Free agency is a few weeks old, and the NFL combine is over. We are officially in mock draft season. And while we know mock drafts are more “entertaining” than “science,” they are fun to look at. NFL.com Draft Analyst Chad Reuter put out a 5-round Mock Draft and has Miami Trading down in Round 1.
By trading down, Miami picked up a Round 3 pick, the 94th overall pick in the draft, and a 4th round pick, the 132nd overall pick in the draft.
Round 1, Pick #31: Patrick Paul, OT – Houston
“Left tackle Terron Armstead is returning for 2024 but has had issues staying on the field during his career. Paul’s pass-protection skills could get him into the first round and his continued work on his run blocking could make this a bargain.”
Long, athletic left tackle prospect whose pass protection is much further ahead of his run blocking. Paul’s hands are more active than well-timed or accurate in pass protection, but he does a nice job of muting rush challenges with a decent anchor and an adequate mirror around the top of the arc. He’s high-cut with a tendency to bend at the waist into contact. He struggles to sustain and finish as a run blocker but that doesn’t appear to be an issue in pass protection. Paul should continue to add play strength, but he also needs to display better effort and full-time grit if he wants to square off against NFL run defenders and become a well-rounded left tackle.
Round 2, Pick #55: Ja’Tavion Sanders, TE -Texas
Talented pass-catching tight end with an exciting floor if he can handle the rigors of the pro game. Sanders possesses an average build, but he has room for more muscle. He flashes as a run blocker, but he isn’t consistent at the point of attack. He can get up the field from in-line or from the slot, beating man coverage at his route stems or separating quickly from turns. He is able to dig in and win combat catches underneath and has proven to be highly effective running the seam or catching intermediate throws into zone pockets. Teams looking for a tight end with a more complete game might pass on him, but his potential to open up the passing game and become a highly productive pass-catcher should be hard to pass on.
Round 3, Pick #94: Kamren Kinchens, S – Miami
Safety prospect with the toughness, instincts and ball skills to handle NFL work, although his lack of speed could give teams pause. Kinchens is a willing run supporter near the box, hits with message-sending purpose over the middle and plays with outstanding range as a high safety. Despite the positive tape and attributes at his disposal, he made mistakes in run support and coverage that led to big plays and, in some cases, touchdowns. If he can eliminate the mental mistakes and take better angles to the ball as an open-field tackler, he will improve his consistency, but Kinchens’ poor speed testing at the NFL Scouting Combine could limit how teams will want to use him.
Round 4, Pick #132: Gabriel Murphy, EDGE – UCLA
What Murphy lacks in size and length he makes up for with skill and production. He’s short-armed, which will worry teams on the pro level, but his hands are so sudden and polished that it tends to ease concerns. He works his hands and feet in perfect harmony to elude blockers like a shifty runner eluding tacklers. Murphy could struggle to survive against run blockers who square him up, but he typically finds a way to slither out of sustain attempts on the collegiate level. He failed to dominate one-on-one opportunities at East-West Shrine Bowl practices, but his ability to maneuver into the backfield as a run defender and pass rusher has merit and should give him a shot to become a solid 3-4 edge rusher.
Round 5, Pick #158: Jacob Cowing, WR – Arizona
The tape can be a fun watch when Cowing’s field vision and athleticism shine after the catch in Arizona’s quick game, but there are several boxes that go unchecked in the total evaluation. Cowing is a slightly built slot receiver who is more quick than he is fast and he lacks big-time separation. He is made for option routes underneath and displays a nose for the end zone. He must learn to maintain additional space as a static pass-catcher because he won’t win very often when contested. Cowing needs to limit drops, improve as a route-runner and display some punt-return talent to give himself the best chance of sticking on an NFL roster for a while.
ESPN: The Dolphins are Trying Pretty Hard to sign Odell Beckham Jr
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