Almost 50 years after the Super Bowl wins and nearly 40 years since Dan Marino’s arrival shot electricity across Miami, the Dolphins are luxuriating in something not seen or felt around here in a long time.
The right kind of national attention.
Universal praise.
The sense this is a franchise to be reckoned with, headed right, ready to matter again in the NFL.
Miami won 10 games last season with its best points differential since 2002, its most points scored since 1986 and a defense that tied for fifth in fewest points allowed. Despite an uneven rookie season, the arrival of quarterback Tua Tagovailoa brought excitement and promise in a way not felt since Dan Marino.
Now, a draft nothing short of acclaimed.
Mel Kiper Jr. of ESPN gave an A grade to only two of 32 teams for their NFL Draft bounty: the Los Angeles Chargers, and the Dolphins.
Said Kiper of Miami’s draft: “Looking at this roster, I don’t think it’s far away from being a Super Bowl contender, and the Dolphins hit their major needs. This is a stellar class overall.”
Fellow ESPN draftnik Todd McShay listed his favorite selection for every team, and said, “I’m not sure there was a tougher team to pick a favorite for than the Dolphins. It was a masterful Thursday and Friday [first three rounds] for general manager Chris Grier.”
Along with Grier proving himself is the sense Miami is in just the right coaching hands with Brian Flores as he digs in for this third season.
The draft bounty also must include San Francisco’s 2023 first-round pick, acquired in the Fins’ yo-yo’ing from the third overall pick in the first round to the 12th and back up to sixth with two major trades. In essence they gave up a shot at coveted tight end Kyle Pitts in exchange for wide receiver Jaylen Waddle and a future first-rounder. I’ll take that deal.
Waddle, belying his surname, has elite speed and, along with free agent addition Will Fuller, will give Tagovailoa deep-threat options he didn’t have last year. His speed and skills after the catch have been compared to Kansas City’s Tyreek Hill. Waddle and Tua’s great chemistry at Alabama, a bonus.
Former Hurricane Jaelan Phillips, the 18th overall pick, adds a needed threat on the edge rush, with skills to be a double-digit sacks guy.
But where Miami really won the draft, I thought, was with its next three picks.
Safety Jevon Holland from Oregon (second round, 36th overall) will become Miami’s starting free safety, I think, and has the versatility (like Minkah Fitzpatrick) to play nickel or slot corner, too.
Tackle Liam Eichenberg from Notre Dame (second round, 42nd overall) already is No. 1 at right tackle (Tua’s blind side) on the Dolphins depth chart. Miami traded a third-round pick to move up eight spots to get him, so there is an obvious conviction about this guy.
And tight end Hunter Long of Boston College (third round, 81st overall) is productive and will complement Mike Gesicki well. He isn’t Pitts, but NFL Network analysts Scott Pioli said of Long: “I don’t like him, I love him. In two years we’ll be talking about a Pro Bowl tight end.”
With no picks in rounds four through six, Miami targeted need- reas in the seventh round with UMass tackle Larnel Coleman and Cincinnati running back Gerrid Doaks.
Eichenberg, Coleman and the quiet but sneaky-good free agent signing of veteran D.J. Fluker shore up the Fins at offensive tackle and on the line overall. Tagovailoa should have a cleaner pocket and added time back there compared to last year.
The ground game remains a concern, one it’s hard to imagine Doaks solving. Myles Gaskin, newcomer Malcolm Brown and Salvon Ahmed are a serviceable running back-by-committee that last season combined for 1,322 yards on 318 carries (4.16-yards average).
Miami would have loved a running back such as Najee Harris or Travis Etienne in the draft, but was wise to opt instead for an edge rusher with the 18th pick.
What’s exciting moving forward is the arms race the AFC East has become, with Buffalo rising star Josh Allen, with Tagovailoa surrounded by more weapons and poised to make a big Year 2 leap; and with both the New York Jets (Zach Wilson) and New England (Mac Jones) adding first-round quarterbacks.
Excitement. Anticipation. The expectation of winning.
Those are some other things Miami Dolphins fans have not felt around here in a long time.
