As a draft analyst, Senior Bowl week is probably one of my favorites of the entire year. The chance to watch some of the best prospects go head to head for a full week is truly the stuff I live for. To make things even better, The Dolphins were allowed to coach the National Team this year. 

This comes as the NFL has canceled athletic testing at the combine and put limits on how teams can meet with draft prospects this offseason. This means the Dolphins coaching the Senior Bowl this year will give them a pretty big edge over the competition. 

I’ve decided to take the liberty of breaking down the position groups and giving Dolphins fans a few names to watch for throughout the week. This will be a two-parter with the first part highlighting the National Team and the second part highlighting the American Team. 

 

Quarterbacks: 

QB isn’t really a need for the Dolphins, but it never hurts to take a shot on a player late in the draft or through a UDFA contract.

Kellen Mond, Texas A&M 

Mond is quite literally one of the weirdest prospects I’ve ever evaluated. I’ve watched him for three years now, and he’s such a high variance player I still struggle with how to value him. Regardless, he’s got a ton of arm talent and flashes of elite accuracy down the field. I doubt he lasts long enough to be an option for the Dolphins, but QBs in Mobile are always slim pickings anyway. 

Running Backs: 

I will die on the RBs don’t matter, hill, but Miami clearly needs some juice in their backfield, and the American roster has some solid options. 

Elijah Mitchell, Louisiana

If you read my work consistently, then you know how I feel about the Dolphins’ lack of speed on offense. Mitchell would give the Dolphins some much-needed pop compared to the players they already have. He’s shifty and effective on zone concepts. Mitchell is similar to both Myles Gaskin and Salvon Ahmed if they want that type of back to be their prototype going forward. 

 

Kylin Hill, Mississippi State 

I’ll be honest, Hill wasn’t my cup of tea over the summer, but the one game he played this past season did answer some questions. Hill played one game for Mike Leech and the air raid offense and proved he could be a functional WR out of the backfield. The rest of his tape shows a physical runner who is a plus athlete. Hill isn’t particularly fast, and his lack of vision scares me. He would be an interesting complement to what the Dolphins already have. 

 

Wide Receiver: 

This is one of the Dolphins’ biggest needs, and there are plenty of options to choose from. 

Kadarius Toney, Florida 

I’m not sure where others are at, but I would consider drafting Toney at the end of the first round based on his film from 2020. He’s one of the best route runners and natural separators this class has to offer, which is exactly what the Dolphins need. Toney would also provide the team with a YAC threat and a true slot next to Devonte Parker and Preston Williams. Toney needs a little bit of work, but his skill set could be developed into a potent deep threat as well. 

 

Amari Rodgers, Clemson

In a lot of ways, Rodgers is the B+ version of Toney. They played similar roles in their respective offense and have similar strengths and weaknesses. Rodgers provides a little more polish as a vertical threat but less polish in route running. Rodgers would also provide the Dolphins with a legit YAC threat, which, again, is something they desperately need right now. 

Other Name(s): Marquez Stevenson/ Houston and Cornell Powell/ Clemson 

Tight-End: 

I think Miami feels pretty good about their TE room, but for the sake of being diligent, let’s throw some names out there anyway. 

Noah Gray, Duke

Gray was a late add to the Senior Bowl roster, but I’m glad to see him get a shot. His 2019 film was pretty good, and he followed it up with a decent 2020 season. Gray will play both TE and H-Back while at the Senior Bowl, making him an option for the Dolphins if they want someone to replace Durham Smythe. I don’t think that is likely, but again, just doing my due diligence. 

Other Name(s): Kylen Granson, SMU 

 

Offensive Linemen: 

Dolphins Twitter yelled at me when I said OT was a top need for this team, but I’m sticking to my guns; they need help upfront and in multiple spots.

Alex Leatherwood, Alabama 

Speaking of filling multiple spots on the line, Alabama’s Alex Leatherwood has experience playing both tackle and guard. He fits the size thresholds the Dolphins appear to care about when it comes to an offensive lineman and plays with a mean streak in the running game. You can tell Leatherwood is a smart player by how he executed the Alabama offense, which has a lot of unique verbiages. There’s a good chance he could start at either tackle or guard from day one. 

