Late round draft prospects the Miami Dolphins may have their eyes on

The Miami Dolphins have set themselves up to not only address positions of need but to also invest in late round guys who could develop into contributors.

We’ve all heard the names near the top of the draft, but there are players to be had in rounds 4 through 7. Let’s be clear, I’m not specifically mocking these players to the Dolphins but they could be players on the Dolphins radar when the draft enters the weekend rounds.

4th round – The Dolphins currently only have one pick in the 4th round (141 overall) but I have a hunch they’ll pick more than once in the fourth round. Some players they could look at:

A.J. Dillon – Running Back – Boston College – Dillon is a big and powerful back, who at 6’0” 245 pounds also has adequate agility. Dillon was very productive during his 3 years at BC. He surpassed 1500 yards in both his freshman and junior year scoring 14 touchdowns in each of those seasons. His sophomore season, while down, was still successful as he ran for 1100 yards and 10 touchdowns. Dillon would be a value pick in the 4th round.

Leki Fotu – Defensive Tackle – Utah – The Dolphins need an anchor in the middle of the defensive line.  Christian Wilkins and Davon Godchaux are great young tandem but don’t possess that true anchor in the middle size. Fotu comes in at 6’6” and 337 pounds.

Jon Runyan – Offensive Guard – Michigan – Runyan comes into the draft with NFL pedigree as his dad Jon Runyan Sr. played 15 years in the league. Runyan started 26 games in his career at Michigan (25 left tackle, 1 right tackle). He was All-Big Ten in his senior season (2018). Runyan would come in and provide depth with developmental potential.

5th Round – The Dolphins currently have three picks in the 5th round (153, 154 and 173 overall).  The following are some players that may be on the board for the Dolphins taking.

Saahdiq Charles – Offensive Tackle – LSU – The Dolphins will come out of this draft with multiple offensive tackles. One late round addition could be Saahdiq Charles. Charles has all the tools to be a starting offensive tackle in the National Football League, what Charles lacks is size.  The days of sub 300 pound lineman are gone. Charles will enter the NFL at 295 pounds which is sure to drop after going through (presumably) a training camp. Charles will benefit from the strength and conditioning programs the NFL will have to offer.

J.R. Reed – Safety – Georgia – I think the Dolphins have to come out of this draft with at least two safeties.  I’m convinced the first safety will come from the first or second round. Reed projects more as a strong safety as his skill set is much more suited to run defense. He’s a physical player who likes contact and is a good tackler. His pass defense skills are lacking though. Reed’s skill set also translates well to be a contributor on special teams.

James Proche – Wide Receiver – Southern Methodist – Proche has been lauded for his hands, ball skills and the ability to maintain concentration at the catch point. His route running is where he shows his weakness. The Dolphins don’t necessarily need a wide receiver but with three 5th round picks they certainly could spend one on a guy with skills that they can coach up. Proche was very productive in his Junior and Senior seasons. He went for 1199 and 1225 yards respectively while adding 12 and 15 touchdowns. He also caught 93 and 111 balls during those two seasons.

6th round – The Dolphins currently hold only their own pick in the 6th round (185 overall).

Quintez Cephus – Wide Receiver – Wisconsin – Quintez Cephus is the opposite of Proche in that Cephus is considered a very good route runner and is very physical. Cephus put up over 900 and yards and caught 7 touchdowns on a team that featured a 2000 yard rusher. Cephus rates much higher than a 6th round pick but had off the field issues in the way of sexual assault charges that caused him to miss the 2018 season. The charges were subsequently dismissed.

Malcolm Perry – Running Back – Navy – I really like this guy and would love to see the Dolphins grab this guy as a gadget player in the mold of Taysom Hill. Perry was the Midshipmen’s quarterback. Last season he rushed for 2017 yards from the quarterback position while throwing for just over 1000. He surpassed 1000 yards rushing in both 2017 & 18, so he knows how to run the ball.  He’s not a great QB prospect but he could be just good enough to be successful on “trick” plays. The Dolphins have an abundance of picks so taking a flyer on this type of player could make sense.

Tyler Huntley – Quarterback – Utah – Tyler Huntley actually has some next-level skills. He threw for over 3000 yards last year with 19 touchdowns. He has good arm strength and is fairly accurate.  Where he lacks though is quick decision making. He is a perfect candidate to fill a developmental practice squad role. The Dolphins have prided themselves on bringing in coaches who have the ability to coach a player up. Whether he was developed to be a starter for this team or as trade capital for another the Dolphins would be wise to bring someone like Huntley in.

7th Round – The Dolphins will finish the draft with three picks in the 7th round (227, 246 and 251 overall).  My hope is that one or two of these disappear as they are used in trade-up scenarios to get back into the 4th round.

Shea Patterson – Quarterback – Michigan – You don’t get to play quarterback at a school like Michigan without possessing some talent. Again, I think it would be prudent for the Dolphins to kick as many quarterback tires as possible, and what better way than using one of three 7th round picks on one. Patterson, like the previously mentioned Huntley, would be a developmental prospect. Patterson possesses sufficient athletic ability and arm strength but lacks consistency..  Again, like Huntley, Patterson threw for just over 3000 yards last season for the Wolverines. Patterson doesn’t project to be a starter but some scouts think he could be an adequate back, like in the Matt Moore mold.

Juwan Johnson – Wide Receiver – Oregon – Juwan Johnson’s best year came during his sophomore year at Penn State.  Johnson caught 54 balls for 701 yards and looked to be ready for a breakout year in his junior year. Unfortunately for Nittany Lion fans that never came to fruition.  Johnson transferred after his junior season to play his senior campaign in Oregon. Johnson is a big, physical receiver measuring 6’4” 231 pounds. Some scouts think he could be better suited as a pass-catching tight end that would create matchup problems. Johnson could make some coach look really smart if they can light a fire under this guy.

James Morgan – Quarterback – Florida International – There has been some chatter around Morgan and moving up on some team’s draft boards. Morgan again falls into the developmental category. He has never really put up eye-popping stats but some scouts say he gets high grades for his intangibles including pocket awareness. If Morgan is there in the seventh, he’d be another guy the Dolphins could consider throwing one of their three picks at to stash on the practice squad.

It can’t be stated enough about how good of a position Chris Grier and the Dolphins front office has put the franchise in going into this draft.  Not only will the Dolphins be able to fill positions of need but they will be able to use some picks to draft developmental players for the future.