Like most NFL teams, the Miami Dolphins have gone through periods of dominance, rebuilding, and mediocrity. Where they stand out, though, is that they’re the oldest pro sports team in Florida and the sole NFL team in history to finish an entire season undefeated. That’s all the regular season games, every playoff game, and the Super Bowl championship outright, if you didn’t know already. They boast a star-studded roster that has featured the likes of running back Ricky Williams, defensive end Cameron Wake, and prolific quarterback Dan Marino, who played with the team for 17 seasons.

The franchise saw its most notable success in the early ‘70s to mid-’80s under the leadership of head coach Don Shula but then started to stagnate for the most part in the early 2000s and 2010s. But today, with quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and head coach Mike McDaniel at the helm, could we be observing what could potentially be a redefining era? With several underrated players and plenty more to come, those standing behind big-name stars like Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle deserve some recognition. While there’s no doubt that with mobile slots you can have fun and win money,  betting on the Dolphins could result in much more excitement and even bigger wins.

Jaelan Phillips

Let’s face it—the D-line doesn’t get as much love as the offensive players do, and that’s simply because football is so scoring-focused. People love highlight reels with crazy breakaway runs and Hail Marys, and those big offensive stats are often celebrated more than anything else. However, real football fans know how valuable a strong defense is, as they stop drives that could contribute to the scoreboard and demoralize the team.

Edge player Jaelan Phillips is one of those irreplaceable characters, going from a struggling rookie in his first season in 2021 to ranking sixth among edge defenders in PFF defense grade in 2022. Establishing himself as a week-to-week must-have, he managed to rack up 77 total pressures—just second to four-star recruit Olivier Vernon, who accumulated 81 in 2015. Phillips is known for his athleticism, speed, and frequent chasedown tackles on runs in the opposite direction. What takes him to the next level, though, is his ability to string different countermoves off of his basic speed rush, making him a multidimensional pass rusher.

Robert Hunt

Although he just signed a five-year, $100-million contract with the Carolina Panthers for the 2024 season, Robert Hunt spent his first three years in the NFL in Miami as a right guard. At 6’6” and 330 pounds, he’s a dominating force on the field due to his stature alone. His 2023 season was decorated with glowing statistics despite missing a few games due to injury. Hunt had the lowest pressure rate of any guard in the NFL and the lowest blown block percentage as well.

His aggressive style and power set the tone for the defensive line overall, adding a component of extra intimidation. Hunt is also responsible for plenty of the Dolphins’ explosive plays, including catching a designed halfback screen from Tua Tagovailoa (but unfortunately, wasn’t eligible for the touchdown). So, it’s safe to say the Panthers are getting a gem of a defensive player, as there certainly aren’t that many men on the D-line who can exert that much power at that size.

David Long Jr.

The fact that David Long Jr. was hit by a car, had to be treated at the hospital, and still went on to complete his high school career with 283 career tackles, 6 interceptions, and 6 sacks is saying something. In the NFL, he spent four seasons with the Tennessee Titans, with the first two in a backup role until his breakout season in 2021, ranking fifth among all linebackers in wins above replacement.

With the Titans, he noticeably developed skills that turned into his signature strengths. Long is shifty and explosive in his style, preventing ball carriers from finding and taking advantage of those open lanes. The way he’s able to read the play and perform jukes, swim moves, and other techniques that require next-level agility and timing makes him the sheer definition of a unicorn. His decisiveness and route recognition look like they’ll continue to take him far, especially as his career with the Dolphins hopefully continues past his two-year contract.

Kader Kohou

Kader Kohou was an undrafted free agent until he signed with the Dolphins in 2022, but it didn’t take him long to show the team and the world that he had immense value as a cornerback. The Dolphins have notably had some standout cornerbacks in the past and present—Jalen Ramsey, Sam Madison, and Patrick Surtain, to name a few. But Kader Kohou got the chance to prove himself as a high-quality starter after Byron Jones’ Achilles injury in the 2022 season. He became the second-most targeted CB in the NFL, living up to the challenge of being a rookie corner.

Kohou demonstrates substantial physicality at the catch point, breaking up passes effortlessly and cleanly by disrupting the receiver. He’s able to completely deny the slant route and shows serious coverage effectiveness, forcing those incomplete passes. However, there’s one particular downside to Kohou’s play, and that’s getting beat when it comes to deep passes. Luckily, this Miami defense won’t need to play a lot of deep-man coverage, usually zone match and vertical routes, for which he has the perfect partners.