NFL Draft: Best day 2 linebackers for the Miami Dolphins

Wisconsin’s Leo Chenal is the linebacker in the 2022 NFL Draft with the highest ceiling as a prospect.

Leo Chenal is one of those guys that can you very excited from a prospect standpoint. He has similar grades and similar attributes to a linebacker that just won the 2021 Defensive Rookie of the Year, Micah Parsons.

This is the guy who if he is still around halfway through the second round, the Miami Dolphins would be hard-pressed to not pick up the phone and attempt to trade up. He has physical tools that do not come around the NFL quite often at all.

At 6 foot 3 inches and 250 pounds, Leo Chenal could be a nightmare on this Miami Dolphins defense. Considering the Miami Dolphins just inked Emmanuel Ogbah to an extension, that will set up for the future of the Miami Dolphins’ edge rushers being 2021 rookie Jaelan Phillips and Emmanuel Ogbah.

In what last year was an extremely blitz-heavy scheme, the Miami Dolphins could rely on sending 6 guys to the passer more times than not, leaving Xavien Howard, Byron Jones, Nik Needham, and Brandon Jones, and Jevon Holland to cover over the top. Allowing Jerome Baker and Leo Chenal to rush the passer and commit to stopping the run would be a game-changer.

With Leo Chenal flying up draft boards, however, this could be the guy the Miami Dolphins add to be a guy who makes a huge difference in a few areas that elevate this defense to a much higher level. It would give Josh Boyer some young pieces who are QB hungry and get to play a fun game called “race to the quarterback”.

The Miami Dolphins are a piece or two away from becoming a top unit in the NFL for years to come. This is the type of move-up in the draft, or pick in general, that shows the Miami Dolphins are ready to compete and compete now.