Matt Stevens: Miami Dolphins 4-round mock draft heads to LSU

Nothing like a 2021 Miami Dolphins mock draft to kick off the week.

The Miami Dolphins will go into the draft with four picks in the first two rounds of the NFL Draft but it is the mid-rounds that Miami needs to nail.

There are some pretty big changes since my last mock draft that was done way back in August.

Back in August, I did a “way too early mock draft Dolphins mock draft”.  A lot has changed since then.  The Dolphins have been stronger in some areas where they seemed weak.  For example, the emergence of Emmanuel Ogbah (8 sacks through 13 games) and Shaq Lawson (4 sacks) has made finding a pass rusher less of a priority than it seemed in training camp.  Conversely, the running back position has been a major disappointment this season.

"As for Houston, they have more stability on the coaching staff and player turnover than the Dolphins but trading DeAndre Hopkins to Arizona will hurt that offense."

This comment didn’t age well, did it?  After an 0-4 start, Texans head coach Bill O’Brien was fired and replaced by Romeo Crennel.  Since then, the Texans are a more competitive football team but are currently slated to pick in the top 10 of next year’s draft; 8th to be exact.  That will benefit the Dolphins as they have both the Texans’ first and second-round picks in the upcoming draft.

As for the Dolphins pick, it’s a pleasure to report that the Dolphins have already shattered the 6-win mark that Vegas predicted before the season began.  The team is currently 8-5 and the 7th seed in the playoffs; if the season ended today.

With that in mind, I present to you my second mock draft of the season.