Penn State Nittany Lions defensive end Chop Robinson is selected as the No. 22 pick of the first round by the Miami Dolphins during the 2024 NFL Draft at Campus Martius Park and Hart Plaza. / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Part 2 of the combine weekend Miami Dolphins On SI mailbag:
From Thee Dolphins Dum Dum:
Do the Dolphins have any right to be upset that Tyreek Hill waited six weeks to get wrist surgery and is now going to miss OTAs because of a delay?
Hey Dana, yeah, guess in an ideal world Hill would have had surgery right after the season, but even then I'm not sure he would have been catching passes in the spring. In the big picture, it's really minor relative to being ready for training camp. Come to think of it, I don't really recall Tyreek ever in OTAs, and that clearly didn't hurt him in 2022 and 2023.
From Mark Lever:
Would you draft a QB in the top 2 rounds and, if so, who are you looking into outside of the top 2 guys?
Hey Mark, this is a tricky one because of the Dolphins' current situation with almost a mandate from Stephen Ross that things get turned around fast and so many needs throughout the roster. If I were running the team, I would have operated differently last year, so it's more about what I think the team will do. And I don't see a QB in the first two rounds. If they were to go there, then I think Jalen Milroe intrigues me because of his upside. I'm not interested in somebody with a ceiling of becoming a quality backup, but rather someone with good starter potential.
From Jayco:
There is currently only one defensive lineman under contract on the roster. What is the plan to fortify that crucial position?
Hey Jayco, I would expect the Dolphins to sign a few inexpensive veteran and then see if they can add somebody in the top half of the draft.
From theothuge:
Hi Alain, maybe a podcast segment with some other Dolphins reporters. If you were the GM of the Dolphins, who are your top 13 players in the draft? And how many of those players would make you say no, to trade pick number 13 for Green Bay pick 23 and 54?
Oh man, you're expecting me to play draftnik here? Sure, I'll go ahead. In no particular order, the top 13 would look like QB Cam Ward, QB Shedeur Sanders, RB Ashton Jeanty, WR Tetairoa McMillan, OLB Abdul Carter, CB/WR Travis Hunter, TE Tyler Warren, EDGE Mykel Williams, EDGE Jalon Walker, T Will Campbell, DT Kenneth Grant, S Malaki Starks and DT Mason Graham. As for the second question, I would pass and trade with Sanders, Jeanty, Warren, Williams, Walker and Campbell mostly because they're redundant on a team that's in a win-now mode.
From Billy Shaw:
Your top three picks if everything falls our way in the draft? Thank you sir.
Hey Billy, great question, I'm going to avoid the obvious and not say Travis Hunter because it's just so far outside reality that he'll be there at 13. In the real world, my answer would be DT Kenneth Grant, OL Kelvin Banks Jr. or S Malaki Starks.
From Olive Grove Jon:
Hey Alain. It always fascinates me that there is so much tape on these guys yet teams feel like they need to see them run in spandex for 40 yards. Of course I'm being facetious, but what value do you think there is in the combine?
Hey OGJ, the value isn't in the underwear Olympics, as they were once nicknamed. The value of the combine first and foremost is for all NFL teams to get all the top prospects in one place at one time so they can thoroughly check them out medically. The second big thing is the ability to speak to a prospect in a 20-minute formal interview to find out what makes each player tick. The workouts are simply added information that can either enhance a prospect's value or perhaps make you question the ability to translate production to the NFL.
From Jason:
Since the Dolphins are locked into Tua/Tyreek/Waddle/Ramsey and extended McDaniel. Should Ross just stick with it for 2 more years and blow it up if they have the same outcome and start with a total clean slate?
Hey Jason, I would think that's absolutely the lean unless the season really good off the tracks in 2025, at which point Ross may not want to wait until after 2026 to make a move.
From J-Boy D:
Why do the Dolphins hate drafting QBs? You can literally count on one hand how many they picked since 13 hung it up.
Yeah, that's a fair criticism recently, but not in the 2000s when they used a second-round pick for a QB in FIVE consecutive drafts -- 2005 in a trade for A.J. Feeley, 2006 in a trade for Daunte Culpepper, 2007 on a pick for John Beck, 2008 on a pick for Chad Henne, 2009 on a pick for Pat White. Unfortunately, those all were misses. After they spent first-round picks on Ryan Tannehill in 2012 and Tua in 2020, the Dolphins simply have operated with the idea they were the guy and there was no point in bringing in a draft pick as compensation. We certainly can make the argument the approach hasn't paid off.
From Mike:
What positions of need can make the most immediate impact? Which draftees?
Hey Mike, the positions that can make the biggest immediate impact, based on need, are cornerback, safety, guard and defensive tackle. And prospects at those spots would include CB Will Johnson, CB Jahdae Barron, S Malaki Starks, S Nick Emmanwori, DT Walter Nolen, DT Kenneth Grant, OL Kelvin Banks Jr., OL Tyler Booker.
From Romantic Seany:
How does the team plan on getting smaller and softer this offseason?
Ha, sarcasm! I recognize that. How much, though, were you complaining about them being small and soft when they were 11-4 through Week 16 in 2023?
For those not familiar, the Habs are the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League. I keep tabs on the Habs (hey, it rhymes) and want them to win, but "root" might be a strong word.
From Dinney Wilkinson:
Hi Alain, what does a Miami Dolphins player look like? Without using coach speak of "tough, smart, loves football" etc., I don't even really know what we look for as a team! "Speed" on offense? What about defense? Could you pick a guy from the combine for each side of the ball out?
Hey Dinney, yeah, it's definitely speed on offense, so look for the burners like Isaiah Bond from Texas. I'm not sure there's a common threat on defense, so it's tough to point to somebody from the combine.
From AKASHJ:
What are the specific reasons we cannot throw the ball down the field anymore?
As with everything, it's a combination of different factors, in this case inability to separate, deep coverage meant to take the long ball away, pass protection issues, and a reluctance to just chuck the ball down the field.
From Carl Bueckert:
Good afternoon sir, what do you think of Alfred Collins from Texas. We need some beef up the middle and help Z Seiler I think that dude checks all the boxes.
At 6-5, 320, Wilson certainly has some beef and he would be a solid choice in Round 2. I'd prefer more of a disruptor, though, which is why I wouldn't mind if Kenneth Grant was the choice at 13.
From Chris Shields:
To me, biggest travesty isn't Phins drafting (which is bad) but their inability to retain actual good draft picks. How much better would team be if they just found a way to keep the likes of Van Ginkel, Fitzpatrick, Hunt, Wilkins, just to name a few? Thoughts?
Hey Chris, I hear what you're saying, but the reality is the Dolphins couldn't have kept all those guys while also spending big money for Tua, Tyreek, Ramsey, Waddle, Chubb and Armstead. The key is making the right decisions in choosing which players need to stay for the long haul. But it is disappointing that so many drafted Dolphins players wound up leaving after their first contract, can't argue with you there.
From JK:
Why do some QBs not throw at the combine? Thank you for your work. Glad I stumbled upon your writing and knowledge.
And I'm glad you found me (but what took you so long? LOL). For your question, it's very simple. For most, it's about not taking the chance of looking bad and maybe hurting the way teams view them, particularly if they're highly regarded. Others simply want the comfort of throwing at their campus to receivers with whom they're familiar.