Kelly: Best prospects in 2021 NFL draft who fit the Dolphins’ needs | Analysis

Getting players to play their role has been a foundational aspect of the Miami Dolphins team coach Brian Flores is building.

Miami’s coaching staff has spent the past two years carving out roles for their players — especially rookies who are just cutting their teeth in the NFL — and utilizing them in specific packages that highlight their strengths and mask their shortcomings.

The more a young player excels at the role he’s given, the more realistic it is for him to have something else put on his plate.

With this understanding, it is critical to know the specific roles the Dolphins need to fill in the 2021 NFL draft, which starts on Thursday night and continues into the weekend.

Here is a list of 10 roles the Dolphins will likely look to fill, and the draft prospects who fit their scheme:

Power back

Myles Gaskin and Salvon Ahmed each had productive 2020 seasons, but neither of these young backs were able to get Miami out of the NFL’s basement when it came to yards per attempt (3.9) last year. The Dolphins need a back who runs with power like Alabama’s Najee Harris or North Carolina’s Javonte Williams to do that. Both of those backs will be taken in the top-50 selections, and Harris might be drafted in the first round because he’s the type of talent that can instantly fix the Cardinals, Steelers, Jets and Bills’ run-game issues.

If Miami waits until the later rounds, Oklahoma State’s Chuba Hubbard, Oklahoma’s Rhamondre Stevenson, Ohio State’s Trey Sermon, Mississippi State’s Kylin Hill and Louisiana-Lafayette’s Elijah Mitchell all fit the mold of what Miami’s missing.

Starting center

Matt Skura’s one-year contract pays him $1.75 million and that indicates that the Dolphins view the former Ravens starter as a stopgap option, which means upgrading the center spot or having Michael Deiter contend for the starting job is a viable option.

Oklahoma’s Creed Humphrey, Alabama’s Landon Dickerson, Ohio State’s Josh Myers and Wisconsin-Whitewater’s Quinn Meinerz are the center prospects capable of becoming Day 1 starters. There are also capable linemen available in the later rounds who could spend a year transitioning to center.

Primary pass rusher

The Dolphins failed to apply pressure on passing downs without blitzing last season, and the only way to fix that is to add a pass rusher with a repertoire of moves and counter moves. Miami’s Jaelan Phillips is the most well-versed defensive end in this draft, but his medical report makes him a risky selection in the first two rounds.

Georgia’s Azeez Ojulari is the best pure pass rusher in this draft, but he’s a one-trick pony at the moment. Northern Iowa Elerson Smith should be a priority pick if he makes it to the fourth round because of his blend of size and athleticism.

Offensive guard

Tuesday’s trade that sent Ereck Flowers, last season’s starting left guard, to Washington for a swap of seventh-round picks opens the door for a youngster to come in and become a Day 1 starter if he can outperform Jesse Davis, Deiter and Adam Pankey.

Whether its at left or right guard depends on the fit, and if Miami selects a player like Oregon’s Penei Sewell, Northwestern’s Rashawn Slater or USC’s Alijah Vera-Tucker in the first round and moves Robert Hunt inside to guard.

But a few third-day options like Notre Dame’s Aaron Banks, South Carolina’s Sadarius Hutcherson, Buffalo’s Kayode Awosika and Wisconsin’s Cole Van Lanen could eventually push for playing time.

Run-after-catch receiver

Albert Wilson, who was a COVID opt-out last season, and Lynn Bowden Jr., the former Kentucky quarterback Miami traded a 2021 fourth-round pick to the Raiders to acquire before the start of last season, are penciled in to fill this role, which is critical in a run-pass-option-based offense.

But the Dolphins would benefit from adding a run-after-catch specialist like LSU’s Ja’Marr Chase, Alabama’s DeVonta Smith, Purdue’s Rondale Moore, Florida’s Kadarius Toney and Western Michigan’s D’Wayne Eskridge to inject some shake and bake into the passing game. Chase and Smith will be taken in the first half of the first round. Moore, Toney and Eskridge will likely be top-75 picks.

Spacer receiver (deep threat)

Miami signed Will Fuller to a one-year deal worth $10.6 million this offseason to keep safeties occupied and be the deep threat that keeps secondaries honest. But Fuller’s merely a rental, and it would benefit the Dolphins to find a long-term solution to the problem that was created when Kenny Stills was traded in 2019.

Jaylen Waddle’s speed makes the former Alabama standout a nightmare for opposing cornerbacks. Many NFL insiders think Miami’s locked in on Waddle in the first round. But if the Dolphins don’t want to use a first-round pick on a speedster they could wait until Day 2 for playmakers like Ole Miss’ Elijah Moore, or the third day for playmakers like Louisville’s Tutu Atwell, Auburn’s Anthony Schwartz and North Texas’ Jaelon Darden.

Backup free safety

With Brandon Jones settling into the strong safety role, the Dolphins need someone better than Jamal Perry to serve as Bobby McCain’s backup, and eventual successor.

TCU’s Trevon Moehrig, Oregon’s Jevon Holland and UCF’s Richie Grant fit the mold of what the Dolphins are looking for, but they’ll likely be among the draft’s top-100 selections. Miami needs an intelligent and versatile player to fit this scheme, so the Dolphins might select a cornerback with size, and transition him to safety like they did with Eric Rowe.

True nose tackle

There are whispers that the Dolphins believe Raekwon Davis would be more effective as a 3-technique defensive end. Shifting last year’s standout rookie outside would create a need for a true nose tackle, and North Carolina State’s Alim McNeill, who will likely be taken between rounds 2-4, fits the mold of what the Dolphins are looking for, which is someone with a low center of gravity who can push the pocket.

Alabama’s Christian Barmore has to be considered if he’s still around when Miami picks in the second round. After that LSU’s Tyler Shelvin and Texas A&M’s Bobby Brown III, two players who will likely be selected in the third day, could be an upgrade over John Jenkins, who was re-signed this offseason.

Jack-of-all-trades linebacker

The Dolphins desperately need this type of linebacker to replace Kyle Van Noy, who was released this spring. Versatility is key, on one down that linebacker is pass rushing, the next he’s setting the edge, and on the next play he’s dropping back into coverage.

Tulsa’s Zaven Collins has the skill set to become that player in the NFL, but Miami would likely need to use the No. 18 pick to select Collins, if he’s still there. If their priorities are elsewhere, Washington’s Joe Tryon has the skill set to thrive in a jack role, and should be an early second-round target with pick No. 36 if he makes it past Day 1. If Miami has to wait until Day 3 to find that player, UM’s Quincy Roche or Duke’s Chris Rumph II could be third-day gems.

Backup inside linebacker

Trading for Benardrick McKinney and re-signing Elandon Roberts, who suffered a serious injury at the end of last season, eases some of the pressure Miami was under to address this position early. But Jerome Baker’s impending status as a free agent after this season still makes inside linebacker a critical need for Miami.

Alabama’s Dylan Moses, Ohio State’s Baron Browning, LSU’s Jabril Cox and Missouri’s Nick Bolton could all be second-day options. North Carolina’s Chazz Surratt, South Carolina’s Ernest Jones and Mississippi State’s Erroll Thompson are third-day options who have the talent to become NFL starters, and fit Miami’s hybrid scheme.