ESPN's Mel Kiper addresses two of the Miami Dolphins' draft needs quickly in latest mock draft
The 2025 NFL Draft is approaching quickly, and the Miami Dolphins have some very obvious and pressing roster needs to address after the main wave of free agency has come and gone. Chief among those are cornerback, defensive tackle, and guard, all spots where the Dolphins are – or very much should be – still […]
The 2025 NFL Draft is approaching quickly, and the Miami Dolphins have some very obvious and pressing roster needs to address after the main wave of free agency has come and gone.
Chief among those are cornerback, defensive tackle, and guard, all spots where the Dolphins are – or very much should be – still looking for a starter for the 2025 season.
ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper put out a two-round mock draft on Tuesday morning, and it wasted no time in helping address two of those needs with potential solutions.
Mel Kiper has the Miami Dolphins selecting Texas CB Jahdae Barron with the 13th pick.
This is what Kiper had to say about the selection of Barron:
Terron Armstead's retirement makes this interesting. The Dolphins ranked 28th in pass block win rate last season (55.7%), and protecting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is paramount. Texas' Kelvin Banks Jr. could fit. But Miami also drafted Patrick Paul late in the second round last April, and he has spent a year learning behind Armstead. The Dolphins could start Paul and use this pick to clean up the CB2 spot opposite Jalen Ramsey, where either Storm Duck, Cam Smith or Ethan Bonner is currently slated to start.
Barron would jump to the front of the line. His ball skills (five INTs in 2024), speed and versatility would boost the unit.
Kiper's logic is sound here on sticking with Paul at tackle, something I wrote about recently. The Dolphins invested a second-round pick in him last year, so they're going to give him more than a handful of starts before they move on from him. A guard/tackle combo like Armand Membou or Will Campbell would make sense to fill a starting spot (guard) and give them some insurance at tackle, but both are off the board at 13.
Barron isn't he biggest player at 5'11", 200 pounds, but he has what Miami needs in a big way – playmaking ability and ball skills. He had 5 interceptions last year and would be an immediate starter opposite Jalen Ramsey.
Mel Kiper has the Miami Dolphins selecting Toledo DT Darius Alexander with the 48th pick.
Miami still needs pass protection, and Tyler Booker would have been a perfect fit had he fallen one more spot. Rather than reach, the Dolphins could take care of another big need. Alexander can play pretty much anywhere on the defensive line, bringing quickness and physicality. He had 101 tackles, 15.5 tackles for loss, 27 run stops, 50 pressures and 7.5 sacks over the past two seasons. That production would be welcomed in the middle of the Miami defensive front.
The Dolphins need help on the inside of both sides of the line of scrimmage, but Kiper has them going on the defensive side with Alexander here. Alexander was very productive for the Rockets over the last two seasons on the interior, combining for 83 total pressures over that span with an 11.8% pressure rate, according to Pro Football Focus. He also earned a 90.1 PFF defensive grade in 2024.
The draft could fall any number of ways later this month. However, adding these two would undoubtedly give the Dolphins some potential answers to questions they absolutely must answer before the 2025 season beings.
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