Let's Rank the 10 Dolphins third- and fourth-rounders of the Chris Grier era

The Dolphins have only four picks in the NFL Draft, which begins Thursday night.

Miami isn't expected to select until near the end of the third round, which is Friday. The team also holds a fourth-rounder and two seventh-rounders on Saturday.

"When you have as few picks as we do, you have to be right on them," Dolphins general manager Chris Grier said recently.

Grier became Miami general manager in 2016. Executive Mike Tannenbaum and coach Adam Gase were involved in draft decisions for three years and coach Brian Flores was involved in those decisions over the last three.

But Grier has never passed the buck on any picks that did not work out. The draft is Grier's baby. He has a deep level of scouting background. And it's on him, for better or worse.

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Where might Miami find the best value in the third and fourth rounds this year?

Well, Grier mentioned he believes this particular draft has depth at offensive line and pass rusher. That's a good clue.

The Dolphins could use a center and an edge rusher in particular.

Which positions historically produce successful picks in this range?

Recently, The Athletic did a study on which Pro Bowl players and first-team All-Pro players were drafted in which rounds.

The best players who were drafted later than earlier, based on their extensive research of the last 10 years, lined up at: guard, center, running back, receiver, tight end and linebacker.

This appears to be where the value lies. And that's why it makes sense that Miami has some measure of enthusiasm about its third- and fourth-round picks.

If the Dolphins could come away with two players they like at: center, linebacker, edge rusher and/or running back, it would be a solid outcome.

So, how has Grier done in the third and fourth rounds over the last six drafts?

Well, on the downside none of the 10 players has made a Pro Bowl or been a first-team All Pro. But on the bright side, six of the players have been solid NFL contributors and/or have time to increase their value.

Here's our ranking 1-10 of those players:

Jerome Baker, #1

LB, Ohio State, 3rd Round, 2018

Draft Day Quote: "He had speed. We want to get faster on defense, so adding him and Minkah Fitzpatrick these first two days, it was a big priority on that side to get faster, and this kid has that. He is a tough kid. He’s sideline to sideline, the prototypical new-age type of linebacker... He blitzed a little bit off the outside, but he was covered up, running and chasing. That’s how we envision it, but wherever he lines up with the coaches, we’ll put him.”" - Grier

What happened next: Baker has excelled at middle linebacker, and, more recently, outside linebacker. Last summer, Miami rewarded Baker with a three-year extension. Baker has topped 100 tackles twice. The last two seasons he has posted 7.0 and 5.5 sacks. He's athletic enough to cover and blitz and he's an integral part of Miami's defensive success, reaching greater heights than his college teammate Raekwon McMillan, selected in the second round one year prior, and not here now.

Kenyan Drake, #2

RB, Alabama, 3rd Round, 2016

Draft Day Quote: "He’s got a unique skill set for us. You know, obviously with the group we have, he adds an explosive element that we’ve lost with Lamar Miller leaving. This guy’s a good receiver out of the backfield, so you can do a lot of stuff with him. So we love the versatility." - Grier

What happened next: The Miami Miracle of course. Drake scored one of the most memorable touchdowns in Dolphins history, helping the Dolphins defeat the Patriots on the last play of the game after several laterals. Drake was traded during his fourth season in Miami. But he averaged 4.6 yards per attempt as a Dolphin and posted 116 catches. This is the only running back Grier has drafted higher than the fourth round.

Brandon Jones, #3

S, Texas, 3rd Round, 2020

Draft Day Quote: "He’s a good football player. He’s smart, he tackles, he covers, he can play on special teams. We met him at the Senior Bowl and the coaching staff and Brian Flores felt really good about him. A three-year starter and had all of the qualities and intangibles." - Grier

What happened next: Jones was the sixth player Miami selected in 2020 and he's off to a good start. Jones has started 31 games in his first two seasons. Last year, he posted five sacks and 10 quarterback hits. Jones is versatile, intelligent and diligent. He has the makings of a safety who might play in the NFL for 10-12 years.

