Matt Miller of ESPN put out his final mock draft of the season, and he has the Dolphins having a gif fall in their lap with arguably the top offensive tackle falling to them at pick #13.

Round 1, Pick #13: Armand Membou, OT, Missouri

“According to multiple sources, Miami’s targets are offensive tackle, safety and cornerback, with the pick coming down to the highest grade on the board. Membou is a player I’m told the Dolphins like a lot given his ability to play guard or tackle as a rookie.“

NFL.com Draft Profile

Overview

Young, talented prospect whose lack of NFL-tackle size will test teams’ willingness to make exceptions to their standards. Membou plays with composed quickness and elite body control. He delivers good pop on contact and has the range to spring runs with blocks in space. Footwork and core strength fuel stick-block sustain, but he can be outreached by edge-setters. His pass sets are technically sound, and he processes twists and blitzes quickly. Membou plays with a varied pass-set strategy and crafty hands to stymie rush momentum, but teams will have to live with long-armed rushers collapsing the pocket on him at times. Hands and feet work in unison to mirror speed and edge-to-edge rush challenges. He’s still growing into his frame but his game boasts unusual maturity. Membou’s potential impact at a premium position should keep him at tackle, but he has outstanding potential regardless.

Strengths

  • Impeccable body control and poise in his pass sets.
  • Keeps weight inside on kick-slides with easy redirect versus counters.
  • Protects with independent hands and a fluid mirror.
  • Twitchy hands cinch up rushers who get too close.
  • Athletic and agile to stay connected to rushers around the arc.
  • Sifts through moving bodies with good clarity to find his man.
  • Acceleration and leverage to dig out of his grass.
  • Controlled quickness helps to execute challenging blocks.
  • Corrals and centers off-frame targets with upper-body power.
  • Plays with an edge when finishing his blocks.

Weaknesses

  • Far below height standards for NFL starting tackles.
  • Inconsistent running feet under his hands as a drive blocker.
  • Gets outreached and separated by long edge-setters.
  • Not a deep bender and turns to leaning at times.
  • Must prove his anchor against NFL speed-to-power rushers.

The Draft Network Draft Profile

Size:

Height: 6042

Weight: 332

Arm: 33 ½”

Hand: 9 ¾”

Accomplishments:

Second-Team All-SEC (2024)

“Armand Membou is one of the most prolific run blockers in this draft. He’s an instant impact starter anywhere on the offensive line.”

Strengths:

  • Generates power well with great posture and body shape
  • Great anticipation at second level

  • Creates extension by playing long

  • Good combination of length and mass

  • Fundamentally gifted, natural footwork

Concerns:

  • Doesn’t handle power well consistently

  • Lacks some desired lower-body fluidity in protection

  • Doesn’t possess a definite, violent strike—little bit of a catcher

Film Analysis:

Missouri-born and raised, Armand Membou is about as desirable an offensive line prospect as they come. Primarily considered an interior prospect coming out of high school, Membou has long been defeating narratives despite his below-average height. Membou is just a true junior but has 30 starts in his three-year career with the Tigers. He projects as an early pick, capable of being an instant-impact starter in the run game for any NFL offense.

That’s exactly where the story starts with Membou. At 330-plus pounds with his mobility, he’s one of—if not the—most punishing run-blockers in this draft. Membou ran a variety of different schemes at Missouri, but where he hung his hat was in his proficiency in wide zone. Similar to Ikem Ekwonu of years past, Membou has the gene for displacing and finishing defenders as a playside blocker and as a backside blocker in that scheme. It’s Membou’s posture and body shape, combined with his mass and athleticism, that formulate his near-perfect fundamentals—both in taking good angles and displacing defenders.

Membou makes it easy to see the translatability of his run-blocking. NFL run games are asking their linemen to make critical blocks in space, which is an area where Membou thrives. He’s poised and collected without sacrificing any aggression in attacking the second level. His prowess as an athlete gets him there, but his fundamentals allow him to stay engaged and neutralize linebackers and box fitters.

Membou notably gained weight between his 2023 and 2024 campaigns. I liked Membou’s lower-body fluidity, specifically in protection during his sophomore season, but I think he sacrificed a little of that in the 15-plus pounds he gained for his 2024 season. I felt like Membou could set out to varying alignments and rush styles but didn’t consistently shut down power rushers well and didn’t totally marry his feet with his strike enough to take away the edge. He had a habit of opening the gate on contact, which rarely led to mistakes but was a vulnerability. Adding a definite, violent outside-hand strike while maintaining the length he utilizes so well will do wonders for his ceiling as a protector and will allow him to seamlessly continue playing tackle.

All in all, there’s room for growth with Armand Membou, but at his very worst, you’re getting an instant-impact player at either tackle or guard. He’s a start-and-forget lineman with elite fundamentals and great athletic traits.

Prospect Projection: Day 1 — Pro Bowl Caliber