As the Miami Dolphins close the regular season, much of the focus will naturally center on New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye and the broader implications of his rapid rise. For Miami, however, one of the most important individual evaluations in this season finale resides on the opposite side of the ball, anchored in the middle of the defensive front.
It's been a rather quiet year for Miami as a whole, with few players gaining attention, but first-round pick Kenneth Grant has quietly turned the final month of his first NFL campaign into a meaningful statement about both his present impact and long-term value to the Dolphins’ defensive identity.
Miami Dolphins are starting to see results from 2025 first-round pick Kenneth Grant
Early in the year, Grant’s flashes came more in spurts than sustained stretches. Recently, however, the script has flipped. Over the last four games, Grant has totaled 11 pressures, a notable uptick that reflects a player beginning to marry physical traits with timing, leverage, and awareness.
Against the run, Grant’s progression has been equally important. Miami’s defense has asked its interior linemen to hold ground first, disrupt second, and Grant has grown into that role within Anthony Weaver's defense.
His pad level has become more consistent, allowing him to anchor against double teams while still shedding late to close running lanes, and that discipline will matter against a New England offense that will test the interior with a downhill ground game designed to keep Maye on schedule.
Taking back the layers a bit, what separates Grant’s recent stretch from simple box-score production is how his pocket push has altered passing downs. He isn't winning solely with just raw power anymore; instead, Grant is showing improved hand placement and counter moves, compressing the pocket rather than overrunning plays. That ability to collapse the middle forces quarterbacks to drift, often into edge pressure, and is particularly relevant against a young quarterback who prefers to step up and drive the football.
For Grant, Week 18 offers another live evaluation against an offense that blends patience with explosive intent. More importantly, it serves as a preview of what Miami can build around moving forward -- interior defenders who can defend the run on early downs while still generating pressure without blitz help.