Hussam Patel's Miami Dolphins 7-Round Mock Draft - FINAL

By: Hussam Patel

Round 1 Pick 9 (Trades Denver pick 9 and 231, Receives pick 114 and 2022 1st rounder and Future 2022 pick)
 
DeVonta Smith, WR, Alabama
 
I’m never getting off this boat. Brian Flores wants play-makers on his offense, and DeVonta Smith is a certified play-maker. “You can nitpick all you want about a guy's size, but good players are good players. We all can see that. This guy is a very good player. He made a lot of plays in college. He made a lot of plays in the biggest games of the year." - Flores on Smith. I firmly believe Miami will pick Smith, and if they can get him at Pick 9 while picking up additional draft capital, that’s even better.
 
Round 1 Pick 18
 
Najee Harris, RB, Alabama
 
There’s no “slippery slope” about drafting Najee Harris at 18. He’s the right pick. There’s not a lot of mileage on Harris, as people mention he’s “old” for a RB when he’s 22. Najee Harris will open up the Dolphins playbook and take some pressure off of Tua Tagovailoa. There was no threat of a run game at all last year, and defenses were able to sniff it out. A 1-2 punch of Harris and Gaskin will provide a nice RB duo as both can run and catch the ball, providing a security blanket for the offense.
 
Round 2 Pick 36
 
Quinn Meinerz, G/C, Wisconsin Whitewater
 
Miami signed Matt Skura as a center in free agency, but it’s only a one-year deal. Picking up fan favorite Quinn Meinerz solidifies the future of Miami’s offensive line. Ereck Flowers could be a camp cut due to his salary, as both Meinerz and Skura can play G/C and I wouldn’t rule out both playing on the field together. Meinerz brings toughness the Dolphins have been missing since Richie Incognito, and his technical fluidity is similar to Ryan Jensen. This is a home run selection, fortifying the line and keeping Tua upright.

Round 2 Pick 50
 
Elijah Molden, CB, Washington
 
There are murmurs that Brian Flores wants to draft a corner high on Day 2 or Day 3. Per my colleague Jason Sarney’s reporting, there are some surprise players Flo and the Dolphins are targeting. In this case, Elijah Molden is my best guess, as he’s the best slot corner in this draft. While he may not have the best athleticism, his technique is what allows him to stand out, and most of Miami’s corners are technicians. Molden may have to battle it out in training camp against Nik Needham and Justin Coleman if he wants to be a starting corner in Miami. He has the versatility to play safety as well.
 
Round 3 Pick 81
 
Payton Turner, EDGE, Houston
 
This year’s EDGE class is a bit tricky to evaluate, as many prospects have their pros and cons. The Miami Dolphins take a chance on the athletic Payton Turner out of Houston. Turner is an intriguing prospect as he can be an Interior DL, put his hands in the dirt on the edge, and be a stand up rusher. This sort of versatility is exciting, as Flores can put him anywhere on the defensive line; with his 6’6” 270 pound frame and pass rush moves he can be tough to block anywhere. He’s not a speed guy, but he explodes off the line and creates havoc that can be exploited by linebackers; this is perfect for Miami’s scheme. The Cougar product may need some development, which is fine, he would be used with limited snaps to produce efficiently in his rookie year.
 
Round 4 Pick 114 (From Denver)
 
Tony Fields II, LB, West Virginia
 
Elandon Roberts was re-signed to a one year deal, and Fields provides insurance as the run stopping LB of the future in Miami. He will likely start off as a key special teams contributor early on in his career. He reads run plays well, particularly draws and delayed runs; there are plenty of examples of him blowing up run plays as they’re developing behind the line of scrimmage. He’s savvy going up against O-Linemen; he lacks the physicality to shed blockers, but he has enough quickness and lateral agility to keep their hands off him a good amount of the time. While he’s not the strongest tackler, he doesn’t seem to get fooled often, tracking ball carriers through traffic and latching on.
 
Round 5 Pick 156
 
Demetric Felton, RB/WR, UCLA
 
At the Senior Bowl, Demetric Felton played the slot and showed how good of a receiver he can be. In college, Felton was an average running back, but what made him stand out was his pass- catching ability. Having this ability is extremely crucial in today's NFL, as everyone is looking for that “do it all” back. In addition to being a good receiver and one of the best route runners in college football last year, Felton was also a return man in college. Felton provides additional depth in the RB, WR and return man room, and will battle it out in camp. There would be plays manufactured for Felton and he would be a steal in the 5th round.
 
Round 7 Pick 258
 
Cam Bynum, CB, California
 
A depth signing and someone who will be a special teamer, Bynum started every single game he played in from the time he was a red-shirt freshman to a senior. He isn’t scared to go out and make a tackle, which is one of his strong points. Bynum does have some issues with his technique, which is very questionable and inconsistent. Even though he doesn’t have the best technique, Bynum is a very physical player. Gerald Alexander (Miami’s DB coach) was Bynum's coach at California.