The 2023 NFL Draft has concluded, and the Miami Dolphins had only four picks coming and came out with four picks. They may have had trade offers to move up or down possibly, but they decided to stand pat. General Manager Chris Grier said before the draft that he was going to take the best player available over need because going with need can get you in trouble. That’s exactly what he did in this draft. 

With the Dolphins’ first pick in the 2nd round, they took defensive back Cam Smith from South Carolina. This pick surprised many fans because the Dolphins have Xavien Howard and Jalen Ramsey. Still, it’s also a position in that you can never have enough players, especially in a passing league. Injuries in the secondary last year decimated the Dolphins, and Smith will add depth and another talented player in the secondary. Smith was considered by some a 1st round pick, but he had some maturity issues, which is probably a reason he slipped and the number of penalties he had last year. Smith can play on the boundary and slot. It will be interesting to see how he fits. The Dolphins also have Kadar Kohu, Nik Needham, Tril Williams, Keion Crosson, and Noah Igbinoghene returning as well, so there will be plenty of competition. Needham and Williams are both coming off season-ending injuries. At the same time, Igbinoghene is probably on his way out, as he has been a 1st round bust since 2020 and can’t get on the field consistently. Smith is a player who could develop into a role this year or possibly next year. 

This pick could also mean a couple of things. New defensive coordinator Vic Fangio is implementing a zone-heavy defense, which is a switch from Josh Boyer’s press man to man and blitzing scheme, so Fangio probably wants players that will fit his scheme. The reality is there could be some changes in the secondary with the change at coordinator, as not everyone will fit in. The thing is, Howard and Ramsey are in the middle of their big contracts. Howard is coming off a down year. If Howard has another down year, the Dolphins do have an out in his contract and can get out from under it, but that’s a story for another day. Smith has the season and speed to get on the field and develop into a starter down the road. The question will be, can he get on the field this year and contribute this year?  

CBS Sports: Miami Dolphins 2023 NFL Draft Best Pick and Biggest Steal

The Dolphins used their 3rd round pick on a running back in Devon Achane from Texas A&M. Achane was linked to the Dolphins in recent weeks because coach Mike McDaniel was intrigued by his speed and home run ability. McDaniel should be able to carve out a role for him during the season if he develops in training camp. The Dolphins have all their running backs returning from last year, but they are all on accentually 1-year contracts and don’t have real money tied to them. Achane can also return kicks, and that’s a huge plus for the Dolphins, as they were one of the worst teams in the league returning kicks. There is a lot of talk about his size, which I find funny because no one talks about the number 1 pick Bryce Young being under 6′ and less than 200 lbs. Achane can get on the field and make his presence felt, but just like Smith, how quickly will that happen? 

The Dolphins used their 6th-round pick on wide receiver Elijah Higgins from Stanford, who is going to transition to tight end. This draft class was loaded with tight ends, so I was surprised the Dolphins took a player they would develop into a tight end rather than an experienced tight end. The Dolphins obviously like Higgins’ talent and his receiving skills, but the question is can he block, and will he make the transition to tight end? This pick is more about the future than the present in my mind. 

The Dolphins ended the draft by taking offensive tackle Ryan Hayes from Michigan. Hayes was a starter at Michigan and can be a backup when Terron Armstead goes down or if Austin Jackson struggles. The question is will his skill set translate to the NFL? Is he going to be on the roster or developed on the practice squad? Again, this is a pick for down the road, but the Dolphins do need to develop young linemen to be able to play in case of injuries.  

Overall, I think the Dolphins did a good job of adding talent to the roster despite having the least number of picks in the draft. They could have done more, like adding to the offensive line early in the draft or taking a tight end early, with guys who could have a better chance at contributing right away rather than potentially down the road. The Dolphins got deeper in the secondary and added more speed on offense. Did the Dolphins address all their needs? No, but who in this draft did? In my mind, this draft class is going to be like last year’s class, and it will take a good year to see some of these guys get on the field and contribute.Â