 

Trey Smith, Tennessee

I think the best way to describe Smith regarding the Dolphins is that he’s basically Solomon Kindley on steroids. Smith is one of the most powerful players in the entire class and would be an instant help to the run game. He’s also a pretty solid athlete in the open field, making him a weapon at the second level and when asked to pull in front of runs. Smith has some medical concerns in his past, but I think he fits the Dolphins mantra pretty well if everything checks out. 

Other Name(s): David Moore/ Grambling State and Deonte Brown/Alabama 

Defensive Linemen: 

EDGE is a sneaky need for the Dolphins, and there is a particular spot on the interior; I think they can fill with a player on the American Roster.

Marlon Tuipulotu, USC 

Overall, I wasn’t too impressed when I did Tuipulotu’s final film evaluation this past week. With that said, I do think he could offer the Dolphins a true NT. Raekwon Davis played that role sometimes this past season, but I think getting someone in to fill that role, even on a rotational basis, would be helpful for Davis’ development. Tuipulotu is a smart run defender who is quite stout at the POA, which is about all you can ask for from an NT. 

 

Carlos Basham Jr., Wake Forest 

Basham Jr. actually reminds me of many current Dolphins EDGE rusher Emmanuel Ogbah. They can lineup all over the defensive line, and they both rely on a power rush skillset to get to the passer. Basham is a stout run defender who plays with heavy hands and knows how to disengage consistently. He’s not much of a speed rusher, but the Dolphins don’t seem to value that in their players as they instead gravitate towards power and versatility, which Basham Jr. has in spades. 

Other Name(s): Chauncey Golston, Iowa 

 

Linebackers: 

Miami’s LB group is a little old, and it is unknown whether or Jerome Baker is apart of the team’s long-term future. This is a good draft to invest in a future need, and the Senior Bowl will provide the Dolphins with options.

Jabril Cox, LSU 

Cox transferred from North Dakota State before the season and quickly proved he could hang with SEC competition. He’s a superb athlete with plenty of upsides if he can be developed in the NFL. Ideally, he wouldn’t have to start this season for the Dolphins and could sit and learn from coach Flores and Kyle Van Noy. Cox’s natural tools are perfect for today’s league, which demands coverage ability and speed from its second-level players. 

 

Monty Rice, Georgia 

Rice is much closer to a traditional LB than someone like Cox. He’s a very safe option in the middle rounds if you look for a player to get on the field early. He’s brilliant and reactive in the run game, giving him a solid floor as a MIKE. Georgia took him off the field a lot on third downs, but I actually thought he did an okay job in coverage. He doesn’t have the athletic upside of some of the other players, but he will get the job done. 

Other Name(s): Grant Stuard, Houston

Defensive Backs: 

The Dolphins CB room is pretty loaded at this point, so that I will focus on safeties instead.

Hamsah Nasirldeen, Florida State

Nasirldeen might be one of the freakiest prospects in this class. He’s not quite as good as Isaiah Simmons was last season, but he’s similar in many ways. Nasirldeen is listed at 6’4 and 200 pounds but moves like someone who is 6’0 and 180. His speed going in all directions is impressive, and his length allows him to make plays on the ball frequently. He’s definitely a hybrid player who the Dolphins could probably mold into several different roles if they wanted. 

 

Richie Grant, Central Florida 

I’ve been calling for the Dolphins to get an FS with some actual range for about two years now, and I think Grant could be it. He frequently played single-high for the Knights the past couple of seasons, showing he could make plays all over the field on the backend. Miami puts a lot of pressure on their safeties at times, so someone with more playmaking ability like Grant makes sense. He might make a mistake here and there, but the ball production might be worth it in the end. 

Other Name(s): Joshua Bledsoe/ Missouri and Aaron Robinson/ Central Florida