A rollercoaster 2023 NFL regular season resulted in a trip to the postseason for the Miami Dolphins, where they quickly came unstuck. The 2024 NFL Draft gives them the opportunity to build a Super Bowl contender, but did they maximize their draft capital in Detroit?
The Dolphins’ draft grades explain how Miami’s 2024 NFL Draft unfolded.
Miami Dolphins NFL Draft Grades
Round 1, Pick 21: Chop Robinson, EDGE, Penn State
The Dolphins had been linked to wide receivers leading up to the 2024 NFL Draft, but the reality was that they had several more pressing needs to address with this first-round pick.
Finding a pass rusher to add to the rotation with Bradley Chubb and Jaelan Phillips is a savvy move that meets a need, and with Penn State’s Chop Robinson being the 18th-ranked prospect on the PFN Big Board, need and value certainly combine to influence the Dolphins’ grade here.
So does Chop Robinson’s profile.
Chop Robinson profiles as a game-wrecker who could create mismatches for opposing fronts. 😤#WeAre | #FinsUp pic.twitter.com/FtHP9GxWSg
— Pro Football Network (@PFN365) April 26, 2024
A powerful rusher who plays with his hair on fire to terrorize offensive linemen with motor and incredible explosive speed, and impressive bend, Robinson enters the league without having been particularly productive for a Penn State program that has produced several prospects who didn’t quite live up to their potential when they arrived in the NFL.
It’s a solid pick, but with players ranked higher on the PFN board at positions of need still available, not to mention neglecting the real need on the offensive line, it could definitely have been a better selection.
Grade: B-
Round 2, Pick 55: Patrick Paul, OT, Houston
Offensive line was a need for the Dolphins coming into the 2024 NFL Draft, so it isn’t a surprise to see them select an offensive tackle in the second round.
However, with guys like BYU’s Kingsley Suamataia still on the board, it was a surprise to hear Patrick Paul’s name called at this spot.
The Houston Cougar is the 130th overall ranked prospect on the PFN Big Board, with five tackles above him still waiting to be selected.
MORE: 2024 NFL Draft Grades
On the positive side, Paul has all the measurables you look for in a top-tier tackle, with the optimum size and length to be a blindside protector in the NFL.
He’s extremely raw at this moment in his career, and will require development, especially if he’s been selected to be the long-term replacement for Terron Armstead. It will take time to get him to starter level; does Miami have that time?
Grade: C+
Round 4, Pick 120: Jaylen Wright, RB, Tennessee
While not considered a priority need in the 2024 NFL Draft, especially given their lack of capital, landing an explosive offensive playmaker into this Dolphins offense is exciting for Miami fans. Jaylen Wright is one of the more explosive running backs in the 2024 NFL Draft class while adding value in the passing game as a physical blocker.
Grade: B+
Round 5, Pick 158: Mohamed Kamara, EDGE, Colorado State
The Dolphins double-dip at the edge position, landing one of the top pass rushers from the Group of Five level.
Mohamed Kamara logged double-digit tackles for loss in consecutive seasons to end his Rams’ career, and heads to the NFL on the back of a 13-sack season.
An impressive athlete with a good pass rush toolbox, he can translate that college production to the NFL in Miami.
The grade here is less reflective of the player, and more of the fact that the Dolphins already added Penn State’s Robinson in Round 1, have some significant needs still to hit, and players still on the board to match those needs.
Grade: B
Round 6, Pick 184: Malik Washington, WR, Virginia
Virginia wide receiver Malik Washington heads to the Dolphins having racked up over 1,400 yards in his final collegiate season.
An ascending prospect who aced the draft process — including earning PFN Offensive Player of the Week at the Shrine Bowl — Washington is a dynamic and reliable weapon out of the slot.
Miami was rumored to be in the market for a wide receiver, with talk of them even using their Round 1 pick at the position. They get an instant impact maker who ranked as the 81st overall player in the class on the PFN Big Board.
Grade: A
Round 6, Pick 198: Patrick McMorris, S, California
A standout at San Diego State where he tallied four interceptions in 2021, Patrick McMorris is a versatile defensive back prospect who took his chance to play at the Power Five level in 2023, and ensured he left the college level with at least one interception in three consecutive campaigns.
He’s an intelligent playmaker in the secondary, but is unlikely to develop into an impact maker in the NFL with deficiencies in tackle ability and lacking top-tier athletic traits.
The 331st player on the PFN Big Board, he is a significant reach even if he does offer some positional versatility at the next level.
Grade: C+
Round 7, Pick 241: Tahj Washington, WR, USC
Tahj Washington was the 137th overall prospect on the PFN Big Board, with his route-running, yard-after-the-catch ability, and impressive willingness to get down and dirty in the ground game all hallmarks of his scouting report.
At 5’10” and 174 pounds, he’s likely to be pigeonholed into the slot at the NFL level, which is perfectly acceptable for what the Dolphins need him for.
Grade: A
Miami Dolphins 2024 NFL Draft Summary
It was an interesting 2024 NFL Draft for the Dolphins that might not pay immediate dividends.
Their first two picks, Chop Robinson and Patrick Paul, have some high-end athletic traits and measurables that, if they can be developed, could turn them into excellent selections.
However, if you want to see an immediate return on your early-round investments, that’s not likely to happen in Miami.
KEEP READING: Analysis and Grades for All 7 Rounds of the 2024 NFL Draft
Although EDGE was considered a need coming into the draft, selecting two pass rushers in the first four picks can be considered excessive, even if the latter selection was great value at pick 158.
Given the rumors circulating before the draft that Miami would take a receiver early, it was somewhat poetic that their biggest wins from a draft spot vs. PFN Big Board ranking perspective were with Malik Washington and Tahj Washington, who should compete to start in the slot in 2024.
Overall Grade: B-