On Day 2 of the NFL draft, the Dolphins might select an offensive lineman, a defensive tackle, or trade.
Miami Gardens — The Miami Dolphins were expected to address the edge defender position in the NFL draft, and they did so in the first round on Thursday by picking Penn State’s Chop Robinson.
The Dolphins now enter the second and third rounds of the draft on Friday night with more work to do, but only one Day 2 pick, No. 55 overall, a second-round selection.
They might concentrate on the offensive line, with a likely immediate starting slot at guard and a future plan at left tackle with Terron Armstead possibly entering his final NFL season.
Or how about defensive tackle? Miami lost Christian Wilkins in free agency, and although they have brought in a slew of players to compete for playing time at the position, none would largely be considered definite starting-caliber solutions.
The Dolphins, though, are known not to prioritize positions of need more than simply taking the prospect they like in the draft.
“For us, we’ll get together here (Friday). We’ll go home (Thursday night), get together in the morning and look at the board and see who’s up there and kind of put the plan together,” Dolphins general manager Chris Grier said. “Again, it’s taking the best player — not just roster, but whoever the best player is, too. Down where we’re picking, probably need to see who falls to us and then we’ll see if we get aggressive to go up and get somebody.”
Miami certainly has players it likes on the board when the second round commences at 7 p.m. Friday. The team was looking into potential trades to get back into the end of the first round late Thursday night after selecting Robinson at No. 21.
On the offensive line, one choice that made it through Round 1 and was a popular mock draft link to the Dolphins is Oregon center Jackson Powers-Johnson. After nine linemen went in the first round, most who will play offensive tackle, Houston tackle Patrick Paul could be an option at the position, along with BYU’s Kingsley Suamataia.
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A number of other guards or centers could be in play, too: West Virginia’s Zach Frazier, Connecticut’s Christian Haynes, Boston College’s Christian Mahogany.
Defensive tackle Jer’Zhan “Johnny” Newton was projected by many as a potential first-round pairing with the Dolphins. He’s still available, as are fellow defensive linemen in Florida State’s Braden Fiske, Texas’ T’Vondre Sweat and Michigan’s Kris Jenkins.
Iowa cornerback Cooper DeJean, widely considered a late first-round pick, is still out there heading into Day 2. He’s a versatile defensive back that new defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver could use in a multitude of ways if brought in. Alabama cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry is also around.
Could a No. 3 wide receiver be in play behind Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle? Adonai Mitchell from Texas, Keon Coleman from FSU are available. Or Texas tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders is there for the taking.
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If Miami stays at 55, there is a 103-pick drought for the team before its next pick, No. 158 in the fifth round. Without a third- or fourth-rounder, could the Dolphins use some of their extra 2025 draft capital they’re expected to have from compensatory picks to get into those middle rounds?
“As the board falls and the players — you never want to get desperate in doing things and moving around — but if opportunities arise, we’ll take a shot and move around,” Grier said.
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