Latest mock draft has Miami Dolphins making a crucial mistake they can't afford in the 2025 NFL Draft
The Miami Dolphins enter the 2025 NFL Draft with plenty of issues to address, but the alpha and the omega of their problems lie on the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball. The Dolphins' offensive line was terrible in 2024, and it still has a starter to find, as well as depth […]
The Miami Dolphins enter the 2025 NFL Draft with plenty of issues to address, but the alpha and the omega of their problems lie on the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball.
The Dolphins' offensive line was terrible in 2024, and it still has a starter to find, as well as depth needing to be improved. The situation is the same on the defensive line, with apologies to Benito Jones.
As such, I raised my eyebrow when I saw the latest A to Z Sports four round mock draft by my colleagues. To be clear, I'm a big fan of my colleagues and will put them up with anyone out there. But I have to take issue with the end product of the Dolphins after the mock draft – there simply wasn't enough focus on linemen.
Here's who Miami took and the explanation for each of them:
Round 1, pick 13: CB Will Johnson, Michigan
Miami needs a corner opposite of Jalen Ramsey in the worst way. Beyond that, Ramsey has, at best, two to three years of starter-level play left, so taking what would be the best corner in any draft not headlined by Travis Hunter is a smart play for Miami. – Rob Gregson
Round 2, pick 48: S Xavier Watts, Notre Dame
The Dolphins double down in the secondary by finding a replacement for Jevon Holland. Watts is a versatile player who has a high football IQ that could be impactful from day one. – Tyler Forness
Round 3, pick 98: QB Tyler Shough, Louisville
The Dolphins have Zach Wilson behind Tua now, but Tyler Shough probably gives them the better option to compete should Tua be lost to injury. – Rob Gregson
Round 4, pick 116: CB Zah Frazier, UTSA
At this point in the draft, the Dolphins are simply looking for the best player available, and Zah Frazier might very well be that player. He’s a little bit on the older side, but he’s extremely athletic, and if he hits, they have their CB duo for the next decade after this draft. – Rob Gregson
Round 4, pick 135: DT Aeneas Peebles, Virginia Tech
Aeneas Peebles is a disruptive defensive tackle with a wicked spin move on the interior. I think he's being slept on way too much. Miami needs help on the interior of their defensive line in a big way, and Peebles, who could start as a rotational DT, has the potential to be a future starter. – Jon Helmkamp
Well, at least the secondary is securely addressed. I love both Will Johnson and Xavier Watts as players. Johnson is an NFL readymade boundary corner, and Watts would give the Dolphins a true playmaker and ballhawk on the back end of the defense.
However, I cannot get over not pulling the trigger on a lineman on either side of the ball until their second pick of the fourth round. The Dolphins need to find a starter at guard and defensive tackle in this draft or otherwise at some other point in the offseason.
Addressing the secondary is obviously advantageous, but taking three players there before selecting a lineman is overkill. Also, spending a third-round pick on a quarterback – albeit one I find intriguing – over other areas of concern on the roster is hard for me to go with. I like Shough as a player, don't get me wrong. He has the potential to develop into a solid player. But if Miami isn't finding a way to improve their lines by the time the second day of the draft has come and gone, then they've failed in a substantial way in my eyes.
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