The 2022/2023 NFL regular season may be five months away, but the league has been super busy. We’ve seen many players switch teams via free agency and trade deals.
The Miami Dolphins have been busy this offseason: Terron Armstead signed a five-year, $87.5 million contract (43.37 million guaranteed) as a free agent. Cornerback, Xavien Howard has also agreed to a new deal worth $50.6 million, making him the cornerback with the most guaranteed cash in league history.
But there’s more to be excited about. The 2022 NFL draft is a few weeks away. Teams are looking to strengthen their squad by incorporating the best college players into their roster. The fans are also not left out; online sports betting sites are offering fans the opportunity to participate in NFL, NBA and NHL betting, and earn amazing rewards.
Miami will be hoping to land some productive players this year, but as we’ve come to know over the years, it’s easier said than done. The Dolphins have five draft picks this year, starting in the third round, and they need to hit the right picks, especially in offense. They sure will be hoping to add to this list of memorable draft picks.
Top Five Most Productive Drafts in Dolphins History
Like every other team in the NFL, the Dolphins will be looking to get it right at this year’s draft. It would be a great thing to land impact players in all five selections, but we know that this is hardly ever the case. The best that can happen is hitting three of five, something the Dolphins have managed to do on a few occasions.
We figured it’s a good time to revisit the five best drafts in Miami Dolphins’ history.
1.  The 1968 Draft
Another year with five draft spots up for grabs. The Dolphins selected Larry Csonka in the first round, Jimmy Keyes and Jim Cox in the second, Dick Anderson in Round Three and Jim Kiick in Round Five
The ‘Jims’ in Round Two happened to be the only miss in this draft. But we remember how important Csonka, Anderson and Kiick were to the back-to-back Super Bowl Championship teams in 1972 and 1973. The 1972 team had a 17-0 perfect season.
Csonka won the Super Bowl MVP in 1973 and was later inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1987.
2.  The 1970 Draft
We can’t fail to mention the 1970, with Tim Foley, Curtis Johnson, Jake Scott, and Mike Kolen as the third, fourth, seventh, and 12th draft picks, respectively. The former three played a key role in the Dolphins’ 1970s Super Bowl winning run.
3.  The 1997 Draft
With six draft spots, the Dolphins selected Yatil Green in Round One, Sam Madison in Round Two, Jason Taylor, Ronnie Ward, and Derrick Rodgers in Round Three, and Ed Perry in Round Six.
Green would have been a hit but had to endure knee injuries throughout his time in Miami. Ward was also considered a miss in this draft.
Taylor was named NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2006, and became a Hall of Famer in 2017.
4.  The 2016 Draft
Like this year, the Dolphins had five picks. They selected tackle Laremy Tunsil in the First Round, Xavien Howard in the second, Leonte Carroo and Kenyan Drake in the third, and Jakeem Grant in the sixth.
Leonte Carroo turned out to be the only miss in the draft. Xavien Howard happened to be the Dolphins’ biggest hit in this draft; Miami had to trade up four spots to acquire the history-making cornerback.
Grant might not be the best wide receiver, however, he has made a name for himself as the best returner in the franchise’s history. That’s a big win for a sixth round pick.
5.  The 1983 Draft
1983 was a year of late round hits for Miami. The Dolphins had six draft spots and selected Dan Marino in the first round, Mike Charles in the second, Reggie Roby in Round Six, Mark Clayton in eight, Mark Brown in nine, and Anthony Carter in the 12th round.
Dan Marino was the 27th overall pick in Round One of the 1983 draft, and the Dolphins couldn’t have wished for more luck. He’s widely regarded as one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history, despite never winning a Super Bowl Championship.
There were more hits in this draft class too. Clayton and Roby are perhaps the biggest bottom-draft picks in franchise history.
Honorable Mentions
Other memorable mentions include the 1969, 2018, 1977, and 1996 draft classes.
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