The Miami Dolphins need growth from their sophomore linemen
This all begs the question, what can we expect from our second-year linemen? A lot of fans take for granted that they will all three be improved in 2021. That would make sense, but players don’t always follow a linear progression in the NFL. Sometimes players have a breakout rookie season and then fizzle, sometimes they struggle early in their career but become perennial all pros later on; it can be an unpredictable process.
Luckily, the offensive line is one of the more predictable and consistent evaluations. This is because much of the time they are masters of their own fate. There are times when they rely on a quarterback to call the right protection or on a fellow lineman to help pick up a stunt but for much of the game it’s just a one on one battle.
A blown block is defined as “any time a blocker does not successfully block the defender.”
Austin Jackson
Run Blocking Snaps: 293
Run Blocking Blown Block Rate: 2.7%
Stuffs Allowed: 3
Pass Blocking Snaps: 508
Pass Blocking Blown Block Rate: 4.5%
Sacks Allowed: 3
2020 PFF Grade: 52.3
Jackson probably has the widest range of outcomes from these three. He was a physically gifted tackle coming out of USC with prototypical size, length, and athleticism for the position. The Dolphins likely over-drafted him in 2020, but that doesn’t mean it was necessarily a bad pick. Tackle is still a premium position and he has rare movement skills for someone his size.
Austin Jackson struggled the most out of Miami’s rookie linemen from 2020. It isn’t surprising as he was the youngest tackle from that draft class and one of the youngest players in the NFL-in fact he’s still 18 months younger than Liam Eichenberg. A steep learning curve was expected, but it also casts more doubt on his future prospects.
"“Its hard to pick one thing to work on cause were pretty much working on everything. Knee bend and getting lower is something I’m working on. My flexibility, strength and conditioning, torque power, turning power, all that stuff.” –Austin Jackson on offseason improvements"
If there was one area where I thought Jackson needed to improve the most, its setting his anchor. His superior athleticism lends itself to more of a finesse game, but he struggled against power rushers last season. With more age and physical maturation, he should be able to improve in that area.