Grading the Dolphins 2023 Draft Class
The Dolphins did not have many draft picks to work with this year. They also did not have many needs to address as they currently possess one of the more stacked rosters in the entire league. However, they did take quality players with the few picks that they had. While some may not contribute right away, almost all of them will likely be impact players in the future.
51. Cam Smith, CB (South Carolina)
NEED: C-
VALUE: A+
OVERALL: A
Another cornerback might have actually been the last thing that the Dolphins needed to draft this year. Miami already boasted what probably could have been considered the best secondary in the entire NFL with All-Pros Jalen Ramsey and Xavien Howard on the outside with Jevon Holland and Brandon Jones manning the safety spots. The Dolphins also already had plenty of depth at the nickel position with: Kader Kohou, an All-Rookie selection last year; Nik Needham, who has had flashes of great play over the past couple of seasons, and; Noah Igbinoghene, a first round pick in 2020. With that being said, Cam Smith was probably too good for the Dolphins to pass on here with the 51st pick. Smith was an absolute stud at South Carolina for multiple seasons and was mocked to go as high as top 15 early in the draft process. As the draft drew closer, Smith started to become commonly mocked as an early second rounder, which was pretty unexplainable given his stellar combine results. Smith measured in at 6’1, 180 lbs and posted 4.43 second 40 yard dash, a 38 inch vertical, and a 11’2 foot broad jump. These numbers should not have diminished Smith’s value at all and, from the outside looking in, it seems as though the Dolphins got a steal here. While Smith will struggle to get reps early with the excellent corners already on Miami’s roster, he will certainly help to secure the longterm future of the secondary and keep this unit a feared one for years to come.
84. Devon Achane, HB (Texas A&M)
NEED: C+
VALUE: B+
OVERALL: B
The Dolphins chose to add another running back here to improve the depth at the position after losing Chase Edmunds this offseason. The running backs on the roster before this pick were Raheem Mostert, Jeff Wilson Jr, Salvon Ahmed, and Myles Gaskin. Achane certainly fits the mold of what Miami likes in their running backs as he can safely be classified as a small speedy back, measuring in at 5’8, 190 lbs and running a 4.32 second 40 yard dash. That being said, the argument could also be made that the Dolphins lack the presence of a big-bodied short yardage running back that can fight for yards in between the tackles. While Mike McDaniel probably knows better than anyone else what type of running backs fit his system, it does seem that a more physical running back like Roschon Johnson or Chase Brown would probably have made more sense here in order to diversify the skillset of the running back room. However, this does not change the fact that the Dolphins selected an electric and explosive running back with plenty of production in the extremely physical SEC as both a runner and a receiver. Achane racked up 2,930 scrimmage yards and 26 total touchdowns during his three years at Texas A&M and could certainly carve out a nice role for himself in Mike McDaniel’s running back-friendly scheme.
197. Elijah Higgins, TE (Stanford)
NEED: A+
VALUE: B
OVERALL: A-
Here, the Dolphins addressed what was certainly their most dire need: tight end. This offseason, Miami lost Mike Gesicki to free agency and traded away 2021 third round pick Hunter Long to the Rams as part of the deal for Jalen Ramsey. The only surprising thing about this pick is that the Dolphins elected to go with a college wide receiver that they intend on moving to tight end. Given the narrative surrounding why Mike Gesicki could not get going in Mike McDaniel’s system — that his lack of run blocking prowess impeded his snaps — this pick is relatively confusing as one would think that Miami would have preferred a tight end with impressive run blocking reps on film. With Elijah Higgins being a slightly undersized tight end at 6’3, 235 lbs, it is hard to imagine that he will be an elite run blocker at the NFL level. Regardless, the Dolphins got a decent value here as Higgins was generally projected to go higher than the sixth round and the only notable tight end left on the board at this time was Zack Kuntz out of Old Dominion. Higgins will probably be a good target over the middle of the field for Tua Tagovailoa with the speed of Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle on the outside. He should also be able to see the field relatively early given the current lack of depth in Miami’s tight end room, even after signing Tyler Kroft in the weeks after the draft.
238. Ryan Hayes, OL (Michigan)
NEED: A+
VALUE: A
OVERALL: A
It is always a good idea for any team to spend draft picks on linemen as the heartbeat of any successful football team usually stems from the line of scrimmage. This is especially true for the Dolphins as their offensive line has been suspect in recent years. While the free agent signing of Terron Armstead last offseason drastically improved the overall performance of the offensive line last year, the reality is that some of Miami’s other high picks along the line like Austin Jackson and Liam Eichenberg have failed to live up to expectations and when Armstead missed games due to injury last season, the offensive line seemed to completely collapse. While Ryan Hayes does not necessarily project as a guy that will replace any of the current starters, it was probably a good choice for the Dolphins to add depth to the position here, especially when considering the age of Armstead. Shifting attention to Ryan Hayes, it is difficult to figure out why he fell to the seventh round. He was a two year starter at left tackle for Michigan during both of their College Football Playoff runs, earning All-Big Ten honors both years. He also stands 6,7, 305 lbs and possesses plenty of size and strength to play on the line at the next level. The Dolphins might have gotten their hands on a certified sleeper late in the draft here.