'We had a couple of calls' — Miami Dolphins GM Chris Grier explains process around pick of Michigan DT Kenneth Grant in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft
The Miami Dolphins have their guy, and it's someone who fills a gaping hole the size Biscayne Bay in the middle of their defense. Fortunately, their newest player is someone who's going to make his living at filling holes and eating up space. The Dolphins took Michigan DT Kenneth Grant in the first round of […]
The Miami Dolphins have their guy, and it's someone who fills a gaping hole the size Biscayne Bay in the middle of their defense. Fortunately, their newest player is someone who's going to make his living at filling holes and eating up space.
The Dolphins took Michigan DT Kenneth Grant in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft on Thursday night, giving the Dolphins some desperately needed help on their defensive front.
General manager Chris Grier and head coach Mike McDaniel met with the press after the pick, and Grier talked about the thought process that went into making the pick.
"Very excited for Kenneth," Grier said. "We think he's going to be able to be a potential impact player for us. Very talented, he's made of the right stuff. So, for us, we're very, very happy to add him to the roster."
"Defensive tackle is a big need, a big nose tackle, but we don't view him as just a run stopper. We do think he has the ability to generate, and you all have heard us talk about the pass rush. It's not always about sacks. The ability to push the pocket in the middle is a huge thing in the NFL now, and we think he has tremendous work ethic and upside to do that. So, we got to know him through the process, the Pro Day. This is a player that we're very excited to add."
For those arguing the Dolphins should have traded down, Grier admitted that they were working the phones both ways, but that they decided to stay put.
"We're always working the phones through that whole process. In this draft, especially where we are, when we're [at] about 8 or 9, we're always working the phones in front of us and behind us. So, we were actively trying to do it.
"We had a couple of calls (while on the clock). We weren't completely closed off to the idea if an opportunity came, but at the end of the day, we chose to pick him, and literally got three texts from teams right below us saying that that was their guy."
It would have been great for the Dolphins to move down and collect more picks. The Dolphins have 10 picks in this draft, but 7 of them come on day three from rounds 4 to 7, when it gets tougher to find a more immediate impact player.
However, Miami found a player they believe can become a difference maker in the heart of their defense. One that could help add a physical element that they need to infuse into the fabric of their franchise.
And that's not an easy thing to just phone in.
