NFL draft week is upon us, and team war rooms and mock draft simulation sites are as busy as ever. Speculation and rumors are flying, smoke screens are being concocted and due diligence is being done.
Basically, the NFL draft, and the days leading up to it, could be called the most action-packed, non-action aspect of sports. Nearly over two months since the Super Bowl, and over four months to go until Week 1 kicks off, the annual selection meeting is sports theater at its finest, and we’re all at the edge of our seats, and it’s Monday afternoon.
Once described to me by someone who lived through the process, the draft is “a living breathing organism, that changes with every pick.” This week will produce drama for days, which will play out for years.
And, we love it.
When looking at picks, the Miami Dolphins have four at the moment, with two being necessities to hit with a prospect who can immediately be an impact player. This is, of course, for a team that needs just a few more pieces in order to complete their potential Super Bowl-contending roster.
As previously mentioned in the other Draft Prospect Profiles, the Dolphins currently own picks Nos. 51, 84, 197 and 238. With rumors of potentially moving up the board, maybe within a top-40 area, we’ll look at a player who could be called anywhere from the early second round, or even at No. 51 if Miami is lucky to see him there.
The weak link of the Dolphins’ offense, and arguably the team overall, is the work-in-progress solidification of the offensive line, which has yet to materialize fully.
The left guard spot is prime for immediate competition and should TCU’s Steve Avila be within reach, the Dolphins are looking at a steal of a blocker who can be an upgrade as early as September.
Avila is an NFL-ready guard, who’s even spent starts at center and tackle for TCU with all the intangibles a team would want and need in a professional interior lineman. The total package in terms of strength, leadership and versatility, he was a team captain as well. Standing at 6-foot-4 and 330 pounds, he has an excellent build and frame for the inside of an NFL offensive line.
In an outstanding senior season, he didn’t allow a single sack in his total of 515 snaps, nor did he give one up as a junior. As per his NFL.com scouting profile, he finished his NFL combine experience as the first-ranked guard in Total Score (80). He put up 28 reps in his bench press drill, and his total Production Score was 76, which ranked second among guard prospects in Indianapolis last month. Avila is a fine run-blocker as well and has excellent power to create inside running lanes for backs.
For his career as a Horned Frog, some of his accolades include honorable mention All-Big 12 as early as his sophomore season. He followed that year up with a first-team All-Big 12 selection his junior year, and, in 2022, he had a banner senior season. He was a consensus first-team All-American and was an Outland Trophy Semifinalist.
Avila is a perfect pick at No. 51, and should Miami move up half a dozen to a dozen spots to call his name, he’d be well worth the move. But, if they stay put and write his name on the card, it would be an ace of a pick.
