson is the best center in this class but can slide in at guard as a rookie to solidify a major weakness on the roster. He is a perfect fit in Mike McDaniel’s zone-blocking scheme.”
Powers-Johnson ‘Checks the Boxes’ to Be a Long-Term Starter
Powers-Johnson, an All-American center at Oregon, won the Rimington Trophy, given to the nation’s best center.
Rob Gregson of A-To-Z Sports evaluated Powers-Johnson, writing that he “checks the boxes to be a starting center in the league for a decade plus.”
“JPJ checks the boxes to be a starting center in the league for a decade plus,” Gregson wrote on April 20. “He may not have the high-end athleticism like recent prospects including Tyler Linderbaum and Creed Humphrey but he has excellent strength, and plays with a cerebral understanding that will bode well for his NFL projection”
During the NFL combine, Powers-Johnson spoke highly of his conversations with the Dolphins.
“Amazing team, amazing GM, amazing coach,” Powers-Johnson told reporters. “It was just a great time too. Something that really goes out about the Dolphins to me is just how young how young the coach is. It’s something I can relate to. It doesn’t matter how old you are, it matters how good you are. He’s an amazing coach. And he even though he is young, he’s an amazing coach and I’d be honored to play for him and play for that amazing GM and amazing offensive line coach.”
Dolphins’ Biggest Draft Needs
During his three-year career with Oregon, Powers-Johnson played all three interior positions on the offensive line.
Alain Poupart of Athlon Sports viewed the offensive line as an area of need for the Miami Dolphins in the draft.
“The re-signing of Isaiah Wynn as an unrestricted free agent was a big move for the Dolphins, as he figures to compete to again start at left guard,” Poupart wrote on April 4. “But there’s a lot of uncertainty on the other side, with Liam Eichenberg, Robert Jones and newcomer Jack Driscoll looking right like the candidates to start between new center Aaron Brewer and right tackle Austin Jackson. An upgrade here would be welcome.”
The Dolphins used 12 different combinations on the offensive line last season. Drafting to improve that unit could bring stability in 2024.
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