Injuries have unfortunately thrown a large wrench into the 2024 campaign for the Miami Dolphins. The future of Tua Tagovailoa remains up in the air, there are concerns with the team's aging veterans up front, and a Week 4 loss at the hands of Mason Rudolph on Monday Night Football hasn’t simmered any tempers among Miami brass.
With roster holes on both sides of the ball, here is an early look at where general manager Chris Grier could go come April in this Dolphins seven-round mock draft.
Round 1 (No. 5 overall): Jalen Milroe, QB, Alabama
Both the immediate and long-term future surrounding Tagovailoa remains uncertain. With his long-term health of the utmost importance, Miami could make a move to select its new signal-caller in Alabama’s Jalen Milroe, arguably college football’s most dynamic weapon. The team has dynamic offensive pieces to build around, and Milroe’s ever-improving ability under center, combined with his electric athleticism, would provide Miami with their new face of the franchise.
Round 2 (No. 42 overall): Deone Walker, DL, Kentucky
The talent is there, but I need to see more from Deone Walker. For some, he's a lock to be a top-15 pick, but right now, I just need more. He’s got immense power, length, and the potential to wreak havoc from down to down at the NFL level, but the push isn’t there so far in 2024. Finding a happy median in his game will allow him to live high on boards, and in the opposition’s backfield. For Miami’s sake in this exercise, they get immense value on a player that has the traits to succeed at a high level for a long time. Now, it’s about putting it all together.
Round 3 (No. 98 overall): Xavier Watts, SAF, Notre Dame
An All-American last fall, Xavier Watts can play centerfield as a free safety or drop into the box as a low-hole defender and eliminate tight ends from a progression. He’s smart as a whip, extremely physical, and has had excellent ball production (nine INTs) dating back to the start of last season.
Round 3 (No. 99 overall): Tommi Hill, CB, Nebraska
Tommi Hill projects right away as a perimeter corner but has also shown a knack for making plays inside the box. For the Dolphins, he’d immediately provide fresh legs to the perimeter opposite of Jalen Ramsey, where his physical and instinctive nature consistently puts him in spots to make plays on the football. He’s a riser in the corner class.
Round 4 (No. 109 overall): Jaishawn Barham, LB, Michigan
With David Long’s contract up after this season, Miami could look to add fresh legs up front. With Jaishawn Barham, a Maryland transfer, the Dolphins would add a stingy run defender that thrives within the tight confines of the line of scrimmage. He’s got work to do in coverage, a reason why he projects in this area of the draft process, but overall, he’s a fundamentally sound defender who wouldn’t mind cutting his teeth on special teams, either.
Round 5 (No. 145 overall): Rylie Mills, IDL, Notre Dame
Considering the current depth chart and age at the position, including the questions surrounding Walker’s potential (earlier in the mock), why not double down at the position to add a high-floor prospect in Rylie Mills? A ballplayer expected to test extremely well in the pre-draft process, it would be a heck of a value should he be on the board here at No. 145.
Round 7 (No. 219 overall): Glendon Miller, SAF, Maryland
With it being so early in the process, I like to use these selections to introduce players to the audience that are currently unknown to the public eye. College football’s leader in interceptions through five weeks, Glendon Miller has been a constant talking point of conversations the last few weeks. There isn’t a meteoric rise expected for his draft stock like we saw corner Deonte Banks have a few years ago, from the same program, but the ball production inside a Power Four conference has absolutely drawn attention. He’s a name to keep an eye on.
