Defensive coordinator has been something of a revolving door for the Dolphins, as the franchise has had seven DCs in the last decade. Anthony Weaver somewhat surprisingly returns for a second season in the post, and Miami made a significant investment in his scheme with massive tackle Kenneth Grant.
The 6-4, 330-pounder from Michigan was pegged as the draft's No. 3 defensive tackle and No. 25 overall player by The Athletic's draft guru, Dane Brugler. The 'Fins drafted him at No. 13 overall with designs on shoring up the run defense and providing up-the-middle pocket push.
The pluses: Grant possesses tremendous athleticism for his size (he was rated No. 3 on Bruce Feldman's "Freaks List"), with clips showing him chasing down ball-carriers deep down the field, revealing dogged effort. He can be dominant against the run, batted down 10 passes in the past two seasons, and has played both nose tackle and three technique. The Gary, Indiana, native is just 21 years old, but has shown leadership ability and room for growth.
The minuses: According to Brugler and others, Grant is unrefined as a pass rusher and struggles at times with leverage, playing too high. Scouts point out issues diagnosing plays and that he has ballooned over 350 pounds at times, so conditioning is something that will need close monitoring. His production has not always matched his ability (just 69 tackles and 6.5 sacks in 17 career starts), which is why many analysts regarded him as a reach at 13th overall. Depending on how you feel about the trend, it's worth noting that Grant also opted out of Michigan's bowl game and declined an invitation to the East-West Shrine Bowl.
The bottom line: The way the draft fell, there were value picks to be had at No. 13 at positions of larger need for the Dolphins: cornerback, offensive tackle, and tight end. Texas corner Jahdae Barron and Penn State tight end Tyler Warren are likely game-changers who could have slotted nicely into Miami's schemes. The guess here is that the 'Fins wanted to trade back, but couldn't find any takers (a common issue in a draft that did not have many sure-fire players) and went with a player they rated higher than some others.
And look, Grant looks the part and has the tools to develop into a polished pro. Some of his issues sound like they can be attributed to inexperience -- he played just two full years of college football -- but the question is whether it's wise to use a top-15 pick on a player who requires a significant amount of tutelage.
The best-case scenario for Grant? He becomes Zach Sieler's running mate by taking quickly to individual coaching, playing significant, impactful snaps as a three-down tackle in Weaver's scheme.
The worst-case scenario for Grant? His lack of pass-rush skills and overall conditioning render him a role player on Miami's interior, further impacting a depleted secondary with a lack of pressure in the quarterback's face.
There's a lot to really like about Grant and what he could bring to the franchise. However, a significant amount of that requires giving the Dolphins' braintrust the benefit of the doubt -- something that has gone unearned for a quarter-century.
No comments:
Post a Comment