The top 20 Miami Dolphins players of the 2019 season
By Nick Belotto
Number 10: Nik Needham
It is always an amazing achievement for an undrafted rookie to make an impact on any NFL team. What Nik Needham did over the course of this season should be considered outstanding as he played his way into a starting position by week 6 and did a very solid job at cornerback. He finished the year with 2 picks, 1 sack and 54 tackles and opposing quarterbacks completed 58.1% of their passes against him. For an undrafted rookie, that is very good.
Needham definitely played himself into a position to earn some playing time for next season, although it is yet to be determined whether he will be the number 2 corner or further down the depth chart. Regardless of where he lands on next year’s roster, his play this season moved him into the top 10 for this list.
Number 9: Preston Williams
The same thing I just said about Needham’s impact as an undrafted rookie can be restated for Williams. He burst onto the scene early and he became a go to receiver on third down, once the team started to put together effective drives on offense, of course.
He finished with 32 catches for 428 yards and 3 touchdowns in an injury shortened season. Williams gave Dolphins fans something to be excited about starting in the preseason and I fully expect him to not only recover from his injury, but to continue to grow as a player under this coaching staff.
Number 8: Mike Gesicki
One of the castoffs of the Adam Gase regime, Gesicki was initially drafted to be a big and athletic offensive weapon. Under Gase, he did very little to show that and struggled to make any kind of impact. Once he was coached properly, he developed into a quality tight end that really was a difference maker for this offense.
It took a little while for Gesicki to get going, but he turned in a nice season with 51 catches for 570 yards and 5 touchdowns. He looks like he developed quite nicely over the course of the year and can be a weapon for the Dolphins for years to come.
Number 7: Davon Godchaux
Godchaux has been the definition of consistent since he entered the league. As a fifth round pick, expectations were that he make some sort of impact and yet he has consistently locked down one of the starting defensive tackles spots for a few seasons. I have always been impressed with his play and thought that he put together a quality campaign in 2019. He may not be a pro-bowler, but if he remains consistent and continues to grow, he’ll develop into a stud player for this team moving into the near future.
Number 6: Christian Wilkins
Christian Wilkins has been one of the more fun Dolphins to watch this season. He looks like he has fun with quite literally everything he does. Whether its sacking opposing quarterbacks, mauling the commissioner or scoring touchdowns, Wilkins exudes excitement and his play backs that up. Similarly to many on this list, he needs to continue to grow and keep his head right (remember that punch against Buffalo?). If he can do both, the sky is the limit for this rookie.