The Dolphins got tired of floating in the NFL's muddled middle and are doing something about it this offseason. They are trusting the combination of general manager Chris Grier and rookie coach Brian Flores to do things in a different way: Rebuilding with patience and through the draft.
For Miami, given the rival AFC East organization from which both Grier and Flores came, that means more of the New England way. The team has avoided splashy moves in free agency, with the biggest being the trade of Ryan Tannehill and the signing of Ryan Fitzpatrick as the new bridge quarterback.
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The Dolphins have the standard seven picks, only without a pick in the sixth round. Look for their 2019 NFL Draft plan to focus on getting solid contributors vs. reaching for prospects. The positional emphasis will be where the defensive-minded Flores needs the most help to get better results in the near future.
Dolphins NFL Draft picks
| Round | Pick |
| First | No. 13 |
| Second | No. 48 |
| Third | No. 78 |
| Fourth | No. 116 |
| Fifth | No. 151 |
| Seventh | No. 233 (from Titans) |
| Seventh | No. 234 (from Steelers through Browns) |
Dolphins’ NFL Draft team needs
- Defensive end: Cameron Wake, who has the second most sacks in franchise history, is now playing for the Titans. Andre Branch and William Hayes are also former Dolphins. Flores needs to find his version of Trey Flowers.
- Defensive tackle: The team moved on from Ndamukong Suh last offseason and is still working to re-establish the strength and depth of this positional rotation.
- Guard: Josh Sitton retired, and neither Ted Larsen nor Travis Swanson were retained as free agents on the inside. They have weak young options around center Daniel Kilgore.
- Quarterback: The Dolphins will think about taking a QB as a potential future starter, but they might table it to the 2020 first round with Fitzpatrick stopping the gap.
- Offensive tackle: The team lost Ja'Wuan James in free agency, so the right side needs to be addressed. They also have no depth behind 2016 first-round left tackle Laremy Tunsil.
- Defensive back: Minkah Fitzpatrick was the team's 2017 first-round pick to round out safety, and Xavien Howard is one of the league's best young corners, but Miami could use some subpackage help and depth.
Dolphins mock draft 2019
First-round plan:
- No. 13: Ed Oliver, DL, Houston
The Dolphins can start off with a bang because they are well positioned to get exactly what they need most — either an edge pass-rusher or strong inside disruptor for Flores. Should Oliver (6-2, 287 pounds) still be available, he can give Flores and new defensive coordinator Patrick Graham a lot of both for their hybrid scheme. Oliver is a bit of a 'tweener with no natural position, but Miami can use that to its advantage to move him up front and get the most of his up-field push.
MORE: Full NFL mock draft for 2019
Second-guessing that plan:
Should the Dolphins go defensive front no matter what, Clemson's Clelin Ferrell and Florida State's Brian Burns also will be considerations, regardless of Oliver's availability. Ferrell offers a flipside outside-to-inside versatility to Oliver, while Burns carries more explosive pass-rush potential.
The Dolphins can also go offensive line first should Oklahoma's Cody Ford (6-4, 329 pounds), who can be a mauling force at either guard or right tackle, remain on the board. To a slightly lesser degree, Alabama's Jonah Williams has similar appeal.
Last but not least, how about quarterback? Assuming Oklahoma's Kyler Murray and Ohio State's Dwayne Haskins are off the board, the Dolphins will be tempted by Missouri's Drew Lock more so than Duke's Daniel Jones.
Bottom line: For Grier, "best available player" will line up with most of the Dolphins' top needs. The heat is on Miami to nail the first pick with a cornerstone for Flores.
Don’t be surprised if ...
... the Dolphins trade down without any hesitation. The fact that they can go in multiple directions with No. 13 also works in their favor, because they can trade the pick to a team that is more desperate or locked on to a particular player or particular position. Miami is in the long game, and getting an extra pick to further stockpile talent is smart.
The Dolphins should be happy they're a ahead of the Redskins, Panthers and Giants (picks 15-17), as those teams could take players that either end (quarterback, edge rusher) or begin (wide receiver, tight end) a positional talent tier. The Dolphins might not need to work hard to find a willing trade partner.
Day 2 plan:
The Dolphins' best offensive line option at No. 48 might be Ole Miss tackle Greg Little (6-5, 310 pounds). He is solid and smooth enough to start at right tackle as a rookie to flank fellow former Rebel Tunsil. They also can think of boosting their secondary with one of two versatile players, Virginia's Juan Thornhill or Notre Dame's Julian Love, with Temple's Rock Ya-Sin being close to a no-brainer if he were to fall. For defensive end, regardless of their pick in Round 1, Michigan's Chase Winovich should be firmly in play for the second round.
At No. 78, Yodny Cajuste (6-5, 231 pounds), a Miami native, comes into focus first for offensive tackle. The Dolphins also might have their choice of two Wisconsin offensive line prospects, tackle David Edwards (6-6, 308) or guard Michael Dieter (6-5, 309 pounds). Down the route of defensive line versatility, an ideal prospect with that pick is Old Dominion's Oshane Ximines (6-3, 253 pounds).
Day 3 sleeper:
Clayton Thorson, QB, Northwestern
The Dolphins might be targeting Alabama's Tua Tagovailoa or Oregon's Justin Herbert to be their true next franchise guy in the first round of the 2020 draft, but for now, it would serve them well to upgrade their backup situation behind Fitzpatrick. Offensive coordinator Chad O'Shea could use a smart developmental project. Thorson (6-4, 222) has prototypical size to go with a big arm, athleticism and toughness. The trick with him is getting him more consistent by improving his footwork, mechanics, pocket awareness and decision making.
Thorson might go in the third round, but he is more likely to be the first QB taken on Day 3. Using No. 116 overall on him in the fourth round makes more sense for Miami.
MORE: Dolphins sign AAF sack leader
Final thoughts:
The Dolphins are copycatting the Lions and Titans in trying to copycat the Patriots. A change in identity and operational sensibility does not come overnight. In Miami's case, it requires considerable roster overhaul.
There is reason to be optimistic that both Grier and Flores learned from Bill Belichick and will lead the Dolphins to the right personnel by seeing eye-to-eye on talent, round by methodical round. Whether they stick with seven picks or expend the haul, this lines up to be the Dolphins' best draft since they got Tunsil, Howard and running back Kenyan Drake with consecutive picks in 2016.
