Latest Dolphins 7-round mock draft

By: Brock Wells

The Miami Dolphins have the chance to finish the 2022 season strongly even if Tua Tagovailoa misses a large portion of the rest of their games. The offensive firepower of the team will be able to handle many of their challenges, particularly in their division from the New England Patriots and New York Jets, that are yet to come. This is a team that is likely to find itself in the hunt for a Wild Card come playoff time if their starting quarterback doesn’t return at all.

Looking around the NFL right now, it’s difficult to find ten teams better than the Dolphins. But we’ll see if that continues to be the case. With the 23^rd overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, who could the team select to build upon the foundation it has laid? A way-too-early mock draft looks like this.

1^st Round (23^rd Overall): Broderick Jones ”“ T, Georgia

Broderick Jones is a great athlete for his size. At 6’5”, 315 pounds, he moves well due to his athletic background, which included playing basketball in high school and playing defensive end. His quickness off the snap is excellent and he’s made considerable improvements in his abilities as a pass protector, which was seen as a weak spot of his coming out of high school.

The Dolphins’ offensive line is currently ranked 24^th in the NFL, a weakness on a team that otherwise has very few. The potential is there for Jones to fit in well on this team going into 2023 and beyond.

2^nd Round (55^th Overall): Zach Evans ”“ RB, Ole Miss

Zach Evans is going to play in more games for Ole Miss in 2022 than he played in either of his previous seasons at TCU, which means he’ll be putting up career highs across a number of metrics by which running backs are measured. Ole Miss is riding along the success he has had so far this season and find themselves in the AP top ten.

The Dolphins have yet to the get the most out of their addition of Chase Edmonds and there’s no telling whether the injury prone Raheem Mostert is a long term solution. Adding Evans would give the team so depth to their running back depth chart.

3^rd Round (76^th Overall): Riley Moss ”“ CB, Iowa

Riley Moss has been with Iowa since 2018 and has been a cornerstone of their defense over the last few seasons. The Hawkeyes play a tough, old-school brand of football, and though don’t have anything to show for offensively this season, Moss has 28 total tackles and two forced fumbles through six games.

Moss is a mature player with a lot of collegiate experience and figures to adapt quickly to the NFL because of this. The Dolphins have zero interceptions so far in 2022 and the great Xavien Howard has played in just four games.

3^rd Round (87^th Overall): Richard Jibunor ”“ LB, Troy

Richard Jibunor began his college career at Auburn in 2018. After not playing in 2019, he has played the last three seasons at Troy. In those three seasons, he’s compiled 15 sacks and 20.5 tackles for loss, and five forced fumbles. The 6’3”, 232-pound linebacker has a high skill set and a great edge rushing capability.

The Dolphins are averaging just 1.8 sacks per game so far this season. Drafting a player like Jibunor could prove beneficial for them starting right away, as he’s the kind of player who will come into the NFL with a lot of game experience.

5^th Round (151^st Overall): Layden Robinson ”“ G, Texas A&M

Layden Robinson is 6’4”, 320 pounds, and a pulverizing force in the running game. Not the best athlete among ’23 draft prospects, he nonetheless is one of the strongest offensive linemen who will be taken in the draft. If your goal is to run the football, this is the kind of player you’re going to want on your team.

Imagine how dangerous the Dolphins could be if their running game was even remotely as good as their passing game. That could present the possibility for an offensive playbook that is deep and unpredictable. A guy like Robinson could prove helpful down the road.

6^th Round (163 Overall): A.T. Perry ”“ WR, Wake Forest

A.T. Perry has had a great career at Wake Forest. In 2021, the 6’5”, 206-pound wide receiver hauled in 71 receptions for 1,293 yards and 15 touchdowns. He isn’t currently on pace to replicate those exact numbers this season, but he’s still one of the better receivers in the country, having the benefit of catching passes from Sam Hartman.

Even the Dolphins could benefit from bringing in depth at the wide receiver position. Perry has become arguably one of the best receivers Wake history, using his frame to tower over shorter defensive backs and taking advantage of 50/50 balls.

7^th Round (215^th Overall): Nesta Jade Silvera ”“ DL, Arizona State

Nesta Jade Silvera has been around college football since 2018, playing four seasons at Miami before transferring to Arizona State for the 2022 season. Not a sack artist, having recorded just two sacks in his collegiate career, he nonetheless is an excellent disrupter and a drawer of attention in the trenches.

Silvera provides plenty of upside as a later-round pick because of his experience on the defensive line. He’s played a lot of football and could prove to be a fine asset for the Dolphins’ defensive line rotation. A low risk, good reward kind of player.