Miami Dolphins’ draft class isn’t exactly sexy, but it’s the one they needed
By Shawn Digity
The 2019 NFL Draft is now in the rear-view mirror. While it wasn’t an over-the-top draft class, it’s still one that the Miami Dolphins desperately needed.
This year’s draft class was really good, maybe even great. Three of the six actual draft selections were used on trench players: Christian Wilkins, Michael Deiter, and Isaiah Prince.
The offensive and defensive lines were two of the biggest areas of concern, and the Miami Dolphins spent their first-round pick on the defensive side with Clemson’s Christian Wilkins.
There were reports that they initially had a trade-down partner with the Eagles, but the Fins pulled out of the deal at the last second to just straight-up select Wilkins, who I have no doubt would’ve been the Eagles’ pick.
The Wilkins pick was a slam dunk in my book. I think he’ll be a force to be reckoned with for years to come and is an instant upgrade to that defensive unit.
As for the second round, this is where things really got interesting. The trade-down package with the Saints to hop down from 48 to 62 was genius.
I was over the moon when I saw the trade details. I wasn’t necessarily perturbed by the fact that a fourth-rounder was sent to the Saints as a kickback because the 2020 second-rounder was in shining in neon lights in my eyes.
Of course, the biggest move of the draft occurred once the Dolphins had moved down with the Saints and traded the 62nd pick for the Cardinals’ former incumbent quarterback Josh Rosen.
This, too, was a slam dunk–one that shattered the backboard. I loved Josh Rosen as a prospect in the 2018 Draft, so my opinion on him is somewhat biased, but I believe he could be the guy, and he came at a great value at the 62nd pick a year removed from being the 10th overall pick.
The Michael Deiter selection was also an excellent pick from my perspective. The former Wisconsin Badger is one of those cliché “lunch-pail guys”. He was a team captain during his time in college, and it also doesn’t hurt that he came from a program that is well-known for developing offensive linemen.
Deiter will likely be a Day 1 starter, and he has the versatility to play any of the three interior positions. I think he’ll make his hay at left guard though.
Fast forward to the fifth round, the Miami Dolphins selected another Badger in Andrew Van Ginkel. At first, I scratched my head; I hadn’t done any of my own research on him during the pre-draft process and only heard him talked about a handful of times on Twitter in the draft’s lead-up.
However, after watching some other Dolphins’ analysts break him down and seeing his athleticism and penchant to making big plays, I’m on board with the pick.
He wasn’t getting a lot of fanfare, but the fit was right for the Dolphins who needed a player to fill in the “Van Noy” role that Brian Flores used during his time in New England.
In the sixth round, the Miami Dolphins nabbed another offensive lineman, Isaiah Prince from Ohio State. That’s another big-ticket school that has produced a lot of trench players. Although I saw a lot of miscues and poor foot placement, I’ll trust the coaching staff to develop Prince.
As for the last two picks, Myles Gaskin and Chandler Cox could be late-round contributors, and I could see Cox becoming a fan favorite. I think Gaskin can become a fun player that could still see significant playing time even with Kenyan Drake and Kalen Ballage expected to get a bulk of the workload.
Chandler Cox has the James Develin feel to him, and I think he will end up being a solid contributor, as well.
The Miami Dolphins also made some really nifty UDFA signings, such as Terrill Hanks, Nik Needham, and Preston Williams. I think those three will all end up making the final roster.
As I said, this isn’t the flashiest draft class in the world. But it was meticulous, well-thought-out, and was done with a purpose. The players were selected for a rebuilding team that needed certain roles filled, and that’s what they achieved. I’m giving the Dolphins a round of applause for what they did during the 2019 Draft.