Durham Smythe #4

TE, Notre Dame, 4th Round, 2018

Draft Day Quote: "We had a really good interview with him. We liked what we saw on film. We saw him play down here versus Miami. For us, adding another guy who can block, another body to the roster to compete with those guys. Having variety and being able to have Adam Gase have different chess pieces." - Grier

What happened next: The Dolphins recently extended Smythe, 26, for a fifth and sixth season. Drafted primarily as a blocker, Smythe has improved his catches and receiving yards in four straight seasons. He's currently under contract longer than good friend and classmate Mike Gesicki, though, obviously, Gesicki would demand a much longer and higher contract.

Michael Deiter, #5

C/G, Wisconsin, 3rd Round, 2019

Draft Day Quote: "He has played everywhere on the line from center to tackle and guard. He’s tough, he’s smart, he’s versatile. The program has done a great job of producing offensive linemen in the league. He fits all of the boxes for us. Just his consistency and toughness. It’s typical Wisconsin. You kind of watch it, you kind of know what you’re getting. It’s kind of the meat and potatoes." - Grier

What happened next: Deiter started 15 games as a rookie, primarily lining up at guard. He did memorably fill in at tackle one game. Then in his third season, Deiter started eight games at center, where he figures to compete this training camp. Deiter is a bruiser and scrapper and so it will be interesting to see how his skill set translates to Mike McDaniel's zone read scheme, which often relies on athleticism.

Hunter Long, #6

TE, Boston College, 3rd Round, 2021

Draft Day Quote: "Obviously I was excited to add an Eagle. Hunter is tough. He’s smart. We had him at the Senior Bowl, so our entire coaching staff got a chance to spend some time with him. He’s a typical Boston College player. He’s tough, he’s smart, he’s team-first and we’re excited to have him." - Former Miami coach (and Boston College alumnus) Brian Flores

What happened next: Stuck behind Gesicki, Durham Smythe, Adam Shaheen and Cethan Carter, Long played only seven games, with one catch for eight yards. This does not mean that Long will not be a solid, complete NFL tight end. In fact, Long looked quite good in some open practices last season, flashing nifty movement and good hands. Perhaps Long can emerge as the third tight end in 2022.

Solomon Kindley, #7

G, Georgia, 4th Round, 2020

Draft Day Quote: " He’s a fun-loving kid. He’s full of energy, full of enthusiasm, loves to play the game and he’s a physical guy. To me, I would say that’s the one thing that stands out. He’s a physical kid." - Flores

What happened next: After Miami traded up in the draft for him, Kindley started 13 games as a rookie but only two games last season. He's a big man but how or if he fits in McDaniel's scheme remains to be seen.

Cordrea Tankersley, #8

CB, Clemson, 3rd Round, 2017

Draft Day Quote: "He’s a guy that’s still learning the corner position. He’s got a lot of traits we like. He’s long. He’s got length. He’s got speed. He has ball skills. Again, he’s got a lot of stuff that we like. We think that there’s a tremendous upside." - Grier

What happened next: Tankersley started 11 games as a rookie and flashed some upside. But in his second season, he lost confidence, exhibited a lack of fluidity and started only one more game the rest of his career.

Kalen Ballage, #9

RB, Arizona State, 4th Round, 2018

Draft Day Quote: "He’s big, he’s fast and he’s got upside. Some guys come out with a lot of wear and tear on them. He hasn’t had a lot of wear and tear. I think Senior Bowl week, he went there determined to show people that he was undervalued in his mind. That’s the first thing he said when we called him to tell him he was going to be a Dolphin, he said, ‘I don’t think there’s 11 running backs better than me that went in front of me.’" - Grier

What happened next: Ballage looked like Tarzan and, well ... after averaging 5.3 yards as a rookie, he averaged 1.8 yards on 74 carries in 2019. Ballage has averaged 3.1 yards on 213 career carries with the Dolphins, Jets, Chargers and Steelers.

Leonte Carroo, #10

WR, Rutgers, 3rd Round, 2016

Draft Day Quote: "I catch the ball very well. I’m a very confident receiver that’s very physical. I rely on my speed a lot and I go up and make plays." - Carroo.

What happened next: Carroo was a very nice guy. He had 12 catches in three seasons with Miami. Gase wanted to trade up for Carroo, which Miami did. It did not work out, at all. Carroo was a very nice guy.

NFL Draft

Thursday-Saturday

Las Vegas

TV: ESPN, ABC, NFL Network

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Miami Dolphins NFL Draft picks third, fourth round under Chris Grier