Top needs entering the draft: Safety, cornerback, defensive tackle and guard
The Dolphins missed the playoffs for the first time in the Mike McDaniel era last season, and it was their first losing record at 8-9 since 2019. Terron Armstead
retired.
Tyreek Hill has expressed frustration and even alluded to
wanting out before walking it back.
Jalen Ramsey is a
trade candidate. This is a team in need of a spark, and it was a good year to have a bunch of picks. But then Miami used its first-round pick on ... a nose tackle.
Kenneth Grant is a good player, no doubt. The 331-pounder stops runners in their tracks and breaks up passes at the line of scrimmage. The Dolphins needed an impact player next to
Zach Sieler on the defensive line. I just don't know that No. 13 overall was the place to find that player -- especially because Grant's pass rush upside is limited.
The bigger need falls in the secondary. Even before Miami was exploring a Ramsey trade, cornerback was a problem. Miami came to Green Bay with some combination of
Storm Duck,
Cam Smith and
Ethan Bonner penciled in at CB2 to replace
Kendall Fuller. That wasn't going to work. Safety was an even bigger issue after
Jevon Holland signed
with the Giants. Yet it was crickets at both positions until Day 3.
Jason Marshall Jr. (CB32) and
Dante Trader Jr. (S16) were the only adds.
Jonah Savaiinaea was the team's lone Day 2 selection. The Dolphins were 28th in pass block win rate (55.7%) last season.
Patrick Paul might work out at left tackle as Armstead's replacement, but Miami needed options across the offensive line. Savaiinaea played tackle and guard at Arizona, and I'm projecting him as an interior blocker in the NFL. He could easily be the starter at left guard, with free agent addition
James Daniels taking the right guard spot. If Paul struggled at left tackle, Savaiinaea could be a plug there; he looked good in a handful of games at left tackle last season.
I'll end with a note on quarterback
Quinn Ewers: He throws with touch, but I just didn't see a lot of consistency from him. He's a backup quarterback in the NFL.
The Dolphins' 2025 Draft Picks
