Well, the 2021 NFL Draft is finally behind us, and the Miami Dolphins are a far better football team than they were last week.
Day three entailed a lot of waiting around for Dolphins fans, but this wasn’t surprising. The 2020 college football season and 2021 NFL draft were unique in a lot of ways. Tons of college games were canceled, many players were unable to properly prepare for the 2020 season, and there was no combine before the draft.
With all these unknowns, it was probably the right move to not get heavily involved in the later rounds of the draft. Either way, Miami was still able to add a couple of promising rookies that could end up being impactful players.
Round Five
No. 156. Traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers for their 2022 fourth-round selection
Why this was the right move.
As mentioned at the top, there were a lot of unknowns in this draft. A lot of these players from smaller schools didn’t play many games or weren’t able to adequately prepare. Instead of using a fifth-round pick on a player the Dolphins weren’t crazy about-or one that they weren’t very familiar with-they traded it for a 2022 fourth rounder. Miami was able to move up a round and will likely be more confident in their late-round selections for 2022. Smart move.
Grade: B+
Round Seven
No. 231. Larnel Coleman, Offensive Tackle, UMass Amherst
Coleman has the length and size of a prototypical offensive tackle in the NFL. A high school basketball star, Coleman also possesses some decent movement skills. Playing at UMass Amherst, he didn’t face a ton of NFL-ready competition, but had plenty of plays where he stood out among his peers.
Coleman needs a lot of work to be an in order to be an NFL-ready offensive tackle. He has insane arm length and uses it very well, but sometimes over relies on that length and can get caught leaning. Coleman also doesn’t play with great leverage and pad level. He was able to get away with those kinds of technical mistakes at UMass, but will need to clean it up to see an NFL field.
Why Coleman is worth the pick.
They just don’t make too many human beings with Coleman’s length, size, power, and movement skills. When his Pro Day stats are compared to what other draft-eligible tackles in 2021, it’s clear that he stacks up quite well. like most seventh-round picks, this is a shot in the dark, but Coleman has the requisite athletic skills to be a good NFL tackle-things you can’t teach.
Grade: C+
Measurables
- Height: 6’6″
- Weight: 307
- Arm: 36 1/4 <—-
- Hand: 10 3/8
- Vertical: 31<—-
- Broad: 113<—-
- Bench: 24 (very impressive w/36 1/4″ arms)
- 40-yard: 5.17
- Short shuttle: 4.69
- 3-cone: 7.69
No. 244. Gerrid Doaks, Running Back, Cincinnati
Dolphins fans were clamoring for a running back in this year’s NFL draft and they finally got one. Doaks may not revolutionize the running back room, but he can bring a lot to the table. He’s a bigger back, but also possesses impressive burst and explosiveness. His balance, agility, and hands are also much better than you would think. He doesn’t have break-away speed, but that also isn’t his running style.
Why Doaks in worth the pick
Out of all the seventh-round picks and UDFA players, running backs tend to have the best chance to produce early on. Just last season, James Robinson, an undrafted running back from Illinois State, ran for over a thousand yards. Running backs tend to have a limited shelf life and are usually most productive early in their careers. Doaks has an outside shot at squeezing his way into a committee that includes Myles Gaskin, Salvon Ahmed, and Malcolm Brown.
Measurables
- Height: 5’11”
- Weight: 228
- Arm: 31
- Hand: 9 3/4
- Vertical: 40
- Broad: 120
- Bench: 19 reps
- 40-yard: 4.58
- Short shuttle: 4.27
- 3-cone: 7.20
Grade: B-
Undrafted Free Agents
As of May 3, the Dolphins have only added four undrafted free agents. These players typically never see the field for a regular-season game, but occasionally are able to crack the 53 man roster. Salvon Ahmed was one of Miami’s most effective rushers last year and was an undrafted free agent.
- Carl Tucker, TE/FB, Alabama
- Jaytlin Askew, CB, Georgia Tech
- Jerome Johnson, DT, Indiana
- Robert Jones, G, Middle Tennessee
Final Thoughts
A development worth noting is that Chris Grier emphasized selecting prototypical athletes in the 2021 draft. He had been burned by taking poor athletes in the past-the most high profile being Charles Harris-and it seems like he’s learned his lesson there.
Rebuilding an NFL franchise from the ground up is tough work. It isn’t something that can be accomplished overnight and requires a “one step at a time” mindset. Drafts like this are a step in the right direction. No one should have really high hopes for the late-round selections, but the players taken at the top of this year’s draft should all play meaningful parts in 2021.
