Following up my Day 1 review, I'm getting around to assessing the day-two work that the Dolphins did in this year's NFL Draft.
Every year, a number of prospects with first-round grades slip, giving teams a chance to revisit their boards and adjust strategy based on availability as the second round arrives. That's why Miami's No. 36 (fourth overall of the second round) and No. 50 picks had massive value after a night to sleep on the draft board.
The pluses: The 'Fins added a trio of intriguing athletes on the second day of the draft, moving around the board to land players that they seemed very excited about.
Snatched up as the No. 36 overall selection, Javon Holland was rated the No. 3 safety in the draft by analyst Dane Brugler, mostly due to his play-making ability (nine interceptions and 19 pass breakups), speed (4.46 seconds in the 40-yard dash), and versatility (can line up as a slot nickel). He's seen as physical, takes strong angles, and possesses some return ability, making him a strong fit in a Dolphins secondary that could use an injection of athleticism at the back end.
Six picks later, Miami quickly pivoted to a more established prospect by trading up to No. 42 for Notre Dame offensive lineman Liam Eichenberg, a versatile technician. Brugler's No. 6 tackle and No. 49 overall prospect in the draft, Eichenberg is 6-6, 306 pounds with 38 career starts under his belt. A fundamentally sound and smart player, he is durable, exhibits "play violence" and a good punch, and could slide inside if needed.
Another curveball came in the third round with the selection of Boston College tight end Hunter Long. Standing at 6-5, 254 pounds, with 89 career catches for 1,297 yards and nine touchdowns, Long led all FBS tight ends in receptions last year. Considered Brugler's No. 5 tight end in the draft, he also earned top tight end honors for his team at the Senior Bowl.
The negatives: Like Miami's first-rounders, Holland is an inexperienced player, with just 16 career starts after opting out in 2020 and then declaring for the draft. At 6-0, 207 pounds, he lacks ideal size for the position and is seen as a bit of a gambler, perceptions that drove Brugler to rank him as the No. 65 overall prospect -- some 30 picks lower than where the 'Fins picked him.
Eichenberg is considered an average athlete with suboptimal arm length for tackle, which may have contributed to him committing 14 penalties in his final two seasons. He missed the Senior Bowl due to a personal matter and many teams thought he is best suited at guard, despite scouts questioning his abilities as a puller or drive blocker.
Similar to several other Dolphins draftees, Long is a late bloomer (partially due to a coaching change at BC) with only 14 career starts. With 4.68-second speed in the 40-yard dash, he is not a sudden player and he does lack power as a blocker. Despite being a solid route-runner, he'll need refinement to get open in the NFL, leading Brugler to leave Long out of his top 100 prospects and assign him a 3rd/4th-round grade.
The bottom line: The 'Fins are seemingly comfortable betting on potential without a ton of competitive film to back it up, but with some intriguing free agent safeties still on the market and prospects at more pressing positions still out there, Holland felt like an iffy pick -- even despite coach Brian Flores's obvious excitement over the selection.
While Eichenberg feels like a plug-and-play prospect, giving up a third-rounder next year to move up eight spots for him in the second round is significant. Miami has invested massively in the offensive line over the past few years, with the hope that, eventually, sheer collateral and multiple swings at it will pay off no matter who is doing the coaching.
I personally thought the 'Fins should have grabbed offensive tackle Teven Jenkins at No. 36 (Brugler had him No. 24 overall) and then grabbed Holland or a linebacker at No. 50. As always, time will tell.
As for Long, Miami is stacked with bodies at the tight end position, making the selection a bit of a head-scratcher. However, Mike Gesicki and Durham Smythe are entering contract years, lending some credence to the idea that this was more of a cap pick. While the possibility is that Long was rated too highly by the scouting department to pass up (young QBs usually love tight ends and Brugler has compared him to Austin Hooper), the reality is that his presence feels redundant -- especially with so much other talent on the board and the Dolphins trading away future collateral to grab Eichenberg.
Look -- there's a scenario where Holland takes on a Minkah Fitzpatrick role, Eichenberg is a Day 1 starter at right tackle, and Long emerges as a consistent underneath option for Tua Tagovailoa. While I have concerns about the lack of established track record (Holland and Long), 'tweener status (Eichenberg), and potentially missing out on fortifying the running back group, the 'Fins braintrust has maintained strong feelings about the group and draft analysts have largely been complimentary.
In all honesty, is there a no-doubter opening-day starter in this group (because there's certainly none in the Day 3 crop, either)? I have my questions. But as mentioned in the analysis of Miami's first-round picks, the Dolphins are betting hard on their coaching staff and scheme to turn these high-potential prospects into bonafide contributors.
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