Compared to the past two NFL Drafts, the Miami Dolphins will have a quiet last weekend in April. Very Quiet. Ok, they can work half-days that weekend and dress business casual in the office.

With the Tyreek Hill and DeVante Parker trades, Miami sent away most of their draft picks and is left with only four selections in the 2022 NFL Draft. With still three weeks to go, who knows, they may trade away more, or all of them, and just punt on this draft totally.

As of today, though, they do hold four picks, with the first one coming at pick #102. And since they have some picks, I will do a few mock drafts in the coming weeks. Here is Version 1.0 of my 2022 Miami Dolphins Mock Draft

 

Round 3, Pick #102

Brian Asamoah LB, Oklahoma

This is a player who is flying up draft boards and in future versions of my mock drafts, he may not be there at pick #102. But for this one he is and I see him as a great addition to the Dolphins’ defense. The Dolphins are weak at linebacker and need some depth at that position. Jerome Baker and Andrew Van Ginkel are solid, productive NFL starters, but there isn’t much in the cupboard after that. Many were surprised that Chris Grier brought back Elandon Roberts, Brennan Scarlett, Sam Eguavoen, and Duke Riley. But none of those four were signed for big money and can be easily let go in training camp should Miami be able to upgrade the position. And with their first pick in this draft at #102 that is exactly what I think they do here as they address the linebacker position.

Asamoah is a super-fast undersized linebacker who can disrupt blocking schemes and who I think can bring something Miami needs to this defense. He is what you call a HEAT SEEKING MISSILE! He finds the ball and attacks the ball carrier with aggressiveness. His pursuit speed is explosive. He is a great sideline to sideline player and did I mention he has great speed? In pass coverage, because he has elite athleticism, he can run with tight ends and running backs. He is built like a safety but plays like a linebacker and is an athletic freak. He needs to get stronger, and that is why he is still on the board at pick #102. And some coaching will help him take better angles and not try to high point tackles. But that is all stuff is all easily fixable. The positives outweigh the negatives by far, and he has physical traits that can’t be taught with natural play-making ability on the field. He will be a contributor on day one as a rookie, and his role easily expands in years to come, and he will eventually be a starter.

Round 4, Pick #125

Dameon Pierce, RB Florida

I know you’re probably saying a running back in Round 4? We just signed Chase Edmonds and Raheem Mostert. True, but both of those players are on one-year deals, and beyond 2022 who knows if either will be back in Miami. Also, with Mostert, you cannot depend on him to give you 17 games this upcoming season. His injury history tells you that will not happen. Behind those two, you have Salvon Ahmed, who is a nice player but isn’t someone you want getting significant carries. He does have ties to this new coaching staff from his time in San Francisco though, but again he isn’t someone you want to see on the field much. Myles Gaskin seems like the odd man out, and I can’t see him making the 53 man roster. The Dolphins must add a running back in this draft to get someone in the pipeline to backup Edmonds and Mostert this year and maybe be in a 50/50 timeshare at the position in 2023.

Insert Dameon Pierce out of Florida who would bring something to this Miami Dolphins running back room they currently don’t have, a running back that isn’t reliant on speed and can break tackles with his leg power. Pierce is someone that doesn’t shy away from contact and can run through a tackle. He has excellent balance and a twitchy downfield burst. He wasn’t used a ton at Florida, which is a huge plus as there is a lot of tread on that tire, as at Florida, he only had nine games with ten carries or more. He was a very good college player who just didn’t get the ball enough in the run game with the pass-happy Florida offense.

Regarding the passing game, Dameon has soft hands and is a huge asset in the passing game. The negatives, well, he doesn’t have that top-end speed, and he isn’t strong in pass protection. The pass protection can be coached up and isn’t a huge concern. An intelligent player who finds the right lane and runs through tackles—a good fit for the wide-zone running style Miami is implementing. With the speed of Edmonds and Mostert, I think Pierce and his tackle-busting running style is a nice compliment to what Miami currently has. In a year or two, he could easily be Miami’s #1 RB.

Round 7, Pick # 224

Vederian Lowe, OT Illinois

The Dolphins need to add at least one offensive lineman in this draft. When you are in round 7, you are looking for traits and guys you can look to develop for down the road. The Dolphins signing Terron Armstead at left tackle solves that issue. The right side of the line is still a mess. Austin Jackson and Liam Eichenberg fighting it out for the right tackle spot isn’t going to get Dolphins fans excited. Both were poor in 2021 (at other positions), and I am not sure either is a long-term answer at right tackle. The Dolphins need more depth on their offensive line overall.

Lowe has all of the physical traits you want, he just needs to be coached up. He is an offensive tackle but could also be moved to guard so there is some position flexibility there. He is strong and durable and has good athleticism and bend. Everything you want in an offensive lineman on a team that will run a wide-zone blocking scheme. This kid was built for the zone blocking scheme. He was just poorly coached at Illinois. Hand placement, pad level, lowering his helmet in contact, improve footwork, and punch. All things that can be fixable. Will he contribute in 2022, no, not a chance in hell. Could he provide good depth in 2023, yes that is a realistic vision for this kid.

Round 7, Pick #247

Jack Jones, CB Arizona St

Yes, cornerback! I know the Dolphins just broke the bank for Xavien Howard and re-did Byron Jones’s contract, and both will be in Miami for years to come. But after that, what do the Dolphins have? Justin Coleman left in free agency to Seattle. Nik Needham is a solid nickel CB. Noah Igbinoghene is a lost cause, so let’s not even go there. Miami has very little, or should I say no, depth at the cornerback position. They need to replenish that and get some youth in the pipeline behind the two veterans they have starting.

Jack Jones is a perfect fit for this Dolphins defense. He is a press-man corner who is scheme versatile and can also play zone. He can play outside corner or inside in the nickel and has had success at Arizona St in both spots. He is undersized (which is why he is here in Round 7) but has elite athleticism with fluid hips, top-notch change of direction skills, and fantastic foot quickness. He has excellent ball skills (10 career interceptions at Arizona St), and when he gets the ball in his hands, he can score and can break a big play on a run-back. He has all the skills you want in a cornerback, but he does lack size, strength, and length. He can be a backup nickel off the bat and maybe in time and after a year in an NFL weight room, he could some depth behind Xavien or Byron. Jack Jones is a solid flyer here in Round 7.

[pickup_prop id=”23129″]

[pickup_prop id=”23128″]

[pickup_prop id=”23130″]

[pickup_prop id=”23127″]

[pickup_prop id=”23123″]

[pickup_prop id=”23124″]

[pickup_prop id=”23125″]

[pickup_prop id=”23126″]