The Miami Dolphins 2021 draft class has been decided, which means it’s time to review the picks. This was one of their best draft classes that they’ve had in recent years. The Dolphins had multiple first- and second-round picks. They had four of the first 42 picks in the draft this year and five total picks in the first two days of the draft. They totaled seven draft picks in this year’s draft. Here are the players in the Miami Dolphins 2021 NFL Draft review:
- First round, 6th overall: Jaylen Waddle, wide receiver, Alabama
- First round, 18th overall: Jaelan Phillips, defensive end, Miami
- Second round, 36th overall: Jevon Holland, safety, Oregon
- Second round, 42nd overall: Liam Eichenberg, offensive tackle, Notre Dame
- Third round, 81st overall: Hunter Long, tight end, Boston College
- Seventh round, 231st overall: Larnel Coleman, offensive tackle, Massachusetts
- Seventh round, 244th overall: Gerrid Doaks, running back, Cincinnati
Miami Dolphins Draft Grade: 8.2 out of 10
Miami Dolphins 2021 NFL Draft Review
The Best Player: Jaylen Waddle
The sixth overall pick came down to a choice between DeVonta Smith and Jaylen Waddle. Ultimately, the Dolphins decided Waddle would be their future star receiver. Waddle will be an impact player on offense and special teams from the start on offense. The selection also reunites quarterback Tua Tagovailoa with his former Alabama teammate, where Waddle had 78 catches for 1,408 yards and 13 touchdowns in two seasons. Waddle will be joining a wide receiver group that includes DeVante Parker and Will Fuller.
Waddle really brings a little of everything to the table. He is able to stretch the field vertically and hurt teams by stretching short pass plays into big gains. The Dolphins can line him up virtually anywhere on the field to make plays. His special teams ability may have been the deciding factor for the Dolphins to select him over Smith. He can flip field position in a flash with his punt and kick return skills. He had two punt returns for touchdowns and a kickoff return for a touchdown. His career 19.3 yards per punt return at Alabama is a skill that can shorten the field to help a developing Dolphins offense. Waddle should have a long career with the Dolphins and has a shot at rookie of the year as well.
The Head-Scratcher: Hunter Long
Hunter Long comes as a little bit of a surprise for a third-round pick. The Dolphins have depth at tight end with Mike Gesicki, Durham Smythe, and Adam Shaheen. He could come in and try to compete for the backup tight end job but the Dolphins had other needs that they could have addressed with this pick. They could have either picked a running back or traded the pick back and collected more assets. UNC running back Michael Carter also could have been their selection as he was on the board until round four where the New York Jets took him. Long was likely a ‘best available’ on their board pick rather than a need pick.
The Surprise: Not taking a running back till the seventh round
The Dolphins have been in need of running back help and thought they would use the draft to address that issue. That was not the case. They did not take a running back until the seventh round when they took Gerrid Doaks. Javonte Williams was linked to the team for a while and was about to fall to them before the Denver Broncos traded all the way up to pick him early in the second round. They had a chance to trade down in the third round and maybe even into the fourth round and get players such Michael Carter or Trey Sermon but they did not do that.
The starting running back job is Myles Gaskin’s job to lose as of right now. Doaks will get the opportunity to compete with Gaskins, Salvon Ahmed, and Patrick Laird for a roster spot and maybe even a spot in the rotation.
The Steal: Liam Eichenberg
The Dolphins traded up to to the 42nd pick to draft Liam Eichenberg and give Tagovailoa more protection. The team now has depth on the line and Eichenberg will compete for the starting left tackle job. An all-American offensive lineman outside of the first round is always a steal in just about any draft. He led that great Notre Dame offensive line last year and kept Ian Book upright for essentially the whole season. The Dolphins are hoping that he does the same for Tagovailoa.
Most Likely to Turn Heads During Training Camp: Jevon Holland
Coming from a Mario Cristobal-led program, Holland has the grit and the swagger that is needed to show out in the NFL. He was able to locate the ball in coverage with ease in his two seasons at Oregon. He was tied for third in the FBS in interceptions during his two seasons at the school. He is a hard-hitting safety that can close quickly on wide receivers as well running backs; a moment that is not pretty for the receiving player. He also just has fun playing the game, a trait head coach Brian Flores looks for with his players. His competitive nature will put him in a great position to win a starting job in the Dolphins secondary.
Adding him to Pro-Bowl corner Xavien Howard and Byron Jones will make this secondary one of the more physical ones in the league. Their youth could ensure the secondary thrives for years. Do not be surprised if you see him making an impact early and often during training camp and during the season.
The Rest
The Dolphins got the hometown kid in Jaelan Phillips with the eighteenth overall pick. He will come in and instantly make this pass rush, and defense, better.
Another one: The Dolphins take Massachusetts offensive tackle Larnel Coleman with the 231st pick of the draft. He started 29 of his 40 career games in college. The Dolphins are providing depth at the offensive line position and that is never a bad thing to do.
A running back at last: The Dolphins draft running back Gerrid Doaks with the 244th overall pick. He had a solid career at Cincinnati as a big and physical runner. He should have a great opportunity to compete for a roster spot this season.
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