The Miami Dolphins’ last draft selection in 2020 was a fascinating one — the team drafted Navy’s Malcolm Perry with their eleventh and final pick. Perry, who served as the triggerman for Navy’s triple option offense, is lightning in a bottle; he’s a “blink and you’ll miss him” type of athlete who has created tons of chunk plays over his time with the Midshipmen. But where exactly should the Dolphins be looking to phase Perry into the offense? He, as a triple option quarterback, can probably serve a role as a gadget player but he’s not someone who should be leaned upon in drop back situations or as a routine passer.
His long speed isn’t great either and from a size stature, he’s undersized for just about every position he could qualify for. So, where does he fit into Miami’s puzzle?
His number assignment is perhaps the best clue — Perry was assigned the number 10 by the team, indicating that wide receiver may be his primary role despite his exposure at the college level being primarily as a ball carrier. How good was Perry with the ball in his hands? He rushed for 2,017 yards as a senior in 2019. The assumption would be an easy one to presume that talent as a rusher would lead to reps at running back, but there’s going to be no clear indication on a primary role one way or the other.
Perhaps the best way to make the best use of Perry is to let him be an athlete and use him in a schemed role. Those kinds of players don’t typically offer value on a 53-man roster due to their “specialization” with reps, but if Perry’s silky smooth cuts can transition into a role as a returner, that’s his ticket to make the roster and allow the Dolphins to shovel some reps as an offensive Swiss army knife onto his plate in 2020 and beyond.
