Senior Bowl director explains why Elijah Higgins could provide big payoff for Dolphins

The Dolphins added a veteran tight end in Tyler Kroft on Tuesday, but the most fascinating subplot at the position is what the team’s sixth-round pick ultimately will become.

That story will start to unfold when rookie minicamp begins on Friday.

Elijah Higgins, the Stanford receiver, is the Dolphins’ latest tight end conversion lab project.

Three times in recent years, the Dolphins tried to make tight ends out of players who had never played the position. Bryce Sterk (a Montana State defensive end) and former college basketball player Jibri Blount are long gone, but Tanner Conner remains. And Higgins was the only player drafted among the four.

The Dolphins loved Higgins’ college tape and skill set, and their interest in him became even stronger during his predraft visit to team headquarters. They emerged confident that he can make the transition to tight end.

Senior Bowl executive director Jim Nagy — who evaluated Higgins and invited him to his annual game in Mobile — shares the Dolphins’ belief that the 6-3, 235-pound Higgins has the ability to thrive at that position.

“He’s almost like Mike Gesicki to me,” Nagy said in a phone conversation last week. “He can be a potential mismatch player. He was one of the top height, weight, speed skill players in this year’s draft. To get him in the sixth round was one of the best values in the draft.”

Higgins ran a a 4.54 in the Stanford Pro Day. He caught 59 passes for 704 yards and two touchdowns last season and averaged 11.6 yards on 119 receptions in four years at Stanford.

“Aside from his physical tools, he’s a high-character guy,” Nagy said. “To hit on guys who have development to go, the makeup has to match up. Elijah is a typical Stanford guy — a really hard worker and smart.”

The Dolphins decided this spring that they would spend no more than minimum money — or a tad over — on a highly skilled receiving tight end to replace Mike Gesicki, who signed with New England.

The thinking was that it would be wiser to allocate Miami’s cap space on other positions, partly because of faith in starter Durham Smythe and partly because there aren’t a ton of targets for tight ends in an offense that features star wide receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle.

There was some support on the coaching staff for free agent Foster Moreau, but the front office did not want to pay the type of money that he or any of the top free agent tight ends commanded. Moreau agreed to a three-year, $12 million deal with New Orleans on Wednesday.

Moreau was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma during a physical with New Orleans earlier this offseason but appears ready to resume his career sooner than later.

Veteran tight end Tyler Kroft, who signed with the Dolphins this week, is a competent receiver but better known for his blocking. He played in-line on 80 percent of his snaps last season, per Dolphins.com’s Travis Wingfield.

Smythe is a decent receiver but also is better known for his blocking.

The third experienced tight end under contract, Eric Saubert, has 33 receptions but seven drops in 52 career targets.

So Higgins will have every opportunity to make a case to become the Dolphins’ primary stretch tight end. Conner also will have that chance in his second season. A sixth tight end, Campbell rookie Julian Hill, will participate in the Dolphins’ rookie minicamp.

HAYES FEEDBACK

Like Higgins, the Dolphins’ other third-day pick — Michigan offensive tackle Ryan Hayes — also played in the Senior Bowl.

Though some evaluators have projected Hayes as a guard, Nagy believes he’s good enough to play tackle in the NFL.

“I see him as a tackle, a swing tackle,” Nagy said. “He was a four-star tight end out of high school, really good athlete, all-state all three times. It has been a steady progression adding bulk and strength. He has not plateaued yet.

“On tape, the guy has gotten better and better. Where they got him [seventh round], if you end up having a really good backup swing tackle, that’s a great pick.”

Beyond Hayes, the Dolphins added four offensive tackles after the draft: Michigan State’s Jarrett Horst, UM’s DJ Scaife, South Dakota’s Alex Jensen and Cincinnati’s James Tunstall. Here’s what to know about those four.

THIS AND THAT

▪ The Dolphins have been holding off on signing their four rookie draft picks while they work on contracts involving veteran players, according to two people briefed on the situation.

The Dolphins have been talking to defensive lineman Christian Wilkins about a multiyear extension that would lower his $10.7 million 2023 cap number. They have also been considering free agent options at offensive tackle.

The Dolphins have $2.9 million in 2023 cap space, according to overthecap.com. Because only 51 of a team’s maximum 90 players count against the cap, the Dolphins have enough cap space to sign their four rookies. But they’ve been holding off temporarily, at least through midday Thursday.

Another $13.6 million in space will be added to the team’s cap when Byron Jones’ release is processed on June 1.

▪ Here’s our continually updated story on the Dolphins and NFL schedule, which will be announced at 8 p.m. on Thursday.