An injury to Tua Tagovailoa derailed their entire season, and now the Miami Dolphins have a tough offseason ahead of them. Let's take a look at what PFN predicts in their latest 7-Round mock.
What sells Kelvin Banks is the similarity between Miami’s passing attack and the one he comes from at Texas. Tua Tagovailoa does not want to hang onto the ball for long, which mitigates the need for Banks to set vertically too often. The other saving grace here is that Banks should begin his career, and potentially remain, at left guard for Miami considering Terron Armstead and Patrick Paul should lock down the bookend.
Gunnar Helm doesn’t have the same explosive potential as Mike McDaniel’s former tight end in San Francisco. However, Helm possesses the ability to be a quarterback’s best friend on third down while providing a positive impact as both a pass protector and a run blocker. It’s no secret that Miami wants to run the football. Helm’s addition aids that tremendously. It also allows Miami to run more 12 personnel groupings which could force more speed off the field defensively, leaving more operating space for Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle.
Smael Mondon could be what David Long was in Tennessee. Long was a downhill gap plugger who consistently made plays at the line of scrimmage, and Mondon has the same physicality, explosiveness, and ability to disrupt. Learning to cover or be more of a read-and-react player could be a tougher task for the staff.
Rod Moore could bolster the Miami Dolphins defense as a pressure-friendly safety. A very intelligent player, Moore projects to be a Day-1 starter.
Given the perpetual injury risk to Tua Tagovailoa, a solid backup QB has to be a priority for Miami and they could do worse than Dillon Gabriel from Oregon.
Jonas Sanker is a high football IQ defender who can play within himself. Usually, that is the recipe for success for late-round defenders. His reliability in contained spaces should make him a net positive for Miami.
A positionless defensive lineman, Tonka Hemingway projects to be a prospect who can be effective in multiple schemes. If he can add a few levels to his game, he could become a late-round boon for the Dolphins.
The talent and on-field demeanor is going to make Barryn Sorrell a fan favorite from Day 1. And if he can develop in rushing situations, he could become a brilliant down-to-down defender.
Throughout his career, Kaimon Rucker has shown constant improvements to his game. If he can continue that trajectory at the NFL level, he could outperform his draft position in a heartbeat.
If the offense is undergoing a remake, Jhari Patterson could be a nice late-round addition for Miami.
