The Miami Dolphins have a surprisingly short history with the University of Georgia. Here are some of the connections between the two programs.
The Miami Dolphins won’t be picking in either of the first two rounds of the 2022 NFL Draft, and they’ll be missing out on one of the best crops of University of Georgia prospects that the league has ever seen.
The National Champion Bulldogs were dominant in 2021, especially on the defensive side of the ball. Some called their front line one of the best (and beefiest) units ever assembled, and they were able to help neutralize Alabama to win the title back in January. The upcoming draft will be littered with Georgia prospects, and as many as seven Bulldogs are projected to be selected in the first two rounds.
The defensive linemen will be the first ones off of the board, as Travon Walker, Jordan Davis, and Nakobe Dean all figure to be first round picks. Lewis Cine, the safety, is projected by some outlets as a top-32 selection as well. According to Pro Football Focus, 11 of the top 150 prospects are Bulldogs.
The Dolphins won’t miss out entirely, though. They have a third round pick and might even have a trick up their sleeves in order to move up. Picking a player out of Georgia is not out of the realm of possibility.
Miami has some history with players from Georgia. A few of the most memorable Dolphins players from multiple generations have been U of G alumni, including a couple of the best safeties in team history.
Here are some of the players that the Miami Dolphins have drafted out of Georgia:
Randy McMichael
Would you believe me if I told you that Randy McMichael is (probably) the greatest tight end to ever wear a Miami Dolphins uniform?
Selected 114th overall in the fourth round of the 2002 NFL Draft, McMichael is the career leader for Dolphins tight ends in yards with 3,069, and his 18 touchdowns have him tied for fourth (Somehow, Jim Mandich was able to amass 23 touchdowns while having just 1,400 receiving yards).
The former Bulldog was as reliable as they come, starting all 16 games in his five years in Miami. He never put up gaudy numbers, though he should have in 2004 and 2005 when he was targeted 100+ times. But his consistency at the position was something that we haven’t seen since, though you could make the argument for Anthony Fasano or Mike Gesicki, depending on the latter’s future with the team.
McMichael would go on to play six more seasons with the Rams and Chargers, having just one season in which he missed any time. His best years were certainly spent with the Miami Dolphins. He was named a Pro Bowl alternate in 2004. While at Georgia, McMichael was given First Team All-SEC honors for his sophomore season.
Bill Stanfill & Jake Scott
Two of the greatest Miami Dolphins of all time were actually teammates for two years at the University of Georgia.
Bill Stanfill and Jake Scott has illustrious careers at both levels. In college, they both earned Consensus All-American honors, with Scott being named the SEC Player of the Year and Stanfill winning the Outland Trophy (best interior lineman in the country) in 1968.
The Dolphins drafted Stanfill with the 11th overall pick in the 1969 Draft, while Scott somehow fell to the 7th round of the 1970 version. But both were instrumental pieces of some of the best teams in franchise history. They were a part of the defense for two Super Bowl winning teams, including the 17-0 perfect season. Stanfill set a team record in 1973 with 18.5 sacks (unofficial), a record that has only been tied since by Jason Taylor.
Scott was actually the more decorated of the two, making five All Pro teams and five Pro Bowls in his six seasons in Miami. He was also the MVP of Super Bowl VII by picking off the Washington Redskins twice and securing the perfect season.
Both players were placed in the Miami Dolphins Honor Roll in 2010 in a joint ceremony.
Reshad Jones
During his best years, you could make the argument that Reshad Jones was one of the most underrated safeties in the NFL.
Jones spent all ten seasons of his career with the Dolphins. He was the 36th defensive back selected in the 2010 NFL Draft when Miami picked him in the 5th round (163rd overall). He was a hard hitter and a ball hawk, intercepting 22 passes and defending 55 in 113 starts, and had 10.5 career sacks as well. His performance was good enough to earn him two Pro Bowl appearances, one in 2015 and the other in 2017. He led the team in tackles in both of those seasons as well, and had four career touchdowns off of interceptions. In 2016, Jones was voted by his peers as the 64th best player in the league on the NFL’s Top 100 List.
Jones had a solid three-year career at Georgia, achieving Second Team All-ACC honors twice, and was also a Second Team All-American during his junior campaign.
He was one of the most steady and consistent performers for the Miami Dolphins during some rough seasons, and he became something of a fan favorite because of it. He has not played since 2019.