The Miami Dolphins have a duo of exciting young pass rushers in Bradley Chubb and Jaelan Phillips, but it’s possible neither will be ready for Week 1 of the 2024 season. Chubb suffered an ACL tear on New Year’s Eve and Phillips tore his Achilles in November.
ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. thinks the Dolphins should use the No. 21 overall pick to find a solution to that issue. In his latest mock draft, two weeks ahead of the 2024 NFL draft, Kiper predicted that Florida State’s Jared Verse will be Miami’s selection.
Yes, Miami has Bradley Chubb and Jaelan Phillips as its top edge rushers, but both are coming off serious season-ending injuries. Phillips tore an Achilles in late November, while Chubb tore an ACL in early January. There’s no guarantee either is 100 percent healthy when training camp starts. That’s why the Dolphins could take Verse, who has impressive power in his 254-pound frame. His 50 QB pressures last season were the eighth most in the FBS. Miami has to replace a few starters after offseason subtractions, but Verse would be a no-brainer selection if he’s still on the board.
A round later, Kiper has the Dolphins addressing one of those offseason subtractions: the departure of Robert Hunt in free agency. To fill that void, Kiper thinks UConn’s Christian Haynes could be Miami’s pick:
Miami has faced some upheaval along the offensive line this offseason, creating a hole at guard. The Dolphins ranked 31st in pass block win rate (49.2%), so change could be good. Haynes started 49 games at right guard in college, and he allowed just one sack over his final three seasons. He’s my No. 3-ranked player at the position.
It’s easy to see the logic in both selections, as beefing up the trenches is probably the top priority for the Dolphins after signing more than a dozen free agents to fill roster holes. While Verse may eventually be relegated to rotational duties after Chubb and Phillips get healthy, it never hurts to have a stable of rushers who can generate pressure.
