Jakeem Grant could be most interesting player this off-season

There are a lot of new faces for the Miami Dolphins entering the 2018 season, but it could be Jakeem Grant, entering his third-year for the Dolphins as the most interesting to watch this off-season.

There is a lot to like about Dolphins WR Jakeem Grant, but this off-season will be used to determine where exactly he fits in at on this team. His speed is his best quality, and what Miami loved most about him when they drafted him in the sixth round of the 2016 NFL Draft.

Late round additions are customarily added to help out on special teams, at least in their first couple of years. With Grant’s speed, it was pretty obvious that the Dolphins wanted him as a return specialist. Grant has been fair in that role since he entered the league, averaging 22.95 yards per return on kickoffs, and he returned a punt for a touchdown as a rookie.

But Grant has been wanting to prove himself more as a receiver since he came into the league, and become a regular part of the rotation. In the last quarter of 2017, he made a great case for himself. He got to show his speed to the world against the Patriots on Monday night, catching a pair of passes, and scoring from 25 yards out for his first career reception touchdown. A couple weeks later, he finished with his first 100-yard game against the Chiefs, that included taking one to the house from 65 yards away.

When Miami traded away Jarvis Landry to the Browns prior to the 2018 NFL Draft, it gave the impression that maybe the Dolphins were comfortable with Grant taking over as their primary slot receiver. That feeling was short-lived, however, after the team signed both Albert Wilson and Danny Amendola in free agency, two high quality slot receivers.

Grant took the signings as a professional – viewing them more as a challenge, rather than jealousy.

"“When they brought in Albert and I saw him for the first time, I was like that’s a guy that’s almost the same height as me. So I’m like, ‘OK, I’ve got to compete.’ That just added fuel to my fire, not just because those guys came in, but because I want to get out there and show (Adam Gase) that I have the big-play ability and I am a receiver.”"

While there is no doubt when it comes to Grant’s work ethic on the field, it’s clear that he has tough odds for snaps at receiver come this season. Even after losing their #1 target in Landry, the Dolphins are still considerably deep at the position with the additions of Wilson and Amendola, plus Kenny Stills and DeVante Parker still manning their respective roles.

Grant’s hands have been his main concern, and he knows that he must improve in that regards if he wants to be viewed more as a wide receiver, and not just a return specialist. In the meantime, Grant has been the center of attention in regards to a fun debate among some of the players as to who is the fastest Dolphin on the team.

Grant takes a lot of pride in his speed. Just last August, myself and PhinPhanatic contributor Mason Hicks attended a practice as a preliminary for Web Weekend, and we had the pleasure of interviewing Grant as a part of the festivities. Hicks had asked Grant a very interesting question as a result.

At the time, Usain Bolt was coming off his first recorded loss as a track runner. Hypothetically speaking, Hicks asked if we flew Bolt down to Miami to have a one-on-one race with Grant on the field, who would win? Grant’s response was very clear.

"“He’s not beating me on this field…Him on the track, me on the field.”"

This off-season it’s become a competition of sorts between Grant, Stills, Wilson, and Kenyan Drake as to who really is the fastest player on the team. Parker has thrown his name in the mix as well, with a potential race among competitors possibly playing out.

Head coach Adam Gase likes the competitive nature amongst his players, but probably doesn’t want the race to actually come to fruition. The slightest possibility of a player getting hurt is not a favorable position for any head coach. Drake was seen limping off the field this past week during minicamp. Although it was not deemed serious by any stretch since the trainers did not even attend to him, it’s likely he would be withdrawn from the race should it actually go down. Parker also has had his fair share of foot issues, and probably should not be involved either.

If the race did occur, Grant would be the front-runner to win, with Stills likely to be his best competition. Both players ran a 4.38 40-yard dash in their respective Combine performances, and look to be the fastest players Miami has during games. I’d give the slight edge to Grant though, and although it means nothing to on-the-field success, it would exciting to watch.

Grant knows that he needs to remain focused on getting more involved in the offense, however. Even though he has outperformed Leonte Carroo, who the Dolphins traded up to the third round to get in the same draft class, Grant still has a long ways to prove himself to the coaching staff.

While he is a virtual lock to still make the team, unlike Carroo, his involvement in the offense this season will be a telling tale of what his future will look like in Miami going forward. Now is the time for Grant to show his team the consistency they are looking for, despite his size, and it will be interesting to see how he transitions with added competition around him.

Home/Dolphins News