Feedback about Dolphins’ undrafted rookie additions on defense. And Storm Duck name story

The Dolphins have unearthed legitimate players in undrafted rookie free agency through the years -- from Davone Bess to Nik Needham to Kader Kohou.

Here’s what to know about the six undrafted rookies they’ve added on defense in the hours and days following the draft:

LOUISVILLE CB STORM DUCK

He had five interceptions in four years at North Carolina before transferring to Louisville, where he had 32 tackles and seven passes defended and a sack in 13 games last season, his only one playing for the Cardinals.

The Dolphins valued him so highly that they gave him a $20,000 signing bonus and $150,000 guaranteed, per a source. Multiple Dolphins staff members called him, and he picked Miami over a dozen other offers.

NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein said that 6-0 Duck’s “size goes to waste as a run defender, [but] he’s more than capable of utilizing it to aggressively contest throws in man coverage.... Duck lacks the premium athleticism and closing burst to play from off coverage and still create ball challenges. His size and peskiness at the catch point are tempting, but there might not be enough of the total package in place for him to make a roster.”

His strengths, per Zierlein: “Long frame with good muscle on the bones…. Uses good jab timing to irritate receiver’s press release….Ambidextrous hand usage to maintain feel against the route….Anticipates and swerves with route breaks/turns from trail…. Rough and tumble at the catch point to knock the ball loose.”

The biggest concern, per Zierlein? “Might not have enough top-end speed to play without help.”

Last season, Duck allowed a 97.5 passer rating in his coverage area: 26 catches in 41 targets for 339 yards (13.0 per catch), one TD and no interceptions.

With the Tar Heels in 2022, he permitted a 96.7 passer rating against: 44 completions in 74 targets for 621 yards (14.1 per catch), with six touchdowns allowed and three interceptions.

So how did he get the name Storm Duck? Here’s what the Raleigh News & Observer reported on that:

Phyllis Duck, Storm’s mother, “loved soap operas. When she was in her 20’s, one of her favorites was ‘The Bold and the Beautiful.’ One of the show’s main characters was Storm Logan. Duck said she was fascinated by the name.

“I said if ‘I ever have a son, I’m going to name him Storm,’” Phyllis Duck recalled. “About 13 years later, she was married and pregnant with her second child. And it was a boy. She told her husband, Todd, her plan.

“Todd Duck said he wasn’t immediately onboard. “Why don’t we name him Chandler Storm Duck?” he asked her.“Nope, Storm Chandler Duck,” she replied. “I like the name, Storm.”

“And so, when her son was born on Dec. 15, 2000, they named him Storm Chandler Duck.”

TCU SAFETY MARK PERRY

Last season, he was honorable mention All-Big 12 after producing 58 tackles, including three for loss, four pass breakups and a forced fumble in 12 starts.

He had three interceptions for Colorado in 2021, then transferred to TCU and had 142 tackles and six passes defended at TCU during the past two years.

He had 15.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, those three interceptions (all coming in 2021 with the Buffaloes) and 10 passes defended over five college seasons — the first three in Colorado.

The 6-0 Perry ran an impressive 4.37 in the 40 yard dash.

One negative: He allowed a bloated 120.9 passer rating in his coverage area last season: 14 catches in 21 targets for 239 yards (17.1 yards per catch), with one TD and no interceptions.

The Dolphins gave him $165,000 guaranteed, according to a source.

NFL.com’s Zierlein had projected Perry as a seventh-rounder and called him a “physical safety who leaves me wanting more due to his inconsistent play. Perry has the size, strength and toughness to be a more impactful run defender but seems too content to cruise through games at times. He’s not as successful when forced to process the field from split safety but does have some talent in man coverage near the line.

“Perry has the play strength to finish tackles quickly but missed tackles have stacked up on him over the last three seasons. He lacks versatility and urgency but might have the traits to garner NFL attention.”

SYRACUSE CB ISAIAH JOHNSON

He had 59 tackles, a forced fumble and an interception in 2023. He started every game last season and PFF rated him Syracuse’s second-best defensive player.

In fact, he was a starter in both of his seasons at Syracuse after three seasons at Dartmouth, where he earned a degree.

Johnson had 188 tackles, 2.5 sacks, 14 pass breakups and three interceptions in his five combined college seasons.

At 6-3, Johnson is big enough to contest jump balls. But Zierlein said despite the “outstanding size, [he has] potentially too many holes in his game to stay at cornerback. Johnson has definitely improved his technique, but a fundamental lack of coverage fluidity and deep speed will be hard to cover up as a pro.

“Johnson could be seen as a developmental prospect whose tackling talent and size give a team an opportunity to develop him as a Cover 2 cornerback or in a transition to safety if he can run with functional speed.”

He allowed a too high 108.7 passer rating in his coverage area last season: 34 catches in 51 targets for 405 yards (11.9 per catch), with four touchdowns relinquished and the one pick.

COLORADO DT LEONARD PAYNE

The 315-pounder played four years at Fresno State and one year at Colorado. He started seven games and played in 12 for Colorado last season and had 10 tackles (two for loss) and three sacks, a forced fumble and a blocked kick.

In 28 games through four years at Fresno State, he had 35 tackles, including 10.5 for loss and 5.5 sacks.

PFF graded him below average last season: 671st of 883 graded interior defenders.

His run defense grade also ranked in the bottom quarter, per PFF’s evaluations.

UCLA EDGE PLAYER GRAYSON MURPHY

Murphy, who chose the Dolphins over multiple offers, has this impressive distinction, per PFF: His 172 career quarterback pressures were the most of any defensive player eligible for this draft. He had six pressures in UCLA’s loss to national runner-up Washington last season.

He began his career at North Texas and had three sacks and four tackles for loss in 2020 and 8.5 sacks and 14.5 tackles for loss in 2021.

Then he transferred to UCLA, where — coincidentally — he produced exactly nine tackles for loss and five sacks each of the past two seasons. He’s 6-2 and 235 pounds.

Zierlein’s assessment: “He has good size and strength but short arms create issues with taking on and controlling blockers at the point of attack. He’s flexible and instinctive with his rush movements and uses loose limbs and smart footwork to slink around opponents. The only thing preventing him from posting the same production as his twin is a lukewarm motor. Murphy has a decent chance of becoming a rotational 3-4 rush linebacker.”

RHODE ISLAND SAFETY JORDAN COLBERT

He spent three years at Columbia and then two at Rhode Island. He had 41 tackles and two interceptions last season.

Zierlein said the 6-2 Colbert is a “traits-based prospect whose pro day was more impressive than his game tape. Colbert’s size, length and explosive athleticism are exactly what teams look for in late-round prospects, but he doesn’t have the coverage instincts needed to make up for below-average speed. Colbert’s best chance to make it will be as a special teams standout and backup split safety in a two-high shell.”

CLAYPOOL LEAVES

The Bills signed receiver Chase Claypool, who caught four passes for 26 yards in nine games and 51 offensive snaps last season for the Dolphins. Last October, Chicago traded Claypool and a 2025 seventh-round pick to Miami for a 2025 sixth-round pick.

Here’s part 1 of the series on what the Dolphins are getting with their six offensive rookie signings.