The Miami Dolphins selected tight end Mike Gesicki in the second round of the NFL draft Friday night.
Gesicki is a phenomenal athlete who has a prototypical blend of size (6-6, 252), long arms (34 inches), speed (4.54 in the 40-yard dash) and athleticism.
He doesn't possess the strength to create movement as an in-line blocker. But he should have an impact right way as a flexed-out pass catcher.
"He was productive for Penn State the last two years. He put up some good numbers," Dolphins general manager Chris Grier said of Gesicki.
"Jimmy Graham was not a good blocker coming out. These tall guys have a hard time at the point of attack," added Grier. "A lot of times in college these guys are flexed out in space.
"He's a hard matchup for people. There are a lot of possibilities."
Miami, which picked Alabama free safety Minkah Fitzpatrick in Thursday's first round, entered Friday's second and third rounds with needs at linebacker, defensive tackle and tight end primarily. But backup quarterback and cornerback also seemed possibilities.
The Dolphins have found good production from their second- and third-round picks recently.
In the four drafts between 2014 and 2017, the Dolphins had eight second- and third-round picks; five were starters last year with wide receiver Jarvis Landry (2014, second round) earning a Pro Bowl berth. And linebacker Raekwon McMillan (2017, second round) would have been a starter if he was healthy.
Last year's second- and third-round picks were McMillan and cornerback Cordrea Tankersley, respectively. McMillan sustained a season-ending knee injury in preseason but Tankersley ended the year as a starter.
Two years ago, the Dolphins took cornerback Xavien Howard in the second round and running back Kenyan Drake and wide receiver Leonte Carroo in the third round. Howard and Drake are starters while Carroo, who the Dolphins traded up to obtain, has struggled.
In 2015, the Dolphins took defensive tackle Jordan Phillips in the second round and despite his inconsistency he's been a starter the last two years. Miami didn't have a third-round choice that year.
The Dolphins struck gold in 2014 when they selected Landry in the second round. They struck out in the third round with offensive tackle Billy Turner, who was cut by coach Adam Gase during the 2016 season. And, unfortunately, Landry, the three-time homegrown Pro Bowl selection, was traded to Cleveland in March after Landry and the team couldn't agree on contract terms. So Miami no longer has its second- or third-round picks from that year.
Prior to the last four years, the Dolphins were disastrous in the second and third rounds among players such as cornerback Jamar Taylor (second round, 2013), offensive tackle Dallas Thomas (third round, 2013), cornerback Will Davis (third round, 2013), offensive tackle Jonathan Martin (second round, 2012), tight end Michael Egnew (third round, 2013) and running back Daniel Thomas (second round, 2011).
The star from that stretch was defensive end Olivier Vernon (third round, 2012) but he was lost to the New York Giants via free agency in 2016.
