Unlike in years past, the Miami Dolphins do not have one clear need that requires addressing in the NFL Draft. Miami finds itself with a young roster in need of upgrades at most positions. The only position where Miami does not appear to have any real question marks is the running back, and that all depends on the status of De’Von Achane.
Despite this, some positions stand out more than others. For example, the Dolphins could use a guard or a wide receiver, but those positions are more easily filled than for example a cornerback, edge or safety, where Miami truly lacks depth and starting-caliber talent. At those three positions, the Dolphins have already lost their top two starters from last season’s Week 1 opener, and they are yet to find a suitable replacement.
Miami Dolphins Get Bad News Before NFL Draft
Unfortunately, the bad news for the Dolphins comes in the wake of the Dexter Lawrence trade. The Cincinnati Bengals traded the No. 10 overall draft pick to the New York Giants in order to acquire Lawrence, which is the pick in front of Miami’s first selection.
That trade has shaken up how the board may unfold for the Dolphins, and The Athletic’s Nick Baumgardner’s latest mock draft has the Giants using that selection to draft Ohio State safety Caleb Downs.
Downs is the consensus No. 1 safety available in this year’s class, and is widely viewed as one of the safest overall prospects. He had previously been linked to the Dolphins, as a mock draft by NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah predicted Miami would draft Downs.
To make matters worse for Miami, in Baumgardner’s mock draft, Mansoor Delane, the top cornerback in the draft, is also off the board for the Dolphins as Baumgardner predicted the Washington Commanders would draft him. Additionally, the top three edge rushers were also unavailable for Miami in this mock, as they all went inside the top 10.
Dolphins fans will hope that this scenario does not prove to be true when the draft kicks off on Thursday, April 23.
Miami Dolphins’ First Selection
ESPN analyst Jordan Reid had a similar mock draft, with the same players being unavailable for the Dolphins. As a result, he predicted the Dolphins would draft Utah offensive tackle Spencer Fano. Reid wrote:
“A new regime typically likes to go QB with its first draft pick, but there isn’t one who makes sense for the Dolphins here. So, offensive tackle is the play, and Fano makes way too much sense as Miami looks to bolster its trenches. With Austin Jackson entering the final year of his contract and having durability concerns, Fano would provide a clear long-term option at right tackle. If GM Jon-Eric Sullivan stays true to his Packers roots, he’ll want a lineman with versatility. That’s Fano, who is capable of playing any spot up front.”
Fano would likely not be a home-run selection for the Dolphins, as he is not viewed as a consensus top-10 prospect. However, Miami general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan previously spoke about the team not seeking a home-run with their first selection. Sullivan said, “I worked in Green Bay with a guy that used to always say, ‘Be careful about trying to hit the home run and make sure you just hit the double off the wall.’ In other words, I think you take everything into consideration, but what you can’t do is swing and miss, so the character is a huge piece of the pie.”